Anyone installed kayak style footbraces on a canoe? The crossbar type won’t work for the new boat.
-
Happy Dedication of Everglades National Park (1947)! 🐊🌴
Footbraces
- Thread starter Black_Fly
- Start date
I believe Hemlock installs them on the SRT regularly, but that’s a pretty narrow boat. A guy I met at the Ozark Rendezvous I believe had a set installed on a Yellowstone solo. Just epoxied in like the cross bar style brackets are.
Just out of curiosity, why won’t the cross bar style work on the new boat?
Just out of curiosity, why won’t the cross bar style work on the new boat?
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2025
- Messages
- 80
- Reaction score
- 171
Old town has put them ina next for years.
Well, it would work with an extended outter tube. The problem is I want to maintain gear capacity, as well as flexibility to sit in the stern or bow seat. I installed one on my last prospector 15 for paddling from the bow seat and it wound up crossing just beyond the yoke. I’ll have to see where my feet hit, but I’m thinking it will be too intrusive for maximum payload and trim adjustment. If I can make one cross brace work for either seat position without intruding on cargo areas I’ll install one. I think that’s why I installed the adjustable rail on the aluminum track in my last prospector, but I’m not certain.
Last edited:
I have them in my Mohawk Odyssey 14 (they were already installed in the boat when purchased) and they give some relief from the cross legged or one leg crossed/the other at an angle sitting position. They are a little wide for these aged hips so not used much.
I personally don't think they'd be worth the inconvenience they will create. I've never felt that they would help me get to where I'm going any faster as I can already get as much power as I need without them. I like my seats high, at least 11 inches, and can get all the leverage I need. They could possibly help with a lower mounted seat though. Other than that they might help keep you comfortably on your seat with a little pressure, but I think too much pressure with your legs will sap energy that isn't going into your paddle.
Standard on my solo builds, link to that, in last build
Light Weight Solo Tripper Build
This post will cover off some of the finishing steps as we move to final fit and varnishing. Normally, I would have completed the yoke by now and started finishing the gunnels ... but I "had an idea" and the router bit I ordered and require, is taking forever to get here, so the yoke is on hold...
www.canoetripping.net
Nice boat Cruiser, do you paddle it with a single blade?
After I first tried them I have since installed them in every boat I paddle. They vastly improve the comfort of my lower back in all of my boats, regardless of seat height (and I have them with both high seats and low seats). There is always some amount of effort expended in keeping you on your seat as you paddle (keeping you from pulling yourself off the seat forwards with each stroke). I never noticed how much until I got foot braces, and now I wouldn’t paddle without them.
Yessiree, the lower back is strained much more without a footbrace. You’re basically trying to transfer 100% of the torque from your stroke through your butt. In current, I can press on one foot and it slightly pivots the canoe, helps correct yall. Everything is so much more efficient going through the legs instead of the buttocks.
Well, being someone that deals with pain in most of my recreational pursuits, I'd say doing whatever hurts the least should be the priority. As far as my low back goes, having my feet under the seat works best for me.
