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  • #31
    What do you think of this set-up, which I assume would attach to the existing thwart. The price seems right!
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    The best, the most successful adventurer, is the one having the most fun.

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    • #32
      Disclaimer: I do very little paddling.

      But my brief experience with those types of yokes is that they do not have enough "curvature offset" to put the weight of the boat on your shoulders. You will be walking stooped over, and the weight will be on your neck.

      (We borrowed a fairly heavy canoe with such a yoke a few years ago. After a couple short ten minute carries on easy ground, my neck hurt for a week.)

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      • #33
        Originally posted by Neil View Post
        What do you think of this set-up, which I assume would attach to the existing thwart. The price seems right!
        https://www.sail.ca/en/mad-river-con...ke-pads-500604
        That type is meant to span between the gunwales at the canoe balance point (presumably where the center thwart is if one is there). If it is the proper length, it clamps under the inwale of the gunwales. It does not really attacch to the existing center thwart (which would be in the way of this device and not allow you to balance the canoe if using this type). If you have an existing wood center thwart, then you need to use either a sling style or or some other kind of attachable pads that you bolt onto your existing center thwart.

        I like this one as most comfortable for me when I am not carrying a knupak full of gear. I use it on my Rapidfire solo canoe, which does not have a center thwart at the balance point. You can buy the pads separately and bolt them onto an existing wood center thwart.
        Wenonah - Sling Style Yoke Pads   These Sling Style yoke pads clamp onto your yoke with no drilling required.  The extra thick pads adapt to your shoulders comfortably and easily adjusts for different shoulder widths.  Yoke not included.   Product Details: Instructions and hardware included Distance between bolts: 3" Foam Thickness: 2" Dimensions: 8" L x 3" W x 4" H (2" of foam, 2 " of space between foam and clamp) Weight: 13 oz Made in USA
        Last edited by Wldrns; 05-01-2021, 04:03 PM.
        "Now I see the secret of making the best person, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth." -Walt Whitman

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        • #34
          Since most of my canoes are vintage I usually use whatever is present and add a swimming pool noodle to it to relieve some of the harshness.
          Most of my modern boats have a straight thwart where I add a pair of these http://bourquin.wcha.org/yokes.html
          Jeanne's yoke pads are the best. If you want to pair them up with a curved yoke consider one of these; https://www.edscanoe.com/portageyoke.html .
          Ed's also gives you a few more seating options.
          From my experience the best carry thwart is one that is parked on someone else shoulders. The first time my son carried one of our canoes over Indian Carry is still a highlight....I only had to carry one canoe that day...

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          • #35
            Originally posted by Wldrns View Post

            I like this one as most comfortable for me when I am not carrying a knupak full of gear. I use it on my Rapidfire solo canoe, which does not have a center thwart at the balance point. You can buy the pads separately and bolt them onto an existing wood center thwart.
            https://www.boundarywaterscatalog.co...oke-pads-24657
            I wouldn't recommend using those with a thwart. A yoke would be much better as it gives clearance for your head/neck and allows the suspension system to rest on your shoulders.

            I also agree about the removable one. Usually those are designed for solo canoes because a permanent one at balance would interfere with the cockpit. And they tend to be narrower than a tandem, so it might not even be wide enough.

            The basic design I prefer is the same, and that is the foam contour pad. Just get a bolt-on yoke and one of those pads and you'll have the same thing. It will simply bolt in place where you center thwart was. You'll need to trim the width (make sure you get one that is wide enough) and drill new holes - or take it to a canoe shop and have them install your new seats and yoke. You live in Canada, so I'd assume there is a canoe repair shop on every street corner.

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            • #36
              Originally posted by montcalm View Post
              And they tend to be narrower than a tandem, so it might not even be wide enough.
              They come in different lengths, no modification necessary. I bought one off the shelf that fits the width of my rapidfire perfectly. After finding the balance point I Marked it with tape below the inwale so I know instantly where to install it every time even when in a hurry during a race.
              "Now I see the secret of making the best person, it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth." -Walt Whitman

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              • #37
                Originally posted by Wldrns View Post
                They come in different lengths, no modification necessary. I bought one off the shelf that fits the width of my rapidfire perfectly. After finding the balance point I Marked it with tape below the inwale so I know instantly where to install it every time even when in a hurry during a race.
                OK.

                Even so, for someone that makes canoe wood bits they aren't hard to make. I've had Conk make me customs seats, mounts, and yokes. I don't know if he wants to do a lot of that, but he's certainly capable. But for me I was willing to pester someone and pay a little more to get it customized because when I'm in a canoe, it's usually for a long time. If I was just doing half hour cruises from the dock of my camp, I probably wouldn't care as much.

                I'm sure there are people doing this kind of thing in Canada as well.

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                • #38
                  Neil, If you don't get a Knu-pak, I would recommend getting a standard yoke from Old Town Canoe, Essex Industries, Oak Orchard Canoe, or Boundary Waters Catlog and getting from the Boundary Waters Catalog either the yoke pads I recommended—which are quite comfortable—or the sling style yoke pads that Wldrns recommended.

                  It's worth spending the money to get high-quality, comfortable yoke pads.

                  I don't trust the pleather, wood, foam pads like these.

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                  • #39
                    Lots of things that will work for different folks.

                    I guess when I was figuring out my canoe outfitting it came down to two big things that were a PITA for me:

                    1 - Carrying my canoe with a pack. I love those sling yoke pads IF I don't have a pack on. I've since found a pack AND yoke that work for me. This is really no different than the knu-pack in that I had to really tune both parts of the system. I really forget why I never went knu-pack setup, but in retrospect I wish I had.

                    2 - sitting or kneeling for a long time. I'm not a sitter. I hate it. I prefer walking or riding a bike. Kneeling is worse than sitting for me but both suck IMHO. So for me to be in a canoe for a long time, this was a big challenge to figure out. I liked paddling enough I was willing to suffer through it and figure it out. For some, maybe it's a rare enough thing you can grunt through it. For others it's something that impedes your ability to practice the sport, so therefor must be overcome.

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                    • #40
                      Neil - have you also looked at Ed's Canoe?



                      I bought my yoke from them for my Keewaydin Canoe (although will probably use it in the Mansfield instead). But they also have quite a selection of seats as well.

                      If you decide to try Essex Industries and they won't ship, let me know...I need to go up there soon and pick up a set of gunwales and can try to figure something out to get them to you.
                      “Death is the only wise advisor that we have. Whenever you feel, as you always do, that everything is going wrong and you're about to be annihilated, turn to your death and ask if that is so. Your death will tell you, 'I haven't touched you yet.” Carlos Castenada

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                      • #41
                        We found a guy north of here who does custom work on boats. He beautifully refurbished a friend's cedar strip canvas canoe. I'm taking the canoe to him tomorrow. The seats are the big priority.

                        This is what we're going to have him make for us.

                        I can have him make us a yoke but might look around here in Canada for those square pads you just screw onto the center thwart.

                        This thread has been awesome by the way!
                        The best, the most successful adventurer, is the one having the most fun.

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                        • #42
                          Slat seats are fairly common on Canadian craft and especially the Peternuts. Down here they were used for a while during the war years when cane (and labor) were in short supply. They were also a feature of Willits Bro canoes, arguably one of the best modern builders. Willits run about 75 lbs...not a lightweight.
                          An all wood seat tends to be a bit heavier than a framed cane seat. If a few extra pounds don't bother you it looks like you found your fix.

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                          • #43
                            After visiting with the canoe builder we decided to contact Swift directly and see about getting webbed seats shipped to us that we can install ourselves.

                            The boat builder proposed plank seats of oak (to save us on costs of building slatted seats) but the slab of oak he handed me weighed a ton!

                            We are having him install a yoke and doing a couple of other minor repairs.
                            The best, the most successful adventurer, is the one having the most fun.

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