Sit On Top Kayaking

By admin, February 17, 2010 10:37 am

sit-in kayak question?

I have been searching for a highback seat for my pelican sit-in kayak. Im starting to believe they dont exist. I can only find seats for sit-on-top kayaks. Need help to know if what im looking for exist or where to find it? It does not need to be for a pelican exactly, just some standard sit-in kayak high back seat.

I’d suggest reconsidering the need for a high back seat. Most high backs (such as the ones in sit-on-tops) put you in a reclined position that’s terrible for paddling. Besides preventing you from having an effective forward stroke, the reclined position is less stable than sitting up.

First make sure that you’re well-fitted into the kayak. The balls of your feet should be resting comfortably in the foot rests while your back is in contact with the back rest. If you press your feet into the foot rests, you should feel pressure on the back rest.

Ideally when paddling, you’ll be sitting up tall, maybe leaning slightly forward. If you’re not used to this, it can be tiring, so try it for short periods of time. Difficulty in sitting up or leaning forward can often be due to tight hamstrings, so make sure to warm up and stretch your legs well before paddling.

If the back rest in your kayak is flimsy, then you need a sturdier one, not necessarily a higher one. Here are links for a couple sturdy backbands:

http://www.immersionresearch.com/products/accessories/reggie/

http://snapdragondesign.com/products-page/?category=10

Or, as suggested, you could carve your own out of solid foam. I have a foam backrest in one of my kayaks, it’s only about 4 inches high, and it’s one of the most comfortable ones I’ve used.

If you do really want a high back, you may need to see if one made for a sit-on-top can fit in your kayak. Some come with both the seat and back rest, but you should be able to find some that consist of just the back rest. You’d probably need attachment points at the back of your kayak’s seat as well as somewhere on the sides of the seat near the hips.

Scupper Pup kayak cart for sit-on-top kayaks


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