I recently bought a used Rapidfire and have a few questions...

- what double blade do you use? length?
- what seat pad do you like?
- how straight do you like your legs to be?
- any other tips for comfort?

I have a thick gel pad that works well and a double thick ridgerest pad and many other pads but I can't go more than maybe two hours max without a break. I don't know if it's possible to make a sitting boat as comfy as a kneeling boat where I might spend 4-6 hours in the boat. I have similar challenges in my Advantage.

I suggest that you contact the owner, Joe Moore, at placidboatworks.com
518.524.2949. We have two Rapidfires that we've been paddling for many years and love them. I believe Joe still recommends the Werner Kalliste bent paddle that is 230 cm long, but I would ask him since he might recommend something different for you. At the time we bought ours he sold Sqwoosh gel pads, but the seats now come with a pad that sticks on. I forget the brand, but Joe can guide you. Legs are usually bent with knees splayed outward toward the gunwales much like you would in a kayak. This position is much more stable than having your legs positioned straight out. Adjust the foot pegs until you find a position that is comfortable. As far as seats go, my husband likes the medium height seat, but I like the high seat which alleviates back pain. Joe also sells different height seats that fit over the existing seat to raise the height. If you have the low seat, you can add a medium seat. If you have the medium seat you can add the high seat. I agree that taking a break every few hours is a very good idea since changing positions in a pack boat is much more limited. You can also adjust the foot pegs fore or aft a bit to change the position of your legs. Also try bringing one leg closer to you with the other leg extended out then switching much in the way you might do in a canoe. Also adjusting the backband so you are sitting up straighter is helpful. Hope this helps. Good luck.

Thank you so much! Your comments really help ground me. I did indeed talk to Joe today. His generic recommendation is a 220 cm for high angle paddlers and a 230 cm for low. He also recommended that I try the High seat that my used boat came with, so I did so today and it was a big improvement in comfort and also a more commanding, powerful position for single blade paddling. With the high seat it was pretty comfy even with no extra seat pad but I'll go back and experiment with the pads I have. I also experimented with bracing my knees against the gunwales as you suggested in some powerboat wakes today and that does seem to work nicely. Still not exactly sure what double blade to get; do you and your husband both use the Kalliste 230 bent shaft? I'm 6 feet tall and maybe 170 pounds. Thank you for all the tips.

I'm so glad you spoke with Joe. Yes, my husband and I both use Werner 230 cm bent shaft Kalliste paddles and love them. The Werner Kalliste is what Joe recommended and sold to us when we bought our Rapidfires. The bent shaft is supposed to help prevent wrist pain that can be caused by using a straight shaft which puts the wrists at a stressful angle. Also, you will appreciate the light weight of a superb carbon paddle when paddling several hours. The bent shaft is a bit more expensive but worth it in my opinion. I think Joe may still sell them, but you can get them online too. I like to support local businesses so bought our paddles from Joe. One tip: Be sure to follow Werner's instructions for connecting the two halves and not twist them when connecting or pulling them apart. They are beautiful paddles and worth every penny. Let me know if you have any more questions.