I have two kayaks with terrible seatbacks. A mainstream riptide(same boat as perception swifty) and a mainstream patriot. Does anyone know of a higher replacement seat back available for these boats? The seat backs are just too short to be comfortable for any float longer than an hour. I am not a tall guy either at 5-4. I would also consider relacing seat in the swifty but its GF’s and she doesn’t get out as much and doesn’t mind it.
We don’t need no stinkin’ seat backs
My Snapdragon back band is about 4 inches high. Sit up straight, Kayaks are not Lazyboy recliners.
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– Last Updated: Jul-04-08 6:45 PM EST –
The advice to sit up straighter is correct. It isn't fashion - if you are reclining back in the seat you are arm paddling rather than using torso rotation, and over time greatly increasing the risk of shoulder or elbow damage. It is also a rotten position for your hips and low back. If you are feeling pain, your best bet for solving it is to go to a lower a seatback like a backband and sit up straighter. Staying seated back is only likely to continue the problem.
If one of those boats is like a Swifty, with its high deck and very wide beam, you are putting particularly much strain on everything by trying to paddle sitting back.
PS - If GF doesn't mind it, may be that she is sitting up straighter than you.
relacement seatbacks
Thanks for the advice. Not really an answer but… Most of paddling isn’t really paddling but floating while casting and catching smallmouth bass. so I definitely need to adress the seatback issue not only for myself but for the other people who fish out my boats. Anyone else out there have any suggestions?
Are you handy?
First, I agree with the other posts that it is you, and not the seat back, but since you explained that you just want to sit back, float around and fish, why not remove the seat completely and replace it with one of those crazy ceek camping chairs.
With a little ingenuity I am sure you could come up with someting that would satisfy yourself.
I have made sliding canoe seats from scratch, and made bunches of modifications to various boats.
If your present seat back is hard plastic, screw a couple of pieces of aluminum tubing vertically to the back, and have them extended up at the height you want.
Then make a back out of some sail cloth, canvas or lawn chair webbing.
As I am writing this I am thinking of all the broken lawn chairs that I always see in the trash barrales at the beach, and you could even buy a cheap one, cut the bottom off and then use the back.
Where there is a will there is a way !
Cheers,
JackL
Stadium Seats
I did a week long paddle where comfort was more important than performance. I didn’t want to alter my boat permanantly because I wanted the low backrest for my other paddling days. I ended up buying one of those folding stadium seats. It consist of a back and seat with straps connecting the two. The back has fiberglass rods in it to keep it up straight. It worked well for the week and didn’t require me to alter the boat. I got the one with the very thin foam so the seat formed to the kayak seat.
Bring a Crazy Creek chair?
Set up the angle to your liking and put it on the existing seat while you fish. When you’re done, fold it up and stash it. They’re nice for land use, too. About $30.