Chestnut Prospector Fort - How low to hang seats

[rpg51]

Does anyone here own a Fort model? I have a reproduction and I am considering how low to hang the seats. They feel high to me right now the way they are.

 

[Larry Meyer]

Seat height (and horizontal placement for that matter) is completely discretionary. There is no seat height specification that is integral to canoe design. Put them as high or low as you wish. What feels comfy to a six-foot guy may be wrong for somebody else. If trim and stability (as effected by seat height) is your concern, then lowering the seats is not going to have a huge impact, in comparison with other factors such as load or paddling technique (kneeling vs sitting). Prospectors lightly loaded sit high in the water and have a lot of freeboard.

Are yours slat seats? Are they attached direct to the inwales or hung on spacers (wooden dowels)?

 

[rpg51]

I have cane seats hung with dowels. Not hard to drop them a bit. Just have to be careful about foot entrapment. But I could go lower and be fine in that regard. I know a load will make a big difference. I have a trip next week. I won't do anything until I return.

 

[Larry Meyer]

For me, as I am tall, use the Prospector for a variety of purposes, and pretty often switch between kneeling and sitting, as high as possible is fine. With the seats high, you can stuff more stuff under them. I have never been in a canoe with seats too high, but often in canoes with seats uncomfortably too low, where my feet did get tangled up underneath .

 

[Fitz]

I had my Chestnut 17 foot Garry out today. The bow seat is 1-7/8's inches below the inwale. The stern seat is level. Spacers are 2-3/4's inches and 1-7/8's inches to account for the sheer.

 

[rpg51]

Thanks guys. Just back from trip and the seats seem fine when the boat is loaded so I will probably leave them as they are.