Came for some advice on a seat for a sit on top kayak that I'm going to be
fishing out of. I am a large guy and by large, I mean fat. I'm 5'4" 270
lbs.
I've been paddling SINK rec kayaks for years, I own 2 loon 138's and a 160
tandem.
I recently bought a SOT. It's a Big game prowler purchased used without
test paddling it and I haven't had it on the water yet.
Anyway, there is a seat back on it now, but no seat bottom cushion. I
haven't actually taken it out paddling yet so I haven't tried the seat in
it. But I'll be taking he kayak to the bay in about 3 weeks for some
fishing. So I'll demo this seat this week and see how it is.
Anyway why this started is because last week I week I took a tour in a SOT
in Califonia and it had a seat it in and the seat was beat up. The guy came
up as I was ready to get in, said "let me tighten this up some, yanked on a
couple of straps and told me to get in. I didn't think much of it. Anyway,
it turned out to be the most horrible sitting in a kayak I've ever done. It
didn't work well and in fact the tour was only about 2 hours and after an
hour I gave up and went back to shore. It just didn't hold me up and I
couldn't hold myself up. I was almost laying on my back paddling. I know I
looked bad because the tour guide said to me "How uncomfortable are you"
All I said was "It's horrible, I'll head back to shore" There was nothing
could do to fix it floating in the water
When I did get to shore. I noticed the way the seat was made and
subsequently ripped, the top half of the seat back above the crossover
strap was shredded and I don't think it was supporting anything. probably
would have been ok for a skinny person with better stomach/back muscles,
but for me it was really bad. and I felt really horrible and embarrased
cutting the tour short. I had my 7 year old son in the front seat, and my
wife in a single kayak we were paddling some sea caves(there went $150 for
an hour of kayaking...:-(......
Anyway, I'm hoping it was just the seat and not a product of using a SOT.
In the last 10 years, this is the 3rd sit on top I've tried. The first
rental had no back support at all and I didn't know you could even get
seats for them (10 years ago) the second only had a back band (about 8
years ago) I had alot of trouble with that one and my back still hurts at
times from that trip) and now this trip.
Anyway, I'm hoping it was just a bad seat and not a product of using a SOT.
I've never had an issue in any of my rec kayaks, they have hard moulded
seats.
So that being said, what would you guys reccomend for a seat, what to look
for and what to stay away from.
All I can think of is the higher the height of the seatback, the better it
would be.
Thanks,
Nick
Surf-To-Summit
Check them out. They make a wide variety of high quality seats for SOTs, though not cheap.
Having said that, I’d check out the seat that came with your Prowler first. I picked up one of the cheapest OK seats for one of my boats, and it is even more comfortable than my S-to-S. I is also quite well made, and even if it wasn’t, at 1/3 the price of the S-to-S, it doesn’t have to be.
I appreciate that weight is an issue (I only weigh 190) but I’m sure you can come up with something.
Mike
Surf to Summit
Echo that. Surf to Summit makes a fine high-backed SOT seat.
Good advice.
I’ve got a fisherman’s model from them and like it.
Do you want to sit forever
I had the same problem with the seat in my SOT. My first time on the water and we paddled from one end of Oak Hollow lake to the other. I was wore out and wanted to stop and get out to stretch. I had the seat improperly adjusted and my back was killing me. We were going twice a week and weekends. I could not get comfortable to save my life but after a while it got to where I could tolerate it. Then I ordered a new high back seat from get outdoors and it has made the difference of night and day. Used to be I was constantly moving and shifting now it is so comfortable I can last all day and night. I gave my old seat to my fishing buddy the skinny boy compared to what he had on his pelican it was like a cadillac. Mine did cost $99.00 but it was worth every penny and then some. It has some storage and a couple of rod holders which were secondary benifits. Sounds like you are as uncomfortable as I was. Do you and your back a good turn and get you a high back seat. You will be glad every time you sit in it all day and when you get out you can actually stand erect without cracking your back. Good luck.