C-Forum

Any thoughts on why I cannot paddle from a conventional canoe seat, in a family tandem cruiser, for more than a few minutes w/o my lower back hurting but can paddle from a pedestal for hours w/o any lower back discomfort? If someone has a possible solution I'd love to hear it.

Vince Zappia

are you kneeling or sitting in the tandem family cruiser? I switched to OC from kayak because I could no longer sit in a boat for longer than 30 minutes but could kneel all day. Got something to do with the orientation of L5-S1 I think. In flexion sitting and in extension kneeling would be my guess.

when I first thought about paddling as a sport, my thoughts went to kayaks (I know how wrong this was).
It quickly transpired that I could not stay in them awful things more than 5 minutes. Admettidely I have a history on the back front. Anyway, canoes are way cooler

Kneeling is a much better posture. Mind those special seats that are meant to save your back?

Try to come with a kneeling position in that boat (modify seat so both kneeling seating are possible) put padding for your knees.

Those are just suggestions and do not explain the pain though

I think that the sitting/kneeling situation in typical tandem canoes is too sloppy for comfort and control. Possibly pain comes because you are kind of struggling to sit or kneel and paddle, while your legs and hips are not securely controlled.

I think that for sitting in a tandem, there should be foam thigh hooks or supports coming in from the sides of the boat. Feet should be on a foot bar or on properly placed foot blocks. If the seat does not already control the pelvis, than something might be added against the hips.

For kneeling, it may help to have knee cups, and perhaps a knee spreader wedge like some of us use in c-1s. Again, if the seat does not control the pelvis position, hip blocks coming in from the side may help. Thigh straps? No, because in a tandem it is best to allow switching easily from kneeling to sitting.

tandem, when done well, is a form of art. for me, tandem is a pain in more places than the back.

Your body is telling you not to do that position, listen to your body. Mine spine is fused at L5-S1, I paddle c-1, A LOT, if I paddled a boat w conventional seat I'd need to be injected w demerol and hauled away in an ambulance, had that issue even before fusion. Your back does not like that position/posture, it won't get better, tear the bench seat out, install a pedestal, enjoy your paddling, don't look back.

Best advise yet CDawg. Sort of what I'd figured I'd need to do.

Vince