Solving Kayak Fit Problems

[@pabloenriquetirabassi7060]

You can always learn something from your videos and your excellent way of teaching!! You show things that many of us take as understood, but the details you show are very very important to improve. Thank you!👏👏👏

[@AdventureOtaku]

I appreciate that! thanks for watching!

[@GamerKidEdits]

I’ve noticed this issue often in our Paddling Club. The big issue lately is artificial knees. The solution for some has been, surfskis. Very light weight for loading/unloading and no cockpit to contend with. Now I need a faster boat to keep up, lol. Thanks for sharing and perhaps you can show us a video of your core exercises.

[@AdventureOtaku]

For the core exercises I am going to say…maybe…. I work with a personal trainer and I would love to do a video with her on this topic. Sounds like you just want to own another boat! There are ways around the problem without investing in a very expensive surf ski…but whatever works.

[@sallypeters909]

GREAT video with information that applies to all: big, small, stiff, flexible, weak or strong!! I try to watch all your videos. I need suggestions for core strengthening exercises, and hope that in another video you could just name a FEW moves that you do daily. (You don’t need to play a physical trainer on video, just name some exercises that I can have MY physical trainer go over with me.) I go to Pilates and get out of a chair without using my hands, but I know there’s MORE exercises that I can do at home. THANKS ‼️

[@AdventureOtaku]

Glad you found the video helpful. I have a personal trainer that I work with, and she has me doing Russian twists. V sits, bridges…things like that.

[@marycrawford9428]

Would your trainer consider doing a guest video? With all the standard caveats of course, just showing how she works on your skills. I have just gotten to no-paddle season, and am thinking I need better exercises than just snow shoveling and firewood packing. Over 60, kind of lazy, love getting out in my Delta 12S.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Yeah, even before i saw this comment I realized I was going to need to do that… I am going to reach out to her and try and make a video happen. But since we currently live in different cities it may be a little bit.

[@kevinharding2099]

Good advice. I am 200 lbs and 5’ll”, 75 years old and in good shape. In the past I have paddled canoes, sit on tops, and recreational kayaks. I have tried to get into a few narrow touring kayaks and I was very uncomfortable. I am moving to an apartment so I will probably have to try an inflatable. I am looking at a Decathlon Itiwit X500 which is only 12.5 feet long and 28 inches wide. My paddling will be in sheltered waters along the Maine coast. I have no way to find out if I will fit in this boat, but there are not many good choices when limited to inflatables. Your advice about getting in and out will probably be helpful. Thanks for your advice

[@AdventureOtaku]

My pleasure. Thanks for watching.

[@UpWardweb-Physician-Group]

Really like your channel! And enjoy your explanations and coaching! Keep up the great work! I do have a question regarding dry suits. Is there much difference between SRS brand and Kokatat dry suits?

[@AdventureOtaku]

Im guessing you mean NRS drysuits? Vs Kokatat. I haven’t actually used one, when I was checking them out they didn’t seem as durable as mine. they look like good quality, but if I were shopping today, I would look at Kokatat, Immersion research and if you are in the UK/Europe Palm. These are the leaders in the kayaking drysuit game. Mustang for sailing, another good brand.

[@UpWardweb-Physician-Group]

@@AdventureOtaku thank you!!!

[@AdventureOtaku]

You are so welcome! Thanks for coming by.

[@swimrski]

This past summer I bought my first kayak (a used Tsunami 125) which I think was a great introductory boat for me. I'm a smaller paddler - 5'6" and relatively narrow - and it has tons of room for me. Also, it feels extremely stable. One of the things I did after my first few times on the water, was to spend over an hour in shallow water getting in and out of the kayak without it touching land at all. I just figured I wouldn't always be in a place where that was possible. I also practiced getting in and out at both a low dock and a high dock (which is AWKWARD). I have been paddling with a number of people since, and though I really have to work to keep up, at least I'm not tumbling out on shore.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Yeah! Tsunami 125 is a great boat. I also really like the 140/145… great option. the only time I get out of my boat totally floating is when the “beach” is rocky. And I have to unload (or load floating) which is no fun… but it happens. Sounds good that you aren’t tumbling out, but if you need help “keeping up” I can help. It usually technique. Thanks for commenting!

[@Trapster99]

Excellent video, thanks for the presentation. At over 200 lbs, I told my uncle that my kayak was a bit tight, he told me to keep the kayak, lose the weight. LOL

[@AdventureOtaku]

Im feeling some of that myself. I put on some weight this year, and im not digging it….

[@Trapster99]

@@AdventureOtaku Yeah, the car seat is forgiving, the Kayak seat will let you know.

[@lenjanssen9600]

One of the least spoken about fit issues is foot size IMO. Many Sit in Kayaks do not have enough foot room for size 10 feet especially for winter kayaking with larger boots.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Yes, because there really isn’t much you can do to solve this fit issue after you have a boat. This has to be a consideration when you are boat shopping.

[@BalthazarMyrrh70]

I just bought an ancient river runner on a whim. My size 12 feet don't fit very well.😢

[@waynefatguyinakayak7408]

"As long as you don't get bigger..." That's my issue. The problem with driving for a living, not having many good food options on the road, and not having a lot of physical activity during the week. My Tsunami 165 fits me pretty tight at 5'7" and 260 lbs. My whitewater boat is a large volume creek boat and fits me well though.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Historically, I haven’t gotten bigger than this, my body likes being this weight and unless I starve myself my weight creeps back here.

[@arcanum3000]

One fit issue that I discovered that hardly anyone talks about is big/wide feet. If you're trying a relatively low volume boat and have particularly long and/or wide feet, you can end up not being able to get your feet or legs positioned correctly. That can in turn create problems with pain or numbness in your feet, legs, and/or butt.

[@AdventureOtaku]

I could be wrong but I think we talked about this in a later video.

[@arcanum3000]

@@AdventureOtaku It's very possible. I've watched a number of your videos, but I haven't exhaustively watched your entire library.

[@AdventureOtaku]

@@arcanum3000 I didn’t expect you had. Just confirming that I know it can be an issue for people. I also don’t remember things correctly, so I THINK it may be in another video, but it could also have ended up being a conversation in the comments. Thanks for watching.

[@tranquility9325]

Brett, I have a pakayak. It is modular and fits inside itself in it's bag. It's 14 feet long and fits inside a bag that makes it a little more than 3 1/2 feet tall. However, as a result, there are no thigh braces or anything else similarly to help me be more snug in it. I'm not small, I'm 5"10 190 lbs. But I would like something extra where my thighs are. The braces that can be removable that are designed for it are quite expensive. I wondered if I could use a swim noodle and tuck it on both sides of myself for a more snug fit. One guy who has this same boat has used yoga blocks bec he's a much thinner guy and needs the extra filler. Any suggestions? You mentioned padding. Whatever I use needs to be removable so it can nest inside itself. Thanks Brett😊

[@AdventureOtaku]

I am familiar with this boat, and the thigh brace issue. A student of mine this year had the same issues. He tried the thigh braces they sell, and didn’t like them. He came up with a third party option…. I think from Immersion research. But let me reach out to him and see what he did.

[@AdventureOtaku]

Okay, he used the pyrhanna connect thigh braces and he said with them connected he can still stack the pieces. Good luck!

[@tranquility9325]

​@AdventureOtaku excellent let me look into that. Thank you!

[@michaelmanguba]

Great video! Have you ever tried the delta 15s? My height is very similar to yours so I am wondering if it would be a good fit

[@AdventureOtaku]

Not the current version. I paddled the Older 15 expedition, which was very roomy. Too big for me - but we brought it to Alaska with another paddler. I suspect it he 15s will fit you well though, it’s half an inch narrower than my 17, and 1.5 inches shallower. Should be good.

[@michaelmanguba]

@@AdventureOtaku thanks for the reply

[@AdventureOtaku]

Of course! IF you get that boat let me now how it works out.

[@JamesH377]

So I had a field and stream blade 120 and this fall purchased a tempest 170. The biggest issue I have is my left leg keeps going numb. Is it the way I am sitting or something?

[@AdventureOtaku]

The answer is… it depends. It could be so many things, you have to play with it to find out. You may need a little padding on the seat bottom. (A backpackers sit pad works well, and they float!) It may be you need to move the seat back (or forward) just a little bit - actually I am remembering the tempest seat may not adjust front to back…I think. It’s been a while. Or maybe move the foot pegs a little forward or a little back. Play with position, in the boat and you can usually solve it. Good luck and email me if you want to discuss it further brettATadventureotaku.com

[@JamesH377]

@@AdventureOtaku Excellent I kind of fixed it on that day by just not bracing my feet on the rests. That however makes my paddling a lot less efficient I will play around with it some more. Thank you!