I have a days-old Kodiak and am about to install a rudder, make seat and thigh pad adjustments, and add some minicell foam to make it a better fit, but have some questions for those of you who have already done this.
First, I’m trying to decide the fore and aft position of the adjustable seat. When I looked closely at it for the first time today I was surprised to find that it was twisted about an inch off of its axis, so my first four paddles were with my body hitched to the left a bit. I had assumed that things would at least be somewhat close to where they should be from the shop . . . The seat was so far back, that unless I adjusted the backrest to an almost uncomfortable position, my back was in contact with the aft rim of the cockpit. So, I adjusted the seat forward by about two inches, but I’m wondering if I have to be cautious with this or I will throw the boat trim out of wack. Should I move it forward until the hips, foot movement, etc. all line up the best, or is there a way to measure for a centerline where my weight should be? Also if it helps, I’, 6 foot, and 225.
Second, for those of you who have a Kodiak with a rudder, I’m trying to figure out how the foot movement will work and if I need to add foam to the hull under the foot pegs or to the thigh braces or not. The way the boat fits now I can wedge myself in with the balls of my feet on the footpegs and have solid contact with my thighs, but it doesn’t feel like I would be able work the rudder pedals at the top of the footpegs with my toes this way. When I lift my feet up to put the peg more in the middle of my foot so I can work the pedals with my toes, my knees and thighs drop down and I lose that contact with the thigh braces. When you are operating with the rudder down, do you pull your legs to the center of the boat and not worry about the thigh braces? If that’s not the case, it looks as if I could add about a half inch of foam on the hull under the pegs to raise my feet up a bit and still keep the thighs locked. I’d also like the foam to cushion my heels. So far I’ve been paddling barefoot.
And one last question. I’ve heard there is an allen wrench tucked away somewhere in the cockpit, but I haven’t found it yet. ???
thanks
Allen wrench
Is (or should be) on the back of the seat.
pads & trim
I’d say to pad it any way you think will be comfortable. I put heel pads in my boat and was very pleased with the improvement. I found that bare minicel wore quickly, so I ended up adding a layer of neoprene(fabric covered) for durability.
As for trim, one way to check is to go out with your typical load on a day with some wind and see how the seat position affects weathercocking.
Talked to Prijon
I talked to Steve at Prijon and he said they recommend leaving the seat as far back as is comfortable. I think I’ll experiment a bit with it and try it out on the water to see if I notice any difference. As to the allen wrench, the dealer is going to drop one in the mail to me. Once the rudder arrives I’ll work on placing the foam where it is needed.