I need a foot brace in my canoe and I can’t bring myself to drill holes in the hull, nor do I especially like the idea of having a bar across the bilge impeding my ability to slide ballast fore and aft, so I remembered that Jim had posted some pics of foot pegs (dead pedals?) that he’d fashioned to hang from the rails of his Bell. Does this sound like a viable alternative?
Jim, how have they worked out over time? Could you re-post the pics if you still have them? Which one is the gas/brakes? Thanks.
alternate solution
Placid Boatworks glues (using Plexus) kayak-style footbraces to the sides of the boat. Mine are holding up well after three years of sometimes robust use.
I can’t remember the brand of the footbraces, but the rails are all plastic, so they can conform to a bit of bend in the side of the boat. The pegs have long tabs extending toward the paddler, so the peg position can be adjusted while one is on the water.
I have to say, though, that I get tired of having only one lateral position for my feet on the braces. It would be nice to have a trans-boat brace, for variety. I realize you have ruled that out; I’m just saying’. Somebody here posted a photo of a foot bar attached to kayak-style footpegs. If you could make the attachment non-permanent, you could have it all: a trans-boat brace when you didn’t have gear to shift around, and pegs-only when you needed the space in the middle of the boat. Sounds complicated, though.
Mark
Now you’ve done it.
Thank you for some interesting new ideas to mull over. I’d thought about adjustable kayak foot pegs before, but not of bridging them with telescoping aluminunum tubes. A tip o’ the Tilley to you, Mark. You’ve really hit on something, I think!
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– Last Updated: Jun-01-10 4:41 PM EST –
alot of marathon canoes are set up in just such a way. Pedals, maybe a bar or a combo of pedals and bar. Of course most of thoise boats have a rudder also but you can still mount the pedal w/o a rudder. By the way you can glass those bars or pedal tracks in if you dont want to drill thru the hull
Just back from vacation tktoo
and saw your post.
My foot peg shots are no longer posted on Grovestreet, but I can add some tonight when I get home.
Those pegs are now out of the Magic, as my sliding seat was so successful that I needed to have a footrest (bar) that slides with the seat. No pics of that yet, but it is just a pair of 3/4 x 3/8" stringers that are attached to the seat frame with an adjustable bar attached with clevis pins.
No holes in hull were needed.
Jim
I’ve ordered a pair of Harmony
slide lock foot pegs to install with Plexus as per CEW’s kind advice. I’m always curious to admire your handiwork, though! Hope you enjoyed your time off from work.
Charlie knows how
to glue footpegs to composite as well as anyone on the planet. I just had a germ of an idea and a hankering to fabricate some wood.
Jim