Hey everyone,
I'm thinking about converting my car to c-1. I'm tired of sitting on my butt while driving. Will I have increased visibility and leverage while cruising down the highway if I am in the kneeling position? Will I have better reach while grabbing food at the drive-in window?
What are people's opinions about outfitting a Toyota? Anyone tried this before? Do you think a Dagger pedestal would work, or should I go with minicell? Should I just rip out the old outfitting (reclining seat, cup holder, arm rests) and glue in some foam? Or should I attempt to build on to the old outfitting? Should I replace the shoulder seatbelt with some thigh straps? After all, I want ease of entry and exit for when I have to make a quick stop at the liquor store.
Finally, what about using the gas and break pedal? Do you think that instead I could get a throttle installed on my car like airplanes have? Of course I would only want all the controls on one side (no training throttles here).
Well, I have a lot of questions. I hope that in the future we can have cars specifically designed as c-1s.
Thanks,
Alden
Toyota Conversions
Moderators: kenneth, sbroam, TheKrikkitWars, Mike W., Sir Adam, KNeal, PAC, adamin
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willlyons
Alright, here's what I did...
First off, rip out all the seats. If you're going to be rollin' in a c1 whip then no one can be sittin on their be-hinds. Dagger pedestals work, but foam is better cause you can just contact cement it to the floor. Be sure to remove carpet from where you want to glue cause the contact cement will eat it away (no kidding). Once you get yer custom seats in, the problem of the accelerator/brake pedals is easily solved. Simply get an old broken werner paddle out (cause I know everyone has to have at least a few) and cut the blade off. Just use that as an extender to push whichever pedal you need. Hopefully you have an automatic....
Seatbelts are replaced with thighstraps (which are much safer in the case of having to wet exit) and you can connect them to the pillars behind the door and the console.
Next, slide some dubs on and a few 12's in da back and roll wit it...
First off, rip out all the seats. If you're going to be rollin' in a c1 whip then no one can be sittin on their be-hinds. Dagger pedestals work, but foam is better cause you can just contact cement it to the floor. Be sure to remove carpet from where you want to glue cause the contact cement will eat it away (no kidding). Once you get yer custom seats in, the problem of the accelerator/brake pedals is easily solved. Simply get an old broken werner paddle out (cause I know everyone has to have at least a few) and cut the blade off. Just use that as an extender to push whichever pedal you need. Hopefully you have an automatic....
Seatbelts are replaced with thighstraps (which are much safer in the case of having to wet exit) and you can connect them to the pillars behind the door and the console.
Next, slide some dubs on and a few 12's in da back and roll wit it...
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Longboatin'
similar argument
Yes, good bit 'o the old satire.
This past weekend at the Tohickon the posse got into heated discusssions considering the merit of converting kayaks into C-1s. The argument divided into two basic camps: why would somebody want to do this anyway, and the counter, it's what the people want, so it must be good.
Since many people are into such endeavors on this site, allow me to provide some questions relating to the against argument.
1 - Kayaks are designed with a lower center of gravity in mind, and with hull-speeds appropriate to double-blade propulsion, so they really aren't suitable as c-1s, or perhaps the conversions ask the user to make too many allowances. Consider slalom racing; the point is to make a fast, technical boat, and kayaks and c-1s go about the task differently. Why?
2 - Boat companies obviously love conversions, because it saves them money, meaning bigger profits.
3 - Obviously, the conversions work Ok for flippin around in holes and such, but wouldn't a purposeful c-1 design prove lightyears better? Granted most existing designs lean towards river running, but certainly there are things to be learned from squirt and slalom c-1s.
Just some thoughts.
This past weekend at the Tohickon the posse got into heated discusssions considering the merit of converting kayaks into C-1s. The argument divided into two basic camps: why would somebody want to do this anyway, and the counter, it's what the people want, so it must be good.
Since many people are into such endeavors on this site, allow me to provide some questions relating to the against argument.
1 - Kayaks are designed with a lower center of gravity in mind, and with hull-speeds appropriate to double-blade propulsion, so they really aren't suitable as c-1s, or perhaps the conversions ask the user to make too many allowances. Consider slalom racing; the point is to make a fast, technical boat, and kayaks and c-1s go about the task differently. Why?
2 - Boat companies obviously love conversions, because it saves them money, meaning bigger profits.
3 - Obviously, the conversions work Ok for flippin around in holes and such, but wouldn't a purposeful c-1 design prove lightyears better? Granted most existing designs lean towards river running, but certainly there are things to be learned from squirt and slalom c-1s.
Just some thoughts.
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Larry Horne
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sbroam
- CBoats.net Staff
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Alden - Why stop there? Cut the roof off and make it an OC-1...
Longboatin' -
1. Yeah, for the most part kayaks didn't make great conversions until the trend to wider, flat bottomed boats started. Some are as wide and as roomy as purpose built C-1s. [ My converted playboat is certainly more roomy than the purpose-built Acrobat. ] Why? Because they kayakers discovered that wider is more comfortable / stable and suits the latest crop of play moves and those shapes just happens to suit c-boaters. Do they perform the same? No, but both are fun and my conversion fills a niche for me. In slalom racing I'd hazard that the boats are tuned more toward performance and not toward comfort/stability, making a conversion there just about silly.
2. If they loved conversions, they still make the dang pedestals which they don't!
I say they've made the economic decision to cater to the larger kayak market and let c-1ers fend for themselves.
3. Yep, most conversions are for playboating.[i.e. the trademarked Scott Wilkinson "river flip monkeys"] Some conversions work well for riverrunning, depending on the rivers and the paddlers. I've found that personally, conversions work well for paddling smaller stuff - a "real" C-1 has the speed I want for bigger, pushier water (found that out on the Potomac...). But... your more aggressive, skilled paddler can make a slower, smaller conversion perform well in more conditions. [Creekers seem reasonable conversions, too - the length and volume distributions are lesser issues.]
Would/do I prefer purpose built boats? You bet. Will I still convert boats? Probably, as long as I cannot find purpose built boats that suit my size, style, purposes, etc... And that I can afford. [/quote]
Longboatin' -
1. Yeah, for the most part kayaks didn't make great conversions until the trend to wider, flat bottomed boats started. Some are as wide and as roomy as purpose built C-1s. [ My converted playboat is certainly more roomy than the purpose-built Acrobat. ] Why? Because they kayakers discovered that wider is more comfortable / stable and suits the latest crop of play moves and those shapes just happens to suit c-boaters. Do they perform the same? No, but both are fun and my conversion fills a niche for me. In slalom racing I'd hazard that the boats are tuned more toward performance and not toward comfort/stability, making a conversion there just about silly.
2. If they loved conversions, they still make the dang pedestals which they don't!
I say they've made the economic decision to cater to the larger kayak market and let c-1ers fend for themselves. 3. Yep, most conversions are for playboating.[i.e. the trademarked Scott Wilkinson "river flip monkeys"] Some conversions work well for riverrunning, depending on the rivers and the paddlers. I've found that personally, conversions work well for paddling smaller stuff - a "real" C-1 has the speed I want for bigger, pushier water (found that out on the Potomac...). But... your more aggressive, skilled paddler can make a slower, smaller conversion perform well in more conditions. [Creekers seem reasonable conversions, too - the length and volume distributions are lesser issues.]
Would/do I prefer purpose built boats? You bet. Will I still convert boats? Probably, as long as I cannot find purpose built boats that suit my size, style, purposes, etc... And that I can afford. [/quote]
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Sir Adam
- CBoats.net Staff
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Hmmm
I'd say consider a bulkhead for the conversion, and maybe a lapbelt instead of thigh straps 
On a more serious note, thankfully there IS a purpose-built C1 "river flip monkey" boat-the Wheelboy. I had a BLAST taking it down the Tohickon (yellow boat, outgoing purple-helmeted paddler
), and I'm primarily among the long-glass boating crowd (in fact I'd STILL like to get my hands on a composite Wheelboy one of these years. Glass is just better most of the time 
). But I'm glad I jumped in on the Wheelboy-like my Ace III WildWater boat it's very different from what I usually paddle, and will allow me to grow my skills in a different direction.
On a more serious note, thankfully there IS a purpose-built C1 "river flip monkey" boat-the Wheelboy. I had a BLAST taking it down the Tohickon (yellow boat, outgoing purple-helmeted paddler
), and I'm primarily among the long-glass boating crowd (in fact I'd STILL like to get my hands on a composite Wheelboy one of these years. Glass is just better most of the time ). But I'm glad I jumped in on the Wheelboy-like my Ace III WildWater boat it's very different from what I usually paddle, and will allow me to grow my skills in a different direction.Keep the C!
Adam
Adam
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Larry Horne
- C Maven
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One problem we have had is that the few c-1 designs that have come out have been, well, just so-so. There hasn't been a single playboat designed.
Until Now!
It's something to be excited about boys and girls!
Alden, you can go ahead with that Toyota conversion for now, but I would like to see some pressure put on the BIG 3 to at least come out with a hybrid. There just might be a market...
Until Now!
It's something to be excited about boys and girls!
Alden, you can go ahead with that Toyota conversion for now, but I would like to see some pressure put on the BIG 3 to at least come out with a hybrid. There just might be a market...
Larry