Kayak options for a dodgy back

[Member]

After a few years since I sold my old Scupper Pro I'm back in the hunt for a new SOT. The only problem is my back isn't getting any younger (read, "when he gets up he's stiff as a board until he does his lower back stretches").

Is anything I should look for in addition to a good seat (I love the Wilderness systems set-up BTW).

So far I've been looking at Viking tempo, Tarpon 120, Moken 12, and the Spirit Paddle Venus.


Is peddle power better?

Cheers
Norm

Mainly want a setup for fly fishing.

[Member]

Havw you looked at a Jackson kayaks with the "high seat". Those of us without a jackson might snicker & call it a "high chair", but the idea has merit, even if the kayaks are a bit of a barge. (Need to be to offset the higher centre of gravity)

I've got a stuffed disk between L5/S1 and get alot of trouble with it at times. Has been considerably better since I moved most of my paddling to a Camden sit-in. These have a very very good seat & being lower to water line gives less stress on the upper back as a shorter paddle for a sit in = less leverage on the shoulders/neck etc.

Sit on tops back wise are pretty much of a muchness IMHO with legs mostly straight out on front of you. Its the seat you should be shopping for. There's some very good SOT seats out there which can make a big difference... Then get a couple of inches of closed cell foam & pop underneath it to raise your butt a bit & releive that 90 degree bend in your lower back...

[Member]

RE Jackson kayaks. I might as well don my leather hat and sit down with a nice cup of tea.  Same area of my back as well. I'd like a SOT so I can shove kids on top as well, otherwise I'd be buying the Old Town 146 canoe on special at CanoeWorld

So basically get a good seat and lift my bum up. 

Thanks Fitzy

Norm

[Member]

Just bought a new Spirit Venus off fly fishing mate Steve. $800 seemed to be too good a price with a seat and paddle.  Just need to get some foam to lift the seat a bit higher.

norm

[Member]

Those are all big yaks, most risk to your back is likley going to be transporting them and loading / unloading them. On the water you can always temper what you are doing to suite your capabilities, but 30kg above head height is always gunna be 30kg!

Work out your loading and unloading and transporting first. I find a box trailer easy on the back etc, you can also run it right down to the water at ramps etc and just slide the tank on and off.

[Member]

RE Jackson kayaks. I might as well don my leather hat and sit down with a nice cup of tea.  Same area of my back as well. I'd like a SOT so I can shove kids on top as well, otherwise I'd be buying the Old Town 146 canoe on special at CanoeWorld

So basically get a good seat and lift my bum up. 

Thanks Fitzy

Norm

What about a Pack Angler? Single canoe, raised seat = less back stress, can sit a kid or 2 in with you & here's the kicker they weight 14kg....
They aint cheap, but they're a very good rig with loads of storage.

Just a thought...

[Member]

Never yakked but what I know about seating posture in odd situations is that you need to keep your knees lower than your hips.  Following that principle works for me.   

[Member]

Never yakked but what I know about seating posture in odd situations is that you need to keep your knees lower than your hips.  Following that principle works for me.

That's right Dick, and the reasoning behind Fitzy and the extra foam underneath.  I'll get a kickboard and carve it up to suit.

Thanks for the replies guys. Just given the fags away last week so this was a bit of an impulse buy as well.

Norm

[Member]

Just given the fags away last week so this was a bit of an impulse buy as well.

Norm

 

 

[Member]

I use a moken 13 the supplied built in seat is super comfortable but its a heavy bu##er to load on the roof  as regards to back problems you can fish all day with out a twinge

[Member]

Of course you could just get a sit on top with a standard seat, your bum will be so sore you wont notice any twinges from your back