My wife and I just bought a Wenonah Adirondak 16 footer. We like it a quite a bit. However, I usually sit in the bow and after a recent bike accident, my knee is getting sore sitting up there as it is pretty tight for a 6 foot tall man. Is there any practical way to move the seat back without messing up the paddle stroke? Perhaps could leave seat in place and just add on an extender? Any suggestions would be appreciated!

I would be more concerned about how it would effect the trim and balance of the boat. There is a science on where they locate the seats in canoes. Might not make a big difference, but then it might.

I often have had to move canoe seats to fit, particularly bow seats.

Contrary what some people think, there sometimes isn't much science in how manufacturers place canoe seats. Personally I have seen several canoes of the same model with the bow seat in various positions, sometimes as much as a seat width difference. In some cases the factory position placement of the seat doesn't make practical sense. I wonder why they put it where they did. In the end overall function is what counts... only you can be the judge of that based on the paddler's size, load carried and paddling style. So move it to fit what you need...would you buy a suit off the rack and not have it altered because the manufacturer must be the best judge of how it should fit you?

But back to your issue SLL; Position the bow seat so you are comfortable. Paddling won't be fun unless you are. The canoe should be trimmed flat or slightly bow light. If, as one would expect, you weigh more then your wife it may be beneficial to move the bow seat back to level the trim. After you place the seat where you need to for comfort, if the trim is off you can trim it out with a pack or some other weight.

Best of luck.

An extender of what?

There is no magic of canoe seat placement. If the bow is too tight for you move the seat back.. If the trim is off and bow light as a result, move the stern seat back.

Just cause it came from the factory one way does not mean you can't fiddle with it.

You are correct in the increased paddle reach though.

Thanks everyone. As far as the extender, I was thinking of adding a couple inchees to the back of the seat (adding a 2x2 or something?). It might be better to just add in a new seat a bit further back.

Any advice on how to do this or plans or photos?

Any help would be appreciated!

Steven

A number of the Wenonah canoes come or can be outfitted with a sliding bow seat, giving about 10" of selection. Works well with a smaller, lighter person to move the seat way forward, and the heavier person moves it back.

You might contact Wenonah and ask about them. Maybe tell them how far back you want the seat for yourself, and see if they have a sliding bow seat that fits that far back.

Maybe go see them somewhere first before you buy.

I have a Wenonah Sundowner. It is a sliding bow bucket seat similar to that found in solo canoes. Back bucket is fixed. Works great to allow for the different heights of those i take, as well as trimming out the boat.

Tandem seat placement is a cluster...

Generally, except in marathon racing, we want the heavier paddler in the stern. Generally, men are heavier than women. An average range foe women might be 110 lbs to 200 lbs. Men might run 130 lbs through 280. Logically, we'd want the slider in the stern.

But that doesn't work because current engineering needs two parallel, longitudinal slider rails for the seat to move. In the bow, those rails run from the first thwart to the rails. In stern they'd need run from rails to the third thwart, which would compromise stern leg room.

In a worst case scenario both seats would slide and the paddlers might never get trim right. So it goes.

Best compromise for the OP is acquiring a Wenonah slider kit. With luck, the stern seat won't need be moved aft.

CEW

"But back to your issue SLL; Position the bow seat so you are comfortable. Paddling won't be fun unless you are. The canoe should be trimmed flat or slightly bow light. If, as one would expect, you weigh more then your wife it may be beneficial to move the bow seat back to level the trim. After you place the seat where you need to for comfort, if the trim is off you can trim it out with a pack or some other weight."

those were my initial thoughts. I dont see an issue with moving it, as long as the paddling station isnt too wide to comfortably paddle from.

Why not paddle stern while the knee mends? Or, just move the seat back a few inches. You might put weird stresses on the seat hangers since the canoe will be more 'beamy.'

About 17 years ago I purchased a new Kevlar Spirit II Canoe and Mike advised me to get the sliding bow seat. I did not and for years it was not trimed properly with my wife in the bow. Finally I ordered new aluminum seat mounts from Wenonah and a new bow seat. It is a little scary to drill out the rivets and then drill a couple of new rivet holes per side but I did just that. Installed the new seat mounts and reriveted the mounts and cut the seat to fit. Love the way the canoe now is trimmed. I kept the old seat and if someone else wants it put back in, it can easily be done.

Thanks for the great feedback and dscussion everyone. I am hesitant to get a slider as I place to sit bow facing stern when paddling solo. My wife really prefers to be in the stern and frankly I prefer being the power to doing the steering and as my knee has been an issue since June, not sure how long it will be!

I am leaning toward moving the seat back 2-4 inches. Probably drill out the rivets and move the bracket back. We fish quite a bit when canoeing and the extra room will help with gear as well. I see Piragis has a flat seat and a curved one (a dip for one's butt), anyone have experienced with the curved? Is it more comfortable? Can I sit backwards in it for soloing?

Thanks!

check out edscanoe.com. contoured are the way to go, they fit your a$$ better...imo. im a hit and switch paddler, not a kneeler.

Can you use padded stowaway seats with contour seats? Hoping to have the extra storage for fishing.

WeNoNah doesn't say, but the Adirondack seems to be symmetrical. I certainly agree the bow seat needs be moved to increase your creature comfort, and so done, kneeling against it's repositioned back edge should work for solo with a symmetrical hull.

Another solo option, particularly if you kneel, would be to replace the third thwart with a dropped kneeling thwart, available from Eds or Essex and maybe Wenonah. One could hang a seat at that station too if a sitter, but it might intrude on the stern paddler's leg comfort?