Seat location Bell Wildfire solo

[Marc Ornstein]

All of my solo canoes are symmetrical and all have seats with the front edge, approximately 5" behind C/L. I find that any "fine tuning" necessary can be accomplished by kneeling a bit more forward or aft or by tossing my day-pack further forward or aft as necessary. Getting too hung up on EXACT seat location seems pointless as my sitting/kneeling position is constantly changing anyway. The only exception (for me) is my Illusion which has a sliding seat. The forward position of the sliding seat is 5" behind C/L. The rear position is 10"+- further aft. The rear position is for when I have my dog with me.

 

[John B]

Thank you all for your insights.

Here’s my wife’s Royalex Yellowstone
88 1/2” to the front of the seat.

Thanks you for taking the time for a factory measurement. I think I'll take that as a starting point and see how it differs from te other possibilities outlined.

 

[John B]

I measured my Yellowstone Solo. Total length from the outside ends of the deck plates is 168" (14'). Center is 84". From the outside edge of the front deck plate to the front edge of the seat is 87", so it is 3" back from the center.

View attachment 153731

Yes, someday I need to fix the caning on that seat.

Run the tape along the gunnel from the front of the deck plate to the screw holding the seat hanger is just shy of 89".

View attachment 153732

Probably a little shy because the metal tape doesn't follow the gunnel perfectly.

As a general rule, you want the front plane of your body to be just behind the center of the boat so you will have neutral to slightly stern heavy trim. I have seen recommendations for whitewater pedestals to be 10" to 12" back from the center, but I think that is more the knelling position than the front of the pedestal. In my Outrage, the front of the pedestal is actually in front of the center line, but when I kneel in it, the front of my body is pretty much just behind the center.

With a bench seat, you need to be in trim when you are kneeling (slightly in front of the front edge), and sitting (slightly behind the front edge). 10" back might be OK when you are knelling (like with a kneeling thwart), but I think you would be out of trim sitting. 3" is probably a happy medium. If you are putting a sliding seat in I guess it doesn't matter - you can put it where it needs to be.

Good luck adding the new seat.

Perfect. Thank you for getting out the tape measure.