Can anyone share thier ideas, pics for modifying thier OC1 seats to help relievce some numbness. I've seen some cut outs in some seats and want to see what works and is it worth cutting. I'm riding a Pueo.
Submitted by BLACK on Tue, 12/21/2010 - 9:02am
I get this occasionally, especially after not being on the one-man for a while. I took a 2 1/2" hole saw and put two holes in the seat where the butt bones rest, this helped a bunch.
#1 Tue, 12/21/2010 - 9:15am
HTFU.
#2 Tue, 12/21/2010 - 1:47pm
A couple pages back there is a thread "Pegasus seat question" that may answer your question, plus there are pictures.
#3 Tue, 12/21/2010 - 3:08pm
Drilling 2 holes in the seat is definitely the best solution.
#4 Tue, 12/21/2010 - 3:30pm
boss,
HTFU indeed.
#5 Tue, 12/21/2010 - 4:41pm
The best OC 1 seats have a built in pleasure mount.
The physical principle: the larger the surface area of contact - between you and your seat - the lower the pressure/square inch.
I think the mount term comes from horse riding saddles - not sure; the style was suggested for long distance paddling somewhere on the web.
When making your seat you just carve a channel for each thigh - with a slight upward slope -, and leave the
center between the channels relatively higher - the mount.
In addition to the increased surface area to rest your thighs on, you also get increased feedback/contact with your boat.
The principle works imo.
It reduces fatigue and strain, especially helpful for long distance paddling and races.
Thus, a 'pleasure mount' is foam between your legs, hugging your inner thighs - expanding the surface area.
I also leave the carved out areas pretty rough - not sanded all the way smooth. It allows some air as a cushion.
For local paddlers that do not know how to shape a seat, I could occasionally make a few. I would need your standard seat for dimensions.
Fiberglass Hawaii sells the foam 4 x 8 and 4 inches thick for about $ 140 - I think you can get about 8 seats out of that.
My leg/okole gets strained when I slump; as long as I sit upright with a straight lower back, I never have strain.
That may be even more important than the seat.
#6 Thu, 12/23/2010 - 11:24pm
Pueo just got a brand new seat that is softer. I am going to get one I think.
#7 Tue, 12/21/2010 - 11:44pm
I bought myself some gel-padded cycling undies.
#8 Wed, 12/22/2010 - 4:56pm
STFU
#9 Thu, 12/23/2010 - 3:33pm
Anyone ever have hemeroid issues and various seats that irritate them?
#10 Thu, 12/23/2010 - 6:38pm
Goto and jc9 told me they occasionally like to practice the pleasure mount w/ each other.
#11 Thu, 12/23/2010 - 7:25pm
the only reason i told you this Jaymbes was to get you stop trying to force yourself on me.
hugs and kisses jim.
#12 Thu, 12/23/2010 - 10:23pm
As an ultra-marathon paddler, me and many of my fellow competitors frequently use seats or seat padding that has two holes in it where the two butt bones are. The idea described above about sreading the pressure to as much surface area of our butt and legs is correct. However, inside our butts, these two bones carry a lot of our body weight and we're also rotating (or rocking) on these two bones. This grinds on nerves and soft tissue. So, the principle is the same as above, the two holes relieves pressure off these two bones and spreads it to the area of tisue around the two bones by the idea of suspending the two bones in the two holes. This allows us to paddle for long hours or even for several days in a row in long races of more than 200 miles. Works for us, anyway.
My two cents.
Dan "Osprey" Grubbs
#13 Sun, 12/26/2010 - 10:03am
As most OC1 seats have thick foam seats you already have lots to work with. A simple starting point is to identify the pressure points, usually around the ischal tuberosities or slightly wider than them.(Prominant sit bones) The Sciatic nerve runs through this region and for some of us it perforates a muscle there that we use in balancing the hips, so it fires a lot on the water and may receive unwanted pressure as well. Carefully look at your seat foam, the higher pressure, friction areas often have more wear. Confirm the location by applying chalk to some cycling type shorts you can wear for this where the pressure bothers you, then sit in the canoe and paddle a for minutes. Try not to smudge the marks getting out. Get a plaster shaver and a small sanding tube 200 grit. Shave away 5mm (1/4") of material in the area, then smooth the edges with the sanding tube. You should end up with 2 small dips in the seat where the pressure was. Go for another longer paddle ie 60-90 min to see your results.
#14 Thu, 01/06/2011 - 1:20pm
If you don't want to ruin you seat and maybe render it incompatible with others who may use your canoe, a 3/8 foam insert with 2 holes cut in it and stuffed down the back of your paddle shorts works well too. And can be removed and washed easily or just placed on your existing seat like i have done.
This actual battle scared foam insert below allowed me to paddle 404kms over 5 days a few years ago with no butt issues and i've since lent it to others who swear by it. It's very flexible and will conform to the shape of your existing seat with your weight on it. And NO, the brown stains are NOT what you think they are.
It's since been retired and now hangs on the wall as a relic!! ...pretty much like me really.
#15 Thu, 01/06/2011 - 2:20pm
Rambo, would you mind sharing the story about the 404 km paddle. This speaks to me as I love endurance events. Thanks.
#16 Thu, 01/06/2011 - 2:32pm
Ericspin, it was documented here http://rambos-locker.blogspot.com/2008/01/red-cross-murray-ultra-maratho...
I did some damage, i know, how do you damage something that's already in a bad way..hee hee ..but i've since recovered and lived to tell the story.
#17 Thu, 01/06/2011 - 3:23pm
Rambo, where'd you get that foam, or what kind is it?
#18 Fri, 01/07/2011 - 7:45am
You can find similar minicell/microcell foam from buying those excercise/pilates mats they sell at most Sporting Goods Stores (i.e. Sports Authority) or Sporting Goods departments at Wal-Mart, Target, K-Mart, etc. Some are softer than others so compare how they feel before buying. They usually are 20 inches wide and 5-6 feet long and if you make a mistake, you can make several different mods.
Since you've been in contact with Jude at Huki, he does sell Minicell Foam Blanks for making/modifying your seat and even pre-shaped ones to replace an existing seat. Several sizes to make full size seats, but he does have 1/2" x 12" x 12" sheets which would be the easiest to make what Rambo describes.
#19 Fri, 01/07/2011 - 10:32am
Buy the softest one you can find (low density) black is normally hard. Do you have Clark Rubber/Foam in USA?
#20 Fri, 01/07/2011 - 11:58am
Thanks for the tips, E7M. Rambo, I don't know about Clark Rubber/Foam. And I don't know if I'll need the modification. First I have to buy a canoe! I tried a Hurricane today. Now my Hurricane-owning friend tells me I have to compare them all at the same time. Oh well. That's not how it's going to happen. Unless I see a demo Hurricane at the Santa Barbara race next week when I go to try Jude's Hukis.
#21 Fri, 01/07/2011 - 3:19pm
The other concept to consider is that of a Bicycle seat. Cyclists carry their weight more centrally on the seat. Even looking at "Rambo's Traveling Seat Modification" the central area between the holes will carry more body weight and that is the goal. I ordered blank foam blocks from Jude to make seats for our club oc2 they are easy to shape. I did try the movable pad like Rambo's which is effective but I simply wanted the seat fit for me. I have lent out my canoe and have not had anyone note that the custom shape was uncomfortable. I use the movable pad on my Concept 2 rower with the Vermont Paddle attachment and for that hard plastic Concept 2 seat Rambo's seat pad is definitely the way to go. I used one 3/4" layer that worked fine.
I have also seen where the seat was cut out quite deep and then filled with softer foam, but no foam will trump soft foam for less pressure. Evazote foam is very good REI carries it in the states as does the camping sections in some of the big box stores. One 6 foot roll can make lots of pads.
#22 Fri, 01/07/2011 - 3:26pm