Hi folks,
I am building a Prospector, and for some reason I am thinking of replacing the seats with thwarts.
Is there a compelling reason NOT to do this?
Where should the thwarts-in-place-of-seats be positioned?
Thanks,
Mondo
Seats thwarted?
Just so we're clear here, you do not plan to sit on the thwarts but will either paddle on your knees or sitting on the bottom (with or without some padding).
If this is the case I would think that there are two choices.
1. placing the thwarts pretty much where the seats would go so the thwart could be used as a back rest when seated or kneeling.
2. placing the thwarts at station 3. The bow seat is more or less at station 3 so you know there is enough space in front of the thwart for the bow paddler. The stern paddler could kneel behind the thwart. The paddler positions need to be consistent with the design using seats so the canoe would still be trimmed the same (more or less)
A BIG disadvantage in option 2 is that if you were seated, the stern paddler will have their legs stretched out under the thwart and getting hung up in a capsize is a possibility.
Maybe it's my age, but I tend to paddle seated, kneeling, on one knee with the other leg forward, etc. I move my position every 30-45 minutes or so or I tend to lock up. Personally I could not see not having seats in my canoe.
If this is the case I would think that there are two choices.
1. placing the thwarts pretty much where the seats would go so the thwart could be used as a back rest when seated or kneeling.
2. placing the thwarts at station 3. The bow seat is more or less at station 3 so you know there is enough space in front of the thwart for the bow paddler. The stern paddler could kneel behind the thwart. The paddler positions need to be consistent with the design using seats so the canoe would still be trimmed the same (more or less)
A BIG disadvantage in option 2 is that if you were seated, the stern paddler will have their legs stretched out under the thwart and getting hung up in a capsize is a possibility.
Maybe it's my age, but I tend to paddle seated, kneeling, on one knee with the other leg forward, etc. I move my position every 30-45 minutes or so or I tend to lock up. Personally I could not see not having seats in my canoe.
Anybody else using the canoe will be forecd to kneel or sit on the thwarts, maybe not comfortable. Some canoes have been built with flattened thwarts that could be more comfortable to sit on occasionally, or as kneeling thwarts.Is there a compelling reason NOT to do this?
PS.... sitting on the bottom of a Prospector will not make paddling easy... it's too large a boat for most to paddle that way.