Inflatable kayak seat position?

Advice
#1

I have an inflatable kayak - SeaEagle 385ft FastTrack. My questions are about where I should sit in the boat for the best paddling experience & should I change my position on windy days.

The boat is 12.5 feet long & 3 feet wide in the middle. There is an inflatable seat which can be positioned anywhere within the boat attaching to D rings on the top of each pontoon. This kayak is very stable. However it is slower & more impacted by wind than typical hard shell kayaks.

(1) What is the best position of where I should place the seat: slightly forward of the kayak center, at the center, or slightly behind the kayak center? I notice that if it is behind the center, the bow raises a bit which decreases water resistance. Comments?

(2) On windy days the kayak acts like a sail with the wind pushing the boat around. On these days, should I change the seat position so that the seat is slightly forward of the kayak center so that the bow is not so high & less impacted by wind?

Thank you.

#2

Ballasting the bow would be more practical than moving the seat forward. Square half gallon cider or milk jugs can be filled with water at the put in and placed in the bow to lower the front water line for better tracking.

2 Likes
#3

I have the same kayak, well two 385ft and one Razor Lite. Your best position for solo paddling is the center set up. If the bow is too high for you, just put a little weight up there, like an anchor or even a gallon of water. Also make sure you use the fin, especially on windy days. Here is a photo from their site for a solo paddler

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#4

thanks for this questions and related answers, you really solve my problem