C-Forum

Gudday folks

I've been thinking about trying to put together an adjustable saddle system for an open canoe. I've seen some interesting systems involving either velcro or straps for securing the pedastals, but neither seems ideal...the straps don't hold the pedatsals quite secure enough for my liking and I just can't bring myself to trust velcro to the abuses of whitewater. I thought a combination of the two would be a great idea, but I hit a snag...where can I get some really good velcro to use? I haven't managed to find a source anywhere... does any one have a source for industrial strength velcro?

Cheers

Matt

Most hardware stores (and "giants" like Lowes or Home Depot) have "Industrial Hook and Loop" (aka velcro). It's really in a whole different class than the "normal" velcro we're all used to-I don't think you'd have any problem just using the velcro, though I, too, would but a strap on it just to be sure....

Let us know how it works out!

I have been giveing some thougtht to an adjustable saddle also. Here is an idea that I have'nt tried but should work. Assuming you are buying the standard saddle from a supplier like Mohawk canoes. First, layout a nuetral position for the saddle foot print in the boat. Next slice off the bottom 3" of the saddle, you will glue this to the hull in the nuetral position, but first you need to cut some shallow slots for the velcro to slide through on the bottom about 1/3 in form each end. On the top of this 3" thick piece and the bottom of the upper portion of the saddle cut a keyway lengthwise that you can insert a 1 1/2" to 2" plywood strip. THis to prevent saddle rotation. Last, after gluing the 3" thick piece into the hulls nuetral position, cut some elongated slots in the upper saddle portion aligned with those in the base for the velcro attachment. Finish the saddle to fit any obstuctions and for comfort.

What do you thinK?

til next
Jim Kelly-Rand

Hi Jim

I'm not completely following where the velcro straps go in this. Do they run vertically loop around the saddle and hold the top to the bottom?

I've seen some setups that sound similar to what you describe where the bottom of the saddle is actally a foam track about three inches high with a slot cut into the center. There's a matching foam protrusion on the base of the top part of the saddle which keeps it aligned in the slot to prevent rotation (I'm guesing based on what you told me - i was wondering about that before). The two parts are held in place by velcro that runs down either side of the slot and protrusion, so that it is sandwiched together between the two halves of the saddle. I think I also saw a diagram of something like this on the literature that came with a pair of north Water fixe toe blocks. The versions I saw where full three position set ups with very long tracks inlaid in the bottom of the boat and I saw them in 1 or 2 boats at the Wausau slalom.

I think I'm going to simply run velcro (assuming I can find some that is suitable) on the base of the saddle and the hull of the boat and then use vertical straps to provide additional security.

Matt

Matt

Matt;
Have you considered trying these "anchoring strips"? I used these for my thigh straps instead, and it seems to work really well.

http://www.westerncanoekayak.com/canoe_outfitting.htm

Hope this helps, and good luck!
Ric Taylor

Hi Ric

Yep...those were what I was going to use to anchor the straps holding the saddle. I look at a couple of boats outitting this way at the Wausau slalom and decided there was still too much movement in the saddle if just straps were used to anchor it, so I'll use the velcro as well to minimise that movement and the straps to hold the saddle in the boat.

You use them for thigh strap anchors too? In teaching boats or your own personal boat? Hadn't thought of that, although I think I would prefer that to the adjustable thigh strap anchors...I don't like to kink the webbing as happens in threading those grommets.

Cheers

Matt

Matt:
on my own personal boat. I had the velcro sewn down the side of the piece that goes on the floor and then glued the velcro to the foam knee pads and then made the KNEE straps (sorry, I goofed in the above post. I have a belted saddle so I don’t need thigh straps) so that they could be threaded through the loops. Send me your e-mail (in a private message ) and I’ll send you pics;
Ric