Lowering Seats

Dave Osborn

LIFE MEMBER
In the past I have lowered bow seats that were attached directly to the gunwales and customers have reported that the canoe was less tender than it was prior.
I now have a canoe that has the bow seat lowered about 2" and my customer reports that the canoe is tippy when paddled tandem. It is a narrow, round bottomed Kennebec.
I feel like I could lower it an inch, but not much more.
Do you have an opinion on how much stability would be gained by lowering that additional inch?
Or will a narrow, round bottomed canoe always be sorta tender in that regard?

A
 
HI Dave,
another inch would be helpful, but not that much if it's round and tender. In fact it may hinder the feet from fitting under the seat for a kneeling position, which would be a sure way of getting more stable. Is that what you were thinking?
 
Yes, want to leave room under the seat. My customer is not a kneeler, but there still need to be room for those who cross their ankles under the seat.....
 
There's that fine balance between lowering the seat enough to stabilize the canoe, and lowering it so much that paddling over the gunnel is unpleasant. Some folks insist on sitting, in which case they'll always make the canoe a bit tippier than those who kneel.

Is making a series of seat drops, of different lengths, an option? They could play with different seat heights, and see what works well enough for them...
 
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