Posted by jas on October 17, 2002 at 11:12:15:
In Reply to: Surf to Summit's New "Drifter" Seat posted by jas on October 16, 2002 at 16:02:56:
: We've been discussing this new seat on the message board. It was designed to help out with some of the "wet seat" concerns expressed by some Ocean Kayak Drifter owners. The Drifter isn't the only kayak out there with a wet seat. Though keep in mind, when you raise your seat, you raise your center of gravity. The seat is not meant for touring style kayaks. The "Drifter" seat performed well in the kayaks I tested it out in(more stable kayaks like the Drifter and Malibu's Pro Explorer).
: I think this seat can be a good fix for some of the wet seat concerns. Though depending upon which kayak you're talking about, you still may want to use the stopper plugs in addition.
: Besides helping with the wetseat concerns, it also helps prop up or align your posture. I found it very useful in taking the load off of my lower back and transferring it into my arm, shoulders, upper back and stomach muscles.
: It's a niche seat. It wouldn't be for everyone, and it surely isn't for every kayak. The 3" lift does change the way it feels when you're inside (took some getting use to...maybe an hour). The "feel" of your kayak can be a very individual/personal experience. What I like, the next person may not.
: The booster effect you get from this seat is similar to what a lot of us have already been doing with supplemental seat pads and cushions(placed under our existing kayak seat). This is also a great fix for some of the "circulation" problems some kayaks create with too deep of a seatwell. In some kayaks, the rim of the seatwell may press up against the bottom of our legs, restricting some circulation.
: jas-
One more thing about the Drifter seat. The seat is firm. Though it will compress some over time, I can't imagine it getting soft. The other thing is that since you are lifted up a few inches, you lose an inch or two off of your paddle length (since you're now sitting higher off the water). I didn't have a problem with paddling, but did notice the blade was hitting the water closer to the surface. If you're paddle is just long enough without the seat rise, the rise
will affect how close to the surface your blade strokes the water.