This year I bought my first yak, a Perception Sundance 12. I love it!!!
However I do notice that I get a sore butt after about an hour and a half. Tonight I was out. I fish out of the yak. I do a lot of casting around piers and such, and manage to pick up a few bass.
Could that be part of my problem? When I’m actually fishing, I’m not paddling. No upper or lower body movement. No torso rotation.
I took a Temperfoam pad tonight to see if that would help. It didn’t. I also tried a closed cell pad. Didn’t help either.
My “sit” bones get sore. ( Any recumbent rider will know exactly what I mean )
What can I do? Shall I try paddling more and fishing less? Could my foot pegs be in the wrong position.
Should I try one of those after market inflatable seat?
Will I simply gain more strength over time, and the pain will take longer to manifest itself?
Comments and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
yakpad
i bought a yakpad with the seat an a back on it with gel filled its great dont leave home with out it.
I had the same problem
with a Perception Sole'. I got a SealLine Discovery Kayak Seat Cushion from REI. It helped alot. I believe the problem is with the seat design and not your lack of movement, or leg position etc. After I upgraded from the Perception boat to a P&H boat i never had another problem with a sore butt.
Gell seat and P&H seat both awesome
Custom seats are also good.
Outfitting With Think Pieces Of Foam
don’t assume that one flat piece of paddling will do. It depends on the shape of the seat and how various sections poke or do not poke into your posterior. Padding strategically in different layers rather than laying down one big piece may do the trick.
sing
You said that this is your…
…first year yaking.
It could be that you need more time in the seat.
Talk to anyone who has never cycled before, and they will complain about their sore butt.
A new paddler can very well have the same problem.
If you continue having the problem after you have some more time paddling than it would be worth looking at adding some seat padding.
Cheers,
JackL
I have found that by adjusting the
backrest a little forward (so that you are out of the “recline” posture) a great deal of weight and stress is removed from your tailbone. Of course, a good high-quality seat pad also goes a long way towards staying comforatble.
Try this
http://seairsports.com/seats/endurance.shtml
I had the same problem and this worked great for me.
Or this…
http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=sts
The one I hear getting the best reviews is the Surf to Summit Highbacked Seat.
Also note the lil $7 inflatable pillows about 2/3rds of the way down the list. I have a few of them and they can increase comfort dramatically for mere pennies. I found them at a local Army Surplus store for about $5 each. They need not raise your center of gravity to much. Before launching adjust the amount of air in them so that it just barely keeps your butt off of the hard plastic seat. I don’t use them while paddling, just while fishing and “puddling” or skulling. One beneath and one behind sometimes. They also work well, while paddling if you place them beneath your thighs.
Waterproof, adjustable and CHEAP!
Just a thought…
Surf to Summit GTS Elite Seat is best
one for SOT comfort. Redfish Kayaks makes the most comfortable custom seat for SINKS,IMHO. 
got a Sundance 9.5
and after a full day of paddling my rear would get sore. I fixed it by getting a $2 foam hunting seat. Closed foam design and about 2" thick. Works great and was less expensive than a yak pad.
Along the same lines…
as the suggestion from Northman are the little closed mini cell foam kneeling pads made for gardeners and sold at Homey Depot & Lowe’s.