Nasty Sliding Foot Pedals

Advice
#1

I recently posted here about a 2004 poly Necky Looksha Sport 14 with a rudder complaining about the sliding foot pedals.



I’ve decided that for how I’ll use my Looksha Sport I want to launch the rudder and the sliding foot pedal system and install rigid foot rests like in my Capella.



The mounting hole pattern for the sliding foot pedal frame is 16.5". The frame hole pattern in my Capella is 14.5". Are there foot rest frames that will fit the 16.5" hole pattern in my Looksha Sport? I’m accustomed to the foot rests in my Capella but I guess I’d prefer to not drill additional holes if I could purchase frames that can use the existing holes.



Any ideas?



Thanks.

#2

Split Pedal System
Foot pedal are cut in half

Bottom is completely rigid, top slides/moves with toes.



SealLine SmartTrack Split Pedal

#3

Hodtay, save your money and skip
those X - track things.



Then please consider our Gas Pedal / Foot Bar system.



http://www.onnopaddles.com/components.html



ZERO boat mods ness and are night and day better than the sliders or X - track type stuff.

#4

How would ONNO stuff work in my kayak
I’m still on the fence about removing the rudder from my Looksha Sport. I have my Capella for conditions where I think I would need a skeg/rudder and the clutter on the deck and those spongy pedals are a pain. That being said I don’t have any experience with using a rudder so maybe I’m being hasty… and I’m still not sure if my size 13 booties will ever fit comfortably in my Looksha Sport.



What would be my options for putting ONNO stuff in my boat. Would I attach stuff to the existing rails? Could I utilize the existing hole pattern of 16.5"? Is there a photo of the non-ruddered system?



I’d like to look at the most ergonomically correct system to address my current leg discomfort. I can sit in my Capella 173 for hours and hours with NO discomfort. I’d like to achieve the same comfort in a second boat.



I bought the poly Looksha Sport to take the scuffs and drag-overs in low flow river and sloughs and something a little smaller more maneuverable. Maybe I should be looking at other boats.



Thanks.

#5

stainless steel cotter pins
You can drill a hole through the aluminum sliding piece and fixed piece and drop in a cotter pin to lock the slider firmly in place. Make sure you drill the hole and put the pin through in in a position that still allows you to adjust the footpeg position for you, as the pin passes through the middle where the footpeg base slides through. But that will be obvious enough when you look at it.

If you want to get precise about it, what I did was put the pedals in position so that when they were firmly forward, pulling the rudder cables snug, the rudder was straight. Then I marked the position, and when I took them out of the boat, I drilled the holes so that when I locked the sliders in place with a cotter pin, the rudder can still be deployed in a straight position.

So then you’re in a situation with your pegs locked in place just like your Capella. And should you want to switch to a turnable rudder, simply pull out the cotter pin on each side, and it’s back to the way it was.

This doesn’t give you both at the same time like the Onno solution. But a little bit of time and a couple bucks gets you there today if you want, as you already have everything except the cotter pins.

Also make sure you have clearance above the footpeg rail inside the kayak to be able to slide a pin down through from above. The pin only has to be as long as the rail.


#6

Consider Zephyr?
Sounds like what you are looking for. Its a skeg boat.

#7

smallish boats need rudders?
I’m a relative new-b so take this fwiw. My only boat is a WS rm zephyr 16,(I’m only 155# soaking wet so should be in a 15.5 but got a heck of a deal…),paddling my local river & learning how to handle the boat is enough without a rudder IMO, after not too many times out I’m really starting to learn how to work currents to my favor & even wave sufing a little. I have some nerve damage in my right foot and the foot pegs were killing me, so I cut a light piece of plywood to span between the pegs, drilled holes in the ply above & below the peg locations and secured it with super heavy zip ties. Problem solved. I’m thinking that since the experiment has been so successful, I’ll look into something a little cleaner and more permanent, though I do like being able to adjust the feet so maybe I’ll just waterproof the board and leave it, possibly add some additional floatation behind the board.



All the best, t.george

#8

I’ll try that!
I really need to put more paddling time in with the Looksha Sport before I invest $ in another foot rest system or a replacement boat. The cotter pin idea seems like a temporary/reversible fix that will improve my situation. In the mean time I’ll keep looking at options.



Thanks.

#9

My only concern
with your modification is whether their might be an increased danger of entrapment if your body and feet are forced to the bow and your feet get jammed past the foot rest.



Also, while shopping for my Zephyr I ended up paddling both the 16.0 and the 15.5. I don’t fit the 15.5. I’m too big. But if I got down under 200Lbs I would definitely choose the 15.5. Something about that boat is very special. The 16.0 is wonderful - as you know. But that 15.5 is really something.

#10

stops on the track
You could try the square plastic plug for auto license plates with metal screws in the track just in front of the pedals to stop forward motion. I use my rudder occasionally so do not want to disable it, but I do use bungies (the small loop and ball type) to keep the cable tight.

#11

email sent

– Last Updated: Feb-19-12 5:11 PM EST –

to you Hodtay.

#12

Prijon gas pedal style system
I hate the sliding pedals too. the prijon pedals don’t slide at all. just pivot with your toes to turn the rudder. bracing is just as solid as could be and they are very easy to adjust. other than prijons I’d gon with a skeg for that reason. I’m sure you could just attach the new pedals and cables to your rudder.

cheers.

#13

Sorry for the thread drift…
…maybe I should have started a new topic, but: rpg51, thanks for your concerns about foot entrapment. The plywood board I cut runs top to bottom at about a 15* angle,(something I picked up from another thread on this site). I left a 1/2" gap along the bottom center so as not to impead water draining and another gap of about 2" along the center top,(to clear my below deck bilge pump & sponge storage), so that the board looks like an over inflated kidney shape. Since the top outer edges touch some of the deck outfitting hardware it’d be very difficult to force beyond them and the attatchment to the pegs strongly resists tilting forward. Regardless, I’m planning on doing something to make it impossible to do so; the bottom edge rests against the cockpit floor and can’t go forward. It actually works pretty slick in that if I bring the foot pegs all the way rearward I can easily pop the board out so I could use the space for gear storage. I’m thinking of shaping some foam blocks or some such to store between the board and front bulkhead; that’d make it bomb proof. One other use of zip-ties I’m using is to put one around the peg adjuster to act as a stop where I like it adjusted, this keeps it from being able to slide forward but I can still bring it back to me a notch for a tighter fit or to remove the board.

#14

2nd the smarttrack split pedal system
Nice setup, easy to use. Not sure how it prices.

#15

the rudder in the looksha
…actually is used more to help you track or stay a course. Lots of rocker in that hull.

#16

DIY?
If you desire to keep rudder in that boat, there are plenty of suggestions above.



If not, here are a couple of options-

  1. Purchase aftermarket foot peg system - yakima, nrs, whatever. If you need to drill new holes, do not despair - poly can be easily patched. You may use either a poly drip candle ( ski repair), or google poly hole welding for more ideas.
  2. Install WW moveable bulkhead system. Not sure what the aftermarket is for those. A bit difficult to describe without drawing a picture. Most of the higher volume WW boats ( say creakers) will have a moveable bulkhead, maybe there is a paddling shop or club in the are so you could take a look.

    Moveable bulkhead looks like a U, with the flat part connecting uprights, uprights attach to the sides of the kayak with wingnuts, you screw wingnuts on screw studs. The flat part is where your feet go. If true DIY, you can place screw studs in the current holes, and drill holes in the uprights wherever you want them.
  3. Create a foam bulkhead - minicell foam, or some such.
#17

necky foot pegs?
if you don’t need the rudder. I would say necky footpegs they have skeg boats right? probably interchangaable

#18

not too expensive option
Sea-Lect Rudder Control Foot Braces:

http://www.duckworksbbs.com/hardware/canoe-kayak/rudder-fb/index.htm



they lock in place like your Capella foot braces, and pivot instead of slide to control the rudder.



14.5" mounting length though, you’d have to drill two more holes.