I am with Guest.
There is a reason kayaks are called "weenie" boats!
lap belts aka suicide straps
Moderators: kenneth, sbroam, TheKrikkitWars, Mike W., Sir Adam, KNeal, PAC, adamin
lap Belt
A couple of thoughts on what has been said on this subject. I have tried thigh straps placed higher up the leg, and also a double thigh strap system. There is no tighter fitting in a boat than with thigh straps set high up the thigh for keeping your butt on the seat. I use a thigh strap set higher up in my boats for harder water(with a ball/string release system). It works great. I found that if I got the straps high enough to really park my butt on the seat, my knees were somehow being pulled back out of the foam knee area support I had constructed. So my butt wasn't moving but there was slop in the knee/foam contact. Also the pressure on my tailbone from being that tight made my lower back sore. So my straps are set back higher than traditionally placed but not too high. I still have to manually release the straps in calm water to exit the boat but in a panic I'm fairly confident that i could force my way out of these straps.
Also i use a airline seatbelt in my six foot playboat. The foam bulkhead and atttached seat belt work well but no better than well placed thigh straps. The foam bulkhead/seat belt system's plus is that the skin on my thighs is not raw and rashed from trying to twist the boat in the air as they would be with thigh straps. I have a airline seat belt from Spruce Aircraft Supply. A Cboater in Columbus, who is national record holding sky diver, turned me on to this belt. About 35 dollars. I used a fastek buckle in the past( the kind you slide the webbing through and then push down the buckle top (cam?). The buckle never stayed snug, and then one day, after many stern squirts, the buckle flipped over, towards my stomach, and I couldn't release it. That was the last day with fastek lap belt buckle in the boat. As for the danger of these belt systems, I agree with most everyone's thoughts on the subject. I know I'm taking a chance, and I attempt to measure that risk every time I'm in this boat. But yeah, you never know when this rigging system could really escalate an accident situation.
Eric
Also i use a airline seatbelt in my six foot playboat. The foam bulkhead and atttached seat belt work well but no better than well placed thigh straps. The foam bulkhead/seat belt system's plus is that the skin on my thighs is not raw and rashed from trying to twist the boat in the air as they would be with thigh straps. I have a airline seat belt from Spruce Aircraft Supply. A Cboater in Columbus, who is national record holding sky diver, turned me on to this belt. About 35 dollars. I used a fastek buckle in the past( the kind you slide the webbing through and then push down the buckle top (cam?). The buckle never stayed snug, and then one day, after many stern squirts, the buckle flipped over, towards my stomach, and I couldn't release it. That was the last day with fastek lap belt buckle in the boat. As for the danger of these belt systems, I agree with most everyone's thoughts on the subject. I know I'm taking a chance, and I attempt to measure that risk every time I'm in this boat. But yeah, you never know when this rigging system could really escalate an accident situation.
Eric
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chuck naill
- CBoats Addict
- Posts: 483
- Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2003 10:44 am
- Location: Knoxville, Tennessee
ignore
Dear Nathan,
I would ignore the post by " guest".
Their comments are not the norm on this web site. Whatever you decide about using the belt, just be sure you can get out in a have to situation. 
Regards,
Chuck/Knoxville
I would ignore the post by " guest".
Their comments are not the norm on this web site. Whatever you decide about using the belt, just be sure you can get out in a have to situation. Regards,
Chuck/Knoxville