Dogwood's maiden voyage

[Dogwood]

I took my UJ pirouge to Lake Tarpon and had the whole place to myself since it was cold and windy by Florida standards. This boat paddles very nice. I like both the kayak paddle and the canoe paddle. At first I thought the seat and therefore the center of gravity was too high and the boat felt too tippy. For the last 25 years, I have been paddling a fiberglass enclosed sea kayak, so I'm used to sitting down low in the water. In the kayak, my keister is probably an inch or too below the waters surface.
I made the UJ pirouge seat and I had it notched over the center rib which on my boat is actually 2" back of center. I unhooked the seat and slid it back and continued my test paddle until I found that I like it about 10" back of the rib. It didn't seem to matter that it wasn't notched and the seat didn't move around. I'm thinking about taking about 3/4" off the bottom of the seat and giving that a try.

 

[Dogwood]

I didn't want to push my luck and try for two pix in one post, so here's another pic. Even though the park was deserted due to the weather, there was a small crowd of admirers waiting to ask me about the boat when I got back to the ramp.

 

[oldsparkey]

When I designed and made the 1st seat , I used the center rib because I like to sit just a shade back from the center of the boat. The seat can be used anywhere in the boat a person wants it , even for tandem paddlers if you have two of the seats.

That is the nice thing about them , they are not attached and can be moved around to suit the paddler. A small chunk of foam or rubber on the base of the feet will keep it from slipping around... I attached mine with contact cement and so far it still works like the day I did it , a few or so ... years ago. :roll:

Chuck.
PS.. On one posting you can attach quite a few pictures. When I do mine I preview each one to make sure it is there before submitting them when I am done.

 

[bearridge]

The seat in solo whitewater canoes should be jest a few inches South of the center too. I caint figger out why anyone would put the seat north of the center 'er far South of the center. Either of 'em would make Big Truble in Little China!

 

[keith]

Mr Bear, how long and wide is that ww canoe.Later keith

 

[bearridge]

Friend Keith,

http://www.outdoors.woodcycl.com/forsale.htm I dont care how long 'n wide it iz, a solo paddler oughta be jest back of center.....in any boat.

regards
bearridge

It may generally be remarked that the more a government resembles a pure democracy the more they abound with disorder and confusion. Zephaniah Swift

 

[keith]

that black thing in the middle, is that 3 seats. balance and maneuverability ant always in the middle, most of the time not. but maybe with your canoe with your floatation and snap maneuverability to turn on a dime, but going down the river your to forward, pushing more water. later keith

 

[bearridge]

Yep....that iz a three seater....option ta paddle solo or tandem, but I reckon we jest gotta disagree bout where the seat oughta be in a canoe. I started off paddlin' a Blue Hole OCA (15' whitewater tank). It had two aluminum seats fer tandem.....like a plastic version of the Grumman. We jest set in the front seat facin' the rear 'n paddled the canoe with the ass end pointed down river. It worked, but it wuz still a booger ta handle. That all changed when I put a seat jest back of center. I never seen anyone paddle a solo boat with the seat in front of center....not sayin' it caint be done, but I dont see myself givin' it a try.

I paddled too far back fer a year 'er so. It wuz hard goin'. Too far back 'n the front end of the canoe rides too high in the water 'n will put ya inta spin too eazy.

I reckon ya kin set further back 'n load more gear in the front on flatwater, but that will only keep the bow lower. Paddlin' in the center, more water goes by faster 'n eazier than frum the rear. I paddled my youngest daughter down the Buffalo one spring. Little gals jest wont paddle much. It wuz extra hard paddlin' that canoe frum the ass end.

But then.....I never paddled a boat with a fire engine settin' on the roof either. :wink:

respectfully
bearridge

It is not necessary to understand things in order to argue about them. Caron de Beaumarchais

 

[Dogwood]

I see that I got some minor gouges in the outside edge seam near the ends of my boat . I expected this and added an extra triangle shaped piece of 4oz cloth at each end to act as a skid plate. The boat ramp is real rough for traction and it's hard to get the boat on and off my truck without banging the ends a little bit against the ground. There will be things I do like put a piece of scrap carpet or foam here and there during loading and unloading, but before I paint the hull, I'm thinking I might add a layer of glass tape down both seams. I used the entire gallon and a half of resin, so this means I need to go back to Fiberglass Coatings and spend almost $50 on a half gallon of resin and a quart of hardener.

 

[keith]

good day mr bear.we are close to saying the same thing, i think. a few weeks ago i said on my 14 and 12 foot pirogues i put my seats about 60 inches from the ends and with this my feet end up about in the middle. but anyway, what is is. the footprint on my pirogues is a lot larger than a uj, but smaller than a canoe. i'm sure that you have paddled enough to know where you want your seat, as i have and i did not intend to diminish your input. later keith

 

[bearridge]

i did not intend to diminish your input.

Same here. My input iz worth jest what ya'll pay fer it....cept the Sparkanator who jest sends me IOU's. :wink:

regards
bearridge

If life was fair, Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead. Johnny Carson

 

[Dogwood]

Mission Accomplished

Two tone green and a pleasure to paddle. Thanks for all the great advice.

 

[bearridge]

Friend Dogwood,

Fine lookin' boat. Yer seat iz too far back, but it still looks good. :mrgreen:

respectfully
bearridge
bodine yacht 'n gun club

Lord loves a workin' man; don't trust whitey; see a doctor and get rid of it.  Navin Johnson

 

[Dogwood]

I did take 3/4" off the bottom of the seat and then tacked some of that carpet runner that comes off the roll at Lowes onto the now stubby feet. I turned the carpet backing side out and it makes it real non slip. It seems I like to sit low and far back in a Pirouge.
I need another seat, so I can take my best girl out and I got a folding stadium seat at Walmart for $17 and made a base similar to the UJ seat. It's nice and padded and comfy, but the back of the seat is a little higher and it interferes with my paddling. It will be good for a passenger, though.

 

[bearridge]

Sorry....I jest meant yer seat wuz too far back fer solo paddlin'. :wink: Iz that river in yer back yard? Wonder what it would be like ta live there a hunerd years ago? I ask that question all the time....not jest bout Florida.

regards 'n congratulations
bearridge

ps I reckon I whupped this seat location horse enuff. Ya'll put 'em where ya want. Test 'em close ta the middle 'n let us know how it works. The Southern Test Facility mite do a long term study....mebbe git a grant frum the Obamanation? :mrgreen:

Convictions are more dangerous enemies of truth than lies.  Friedrich Nietzsche

 

[Dogwood]

So far, that's where I like it for solo paddling. I haven't tried taking a passenger yet. If I use the kayak paddle, I scoot the seat foward closer to the center, but for the canoe paddle, it's better for me to sit further back. I've only had this boat in the water three times, and I'm still learning it's ways. I had been paddling this kayak since 1993 and others like it since 1972, but I can't sit in that cramped postion for long anymore, so that's why I went to the Pirouge. That's Lake Tarpon in Tarpon Springs, FL and it's about 15 minutes from my place.

 

[bearridge]

Friend Dogwood,

Movin' boats thru the water depends on the boat 'n the water. The first time I seen how quick a fella kin turn a tandem canoe by settin' backwards in the front seat (ta git closer ta the center) compared ta settin' in the back seat facin' forward, opened my eyes. The first time I set in a custom seat jest back of the center of a tandem canoe, amazed me. In whitewater, ya gotta do it like that. It aint a choice like how long yer paddle oughta be.

On flatwater, it dont matter az much til ya git a big rain (on a river) 'n the water begins ta move fast 'er ya run into blown down trees. I am talkin' bout canoes, not john boats, yachts, barges like Mike Fink used ta pole up the Mississippi, the Nina, the Pinta 'er the Saint Marie. I aim ta keep my mind open 'n if I see some reason ta move my seats in solo canoes ('er kayaks) away frum jest back of center, I will give some more thought ta it. I don't plan ta paddle no john boat, batteau 'er any of the QE line. :roll:

Whatever ya do, have a heap a fun paddlin' down near the Sunshine Parkway.

regards
bearridge

Abundance of knowledge does not teach men to be wise.  Heraclitus