AdvancedElements.com

[Viking]

I have used my AE1 during most of this summer, and I´m in love with it. Comfy, stable, reasonably fast, sturdy, etc. But I have one problem; my behind gets soaking wet after about an hour of paddling. Fir st I thought it must be due to water splashed in with the paddle, but after trying a spray hood I´m just as wet as before. Could it be that the interior of the kajak is so air tight that condensation water forms ? Has anyone else experienced this , and has come up with a solution?

[JCOOLEY]

It could be from a couple of reasons.

1. Sometimes a little water can drip through the zipper area. Try some Zip Care from McNett.

2. If the kayak is underinflated there is a possibility of some water getting into it. Make sure it is fully pressurized. If you can pick up the kayak from either end and it bends, folds or tacos in the middle then you will need more air in it. If you are putting the kayak in cold water, it can lose a little pressure so let it sit for 5-10 min. then top the air off in the kayak.

Jeremy

[PJohanson]

It's possible that your sweat is not wicking away into your clothes and evaporating as it usually does without you noticing.
It's possible that where you are sitting, the sweat is being trapped between your skin and the seat.
The problem with this theory is that any water brought into the kayak will naturally trickle downhill and pool in the lowest place, under your butt. It's pretty much impossible to tell if you're damp with sweat or sea water.
If you're paddling on a lake, and you're willing to taste your damp clothing, you'll know if it's sweat or (formerly) fresh water.

[Viking]

[river_rat]

Just saw this. First, it's a kayak and you're going to get wet. Holding your feet out of the water for a moment before you put each on in to let the water drip off will help. Second, at REI I bought a special absorbent sponge in an asorbent cover. I place it a little under the seat between my legs. When I have both feet in, the water that still remains on them (or in the water socks) tends to flow back toward the seat. I use the sponge to soak up as much of this as possible, then leave the sponge there. This helps a lot. Third, it's a kayak and you're going to get wet. Hope this helps.

[Roadtorque]

I usually take a large beach towel with me so when I get in I can dry my feet to keep them from getting cold then I fold the towel up and put it under the seat on top of the floor. This does two things. First any water that runs back gets absorbed by the towel so I stay dry and second it lifts me up about 2 inches which helps with my paddle angle so my knuckles dont drag along the kayak fabric so much. If you are paddling in flat water really you shouldnt get water in your kayak unless you have a leak. I might get a half dozen small drips off the paddle in a few hours.

[Daddy-O]

When I was a boy, my dad and I would go fishing at a lake about an hour from our home. We'd get up before daybreak, go to white castle and pick up coffee (for him), lemonade (for me) and a bunch of white castle hamburgers. We'd eat them for breakfast, and have enough left over for lunch later on that day. We'd get to the lake, buy a couple dozen night crawlers, and rent a rowboat. The rowboat always had pfd's and those throwable square boat cushions that we'd sit on. I bought some of those boat cushions to put under our seats for the convertibles we have coming. They were cheap, will raise us up about 2 inches, should make us a little more comfortable on long paddles, and will help to keep us a little dryer. Now, if I could just get some white castles...
Daddy-O

[river_rat]

Great White Castle story!

Just wanted to add that the addition of a backbone will also raise you up without any discomfort. I started out without a backbone then got one to do a comparison test. I started off with the backbone installed and have never got out without one since. It makes all the difference in the world and, though it isn't essential, it really is essential. It's a little like a Digital Video Recorder. You certainly don't need one, but after you get one, you wonder how you ever managed without it.

[Roadtorque]

I have thought about the backbone every time I am out but I just cant imagine an improvement in performance (or anything else) that would equal the hundred bucks it would take to get one. I think if the kayak is inflated enough it is plenty rigid. Maybe I dont know what I'm missing and therefore dont know what I'm talking about! I always hope to run across a cheap used one on ebay or craigs list. That is probably what it will take to get me to buy one. I am also going to get a cheap inflatable seat pad to go under my seat to raise me up. I do wish Advanced Elements had more options for nicer seats. On a different thread here someone talked about how to make a conversion to accept some other types of seats, I might look into that.

[river_rat]

Actually, I think the backbone for the AF is $69. Yes, it's an additional expense, that's for sure and I was very pleased with the AF before I got it, but the improvement in speed and tracking (and sitting position) is very apparent. You do have to make sure it is centered though. Elsewhere there is a thread about how to mark its position with a marker before going out. Happy Holidays!

[davedomingo]

I took Daddy-O's advice and bought a square Stearn's flotation cushion from the sporting goods section of Wal-Mart for $8. Having this under my seat has solved multiple problems. In addition to keeping my bum dry, it puts my seat a little higher than my feet and gives me a firmer, flatter surface to sit on. The cushion fits tightly inside the walls of the boat, and with the seat strapped to it (see below), there is no more sliding forward and back. Finally, with this setup, the backrest drops a little lower, which I find more comfortable.

I can feel a little difference in stability with a higher center of gravity, but the boat still seems hard to flip.

I use 1" webbing with quick release buckles to strap the kayak seat to the cushion. To make it really secure, I have extended the webbing that comes sewn on to the cushion (using plastic sliders and more webbing). The extended webbing criss-crosses over the top of the kayak seat.

Hope this explanation is clear. I can take photos the next time I have it set up.

[Daddy-O]

Dave,
I'm glad to hear the cushions worked out for you. We really like ours also. We use them on every trip. It sounds like you did a better job modifying yours to your kayak.
Daddy-O

[davedomingo]

I got good results by putting the stock seats into the boat first and then putting the $8 Stearns cushions on *top* of those seats. The seat bottom and the cushion are still held together by webbing; it's just that the cushion is on top of the stock seat.

A couple of good things happened: (1) The seats and cushions stuck together better -- less sliding. And (2) the backrest was about 2" lower (relative to my body), which provided better lower back support.

So before investing in a third-party seat or even the AE lumbar seat, see if this approx. $10 mod (per person) will do the job.