subaruguru Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 Quote: "While I can certainly see advantages from a bracing perspective, I sure like the ability to take my feet off the pegs and stretch during a long paddle! That is one of the sea-kayak things I really miss when I'm locked into my white-water boat." Building a custom plug-in bulkhead can easily provide both a canted surface for angled feet, adjustability via layered construction for several paddlers' leg lengths (or thicker winter boots), as well thicker "sides" to allow even deeper resting leg extension in the center. The correct position for me still easily allows flattened resting legs without such curvature or stepped construction, however. WRT resale value, my take is that one should simply start with a fairly deep bulkhead wall that would accommodate MOST of the long-legged possible subsequent purchasers, and then use foam combos to customize to your leg length. In my albeit limited experience P&H simply allowed adjustability and measurement error by setting the custom wall about 2" deeper than wanted and then supplying a 2" plug-in foam wall. Worked fine. Now I've even added another 1/2" layer on top to increase leg/thigh contact angle for rolling practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Sylvester Posted May 8, 2010 Share Posted May 8, 2010 My reasons: Easy adjustment for different users, I can put different users in my boats for lessons or fun on the water. I can vary the position when I feel like wearing different footwear( I have size 12, or different clothes ie: bathing suit verses drysuit with fleece. thereby changing my tightness and comfort in the boat. (rarely) On trips I can stuff a drybag between the pegs without moving the bulkhead to minimize foam thickness. More firm underfoot when pushing. I did foam out my outer island back in 01 and it was not for me. I never did put footbraces in it because it was too tight on my feet and I was afraid I would not get my foot at the right angle for comfort and power. sold it... When racing or covering miles I just like the psychological and physical feel of the transfer of power. I would never install plastic rails, only yakima. though my avocet may have plastic rails?? not sure... maybe use them if they seem solid.... I surf rather large waves when possible and have driven the bow in hard, done endos and generally beat some boats hard. I consider the footpegs to be the first line of defense for my foot going through the bulkhead. If the footpegs break then I still have the bulkhead to stop me. I always build strong front bulkheads with that in mind. One of the founders of nspn used to tell a story( 2nd hand) of someone whose feet got caught in a busted bulkhead.......yikes! I have no bone spurs or foot problems if I did I could understand trying it again...... Having built 17 different yaks and bought 6 or so production boats, this works for me... Paul......main boat....NDK Explorer and 6 other kayaks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted May 9, 2010 Share Posted May 9, 2010 My reasons: Easy adjustment for different users, I can put different users in my boats for lessons or fun on the water. I can vary the position when I feel like wearing different footwear( I have size 12, or different clothes ie: bathing suit verses drysuit with fleece. thereby changing my tightness and comfort in the boat. (rarely) On trips I can stuff a drybag between the pegs without moving the bulkhead to minimize foam thickness. More firm underfoot when pushing. I did foam out my outer island back in 01 and it was not for me. I never did put footbraces in it because it was too tight on my feet and I was afraid I would not get my foot at the right angle for comfort and power. sold it... When racing or covering miles I just like the psychological and physical feel of the transfer of power. I would never install plastic rails, only yakima. though my avocet may have plastic rails?? not sure... maybe use them if they seem solid.... I surf rather large waves when possible and have driven the bow in hard, done endos and generally beat some boats hard. I consider the footpegs to be the first line of defense for my foot going through the bulkhead. If the footpegs break then I still have the bulkhead to stop me. I always build strong front bulkheads with that in mind. One of the founders of nspn used to tell a story( 2nd hand) of someone whose feet got caught in a busted bulkhead.......yikes! I have no bone spurs or foot problems if I did I could understand trying it again...... Having built 17 different yaks and bought 6 or so production boats, this works for me... Paul......main boat....NDK Explorer and 6 other kayaks Paul, You have a number of good points. I do like the idea of a backup before putting my foot though the bulkhead. My first boat (Nigel Foster Shadow) normally ships with foot pegs but the only went back as far as my ankles and wouldn't be useful, I asked them not to install the foot pegs, and placed two inches of foam on my bulkhead and have been happy with it ever since, thus I have yet to spend any real time paddling a boat with foot pegs. When in Wales Oct of 2008 I was using a loner boat and on my first day we were surfing at Whitesands the foot peg track broke in two. My new boat seems to have a fairly flexible bulkhead and after to listening to your thoughts I might add a few layers of glass to make it a little safer. Let me know know how I should get the foot pegs to you (jason at kates dot org). -Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdkilroy Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Jason, I always add a piece of 6" bi-directional glass across my bulkheads that I am using as a foot brace. I get mine from Jamestown Distributors <www.jamestowndistributors.com> I begin about 4 ~ 6 " aft on the hull, lay it across the bulkhead and then back on the opposite side of the hull. This provides very strong reinforcement. Normally, I will have moved the bulkhead to put it in the location that is right for me so my feet are pushing directly upon the reinforced bulkhead. If the bulkhead is not in the right position then add the 1 ~ 2" of foam against it as needed. Care must be taken to properly prepare the hull/bulkhead for adding glass to it whether a new boat or old. As Paul has noted, a lot of force can end up being exerted against that bulkhead; Make it strong. A standard bulkhead should never be used as a foot brace without being reinforced properly first. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spider Posted May 10, 2010 Share Posted May 10, 2010 Newbie questions. How tight a fit do people create with their foam? Basically, the same locked in feeling common in white-water boats? thanks, Bill I know the answers could vary greatly but I prefer a looser fit than a ww boat when I'm paddling a touring boat. I don't mind the boat taking a bit of a jostle before I have to. Though I add some padding here and there I don't lock my self in to much. Some people also change over to a foam seat but the though of sitting on foam does not appeal to me One thing I like about foot pegs is that there are days I find myself using one peg set longer than the other, usually just one notch, but there are days when I would like nice footing all the way across. So, for me, it is "six of one a half dozen of the other". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted May 12, 2010 Share Posted May 12, 2010 Jason, I always add a piece of 6" bi-directional glass across my bulkheads that I am using as a foot brace. I get mine from Jamestown Distributors <www.jamestowndistributors.com> I begin about 4 ~ 6 " aft on the hull, lay it across the bulkhead and then back on the opposite side of the hull. This provides very strong reinforcement. Normally, I will have moved the bulkhead to put it in the location that is right for me so my feet are pushing directly upon the reinforced bulkhead. If the bulkhead is not in the right position then add the 1 ~ 2" of foam against it as needed. Care must be taken to properly prepare the hull/bulkhead for adding glass to it whether a new boat or old. As Paul has noted, a lot of force can end up being exerted against that bulkhead; Make it strong. A standard bulkhead should never be used as a foot brace without being reinforced properly first. Jon Jon, thanks for the recommendation, I have lots of glass (possibly enough to make my self a surf boat...). As for my new boat I am still figuring out if I need to move the bulkhead the the other way as it's just too close to me. I wish that foam would help as that would be a quick easy fix. I will stiffen it up once I get the location worked out. Thanks -Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.