I bought a mohawk shaman off a guy who was much (12") shorter than I am, I'm 6'5". When I get in the canoe I can barely get my butt to touch the saddle, I think I need to raise it by about 3". What is the best way to go about this, I've got a chunk of 3" thick minicell.
Should I just cut a horizontal line remove the top of the saddle inser the 3" foam and glue it all together or should I just put the new foam on top and shape it into a seat.
Any help is appreciated I'm jonesing to get this thing on the water.
How to raise saddle
Moderators: kenneth, sbroam, TheKrikkitWars, Mike W., Sir Adam, KNeal, PAC, adamin
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Louie
re: raising saddle
If you otherwise find the shape of the top of the saddle acceptable, I think it would be much easier to simply lift the existing saddle out of the boat, trace the bottom of the saddle out on your 3" thick minicell plank, cut it out, and glue the new minicell to the bottom of the saddle. If the existing saddle has been shaped to conform to the bottom of the boat, you may have to reshape it flat and also shape the new piece of foam.
If you use a putty knife with care, you can get the saddle up without damaging the Royalex. Putting the boat out in the sun, bottom up for a few hours makes it a little easier.
If you have Yakima braces mounted on the saddle, this might not be an option, as it would leave them too high.
If you use a putty knife with care, you can get the saddle up without damaging the Royalex. Putting the boat out in the sun, bottom up for a few hours makes it a little easier.
If you have Yakima braces mounted on the saddle, this might not be an option, as it would leave them too high.
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sbroam
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Or, cut off the top 2" or so of the saddle and glue the 3" block (or appropriate thickness) then glue the cut off portion back on top.
[Edit:] Doh! That's what you said. Try using a hand saw - like a carpenters saw - that has a wide blade as that will help you keep your cut a plane. Mark the height around the pedestal and draw guide lines. The tolerances for this are a bit loose as you are working with a squishy material.
[Edit:] Doh! That's what you said. Try using a hand saw - like a carpenters saw - that has a wide blade as that will help you keep your cut a plane. Mark the height around the pedestal and draw guide lines. The tolerances for this are a bit loose as you are working with a squishy material.
Last edited by sbroam on Wed Jun 17, 2009 5:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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John Coraor
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If all you needed was another 3/4" to 1", then I would agree with Louie - just contact cement the additional layer on top of the existing saddle.
However, if, as you say, you're looking at adding 3", this thick a piece of minicell isn't going to be flexible enough to conform to the saddle contours. For a 3" rise, I would either do what pblanc suggested or do what you proposed in your initial post. Pblanc's method would actually be simplest if the bottom of the saddle (i.e. interior of the hull under the saddle is essentially flat).
If the hull interior isn't flat, then, as Pblanc notes, with his method you'd have to reshape both the bottom of the current saddle, as well as the piece you're inserting. However, this re-shaping could be avoided if you instead use the method that you initially proposed - chop the saddle off straight horizontally at some convenient point in-between the top and the bottom, use the cut-off portion as a template to cut your 3" insert, and contact cement the 3" insert in the middle of the top and bottom portions of the saddle. As long as you can cut a fairly straight line through the saddle, this is going to minimize the amount of shaping that you'll need to do.
IMO, your choice between these methods should probably be dictated by whether or not the hull interior (i.e. bottom of the current saddle) is essentially flat.
John
However, if, as you say, you're looking at adding 3", this thick a piece of minicell isn't going to be flexible enough to conform to the saddle contours. For a 3" rise, I would either do what pblanc suggested or do what you proposed in your initial post. Pblanc's method would actually be simplest if the bottom of the saddle (i.e. interior of the hull under the saddle is essentially flat).
If the hull interior isn't flat, then, as Pblanc notes, with his method you'd have to reshape both the bottom of the current saddle, as well as the piece you're inserting. However, this re-shaping could be avoided if you instead use the method that you initially proposed - chop the saddle off straight horizontally at some convenient point in-between the top and the bottom, use the cut-off portion as a template to cut your 3" insert, and contact cement the 3" insert in the middle of the top and bottom portions of the saddle. As long as you can cut a fairly straight line through the saddle, this is going to minimize the amount of shaping that you'll need to do.
IMO, your choice between these methods should probably be dictated by whether or not the hull interior (i.e. bottom of the current saddle) is essentially flat.
John
Right on, I'm at work but it seems like the hull is pretty flat on the bottom, I may try taking the whole saddle out and add the 3" to the bottom, I should be able to remount the yakama footpegs in the lower section, this would also let me move them back as they are in the last position right now.
If not I'll try a hand mitersaw and just cut it all in half. I'll let you all know how it goes when I get it done.
Thanks for all the help.
If not I'll try a hand mitersaw and just cut it all in half. I'll let you all know how it goes when I get it done.
Thanks for all the help.