Smooth Seats

Advice
#1

Went to Rutabaga in Madison WI. Saturday to view their assortment of yaks. They have elected not to carry Eddyline kayaks anymore because there are enough other lines they want to carry.



I saw one of the Eddyline Merlins which is on my short list of next yak to purchase and it had a very smooth, glossy, hard plastic seat. Has anybody had difficulty with sliding (your butt; not the seat movement) or comfort issues with these seats?

#2

personally have
never had a problem w/a smooth seat be it plstc. or glass . If your feet are on the footpegs , thighs in the sides , an your butt is against the back your not gonna slide anywhere . I’m 140# , so I don’t take up alot o space . The Nighthawek is nice , the carbonlite looks just like glass.

#3

Foam pad
Self-adhesive foam seat pads are an easy fix. I’ve got one in my whitewater boat.

#4

Check out WS
Look into to Wilderness systems. They have the best seating arrangement in my opinion.

#5

I already own a WS
and you are correct, the seats are as comfortable as my furniture at home. However, for my next yak, I was selecting a kayak from a number of manufacturers of which WS Tsunami was one of the items on the short list.

#6

Yup, 1/4 Minicell
is on all my seats from glass to plastic. When the water gets rough, slippage happens. The more sure the contact through the braces, seat, backband, footpegs/bulkhead, the better and more instant brace action to the boat.



sing

#7

Thanks all.

#8

Sealine Discovery Self Inflating Pad
I got one of these 6 months ago from REI. It’s great. Easily adjustable and low so as not to raise your CG. Attaches with marine velcro. Comfortable and secure all day.

#9

I’m for slick seats for sea kayaks
promotes thorough torso rotation. Need to lock in, push on the pegs, thighs into dech seat in seat and you should have good control.





WW might be different, I really would not know.

#10

I prefer the slick seat surfaces
Though the hard plastic causes my sit bones to dig in uncomfortably after several hours, I actually prefer plastic’s slippery surface to grippy minicell.



I found that two unpleasant things happen with minicell:


  • The Cordura butt patches on my drysuit stick too well to the seat, resulting in twisted longjohns and drysuit during repeated rolling. This never happened with the plastic seat in my other boat. Then the suit binds my movement, even though it is baggy on me.


  • Whatever I am wearing (it’s especially bad with the drysuit due to its rough surface) sticks to the seat so that my, ummmm, tender parts receive friction that never was a problem with the plastic seat. The adhesion between clothing and seat is higher than between clothing and skin, so the skin gets rubbed during torso rotation.



    I don’t need minicell’s friction for good grip. The seat shape and fit of thigh braces etc. are more important.



    I once rented a Merlin and liked its seat because it had sitbone dimples to relieve pressure there.