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Dressed Out Northstar Phoenix

Lookin' good there Black Fly.

I ordered mine with wood gunwales, internal skid plates and kneeling drops on the seat. According to factory specs it should have been around 32 pounds, but I lucked up and on my scales it is 30.1 pounds. I guess that the layup weight can vary a bit.
 

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I was recently on a river paddle with someone that had a Phoenix.
Seemed to perform very well. Her's was Blacklite and I loaded it on her vehicle for her, after the paddle, and it felt noticeably lighter than my Blacklite North Wind. Very easy to lift.
I have one on my wish list. I'd probably get the IXP layup, even though it's quite a bit heavier.
 
Your third photo is a huge help. I've never used footbraces and I'm preparing to install the carbon ones in my IPX Phoenix. I'm trying not to overthink it. Their instructions say to install the side pieces 6 inches below the gunwales but that looks high. Where did you install yours, and how high above the floor center is the bar? I'm mocking it all up in the garage today or tomorrow, so maybe it will make more sense then.
 
I have mixed feelings about foot braces. Undoubtedly, they benefit paddling efficiency. Even comfort, at times. Until recently, I've always sat cross legged, giving me more room for gear. I'm currently running with kayak style foot braces. Kind of a compromise. I have something to brace my feet against, but I still have some space available between my legs, for gear.
 
Good thread. I have a Phoenix w wood trim and kneeling drops as well. Been wondering about some mods, including dropping the seat about an inch (I often slide off over time, and wonder if the factory kneeling drops are just a bit high for me at 5'6) and adding a footbrace for when I sit. Was the foot brace easy to install? Did it require drilling the hull?
 
Tsuga8 said:
Been wondering about some mods, including dropping the seat about an inch (I often slide off over time, and wonder if the factory kneeling drops are just a bit high for me at 5'6) and adding a footbrace for when I sit. Was the foot brace easy to install? Did it require drilling the hull?
Click to expand...
The factory kneeling drops are well set for me, but I am over 6' and have 35" inseams. My biggest issue is getting my size 12 shoes under the seat! I had to learn the proper technique, so it is easy now. I can also sit quite comfortably with the factory kneeling drops but I do not think that I would go the footbrace route unless I decided to put in sitting drops and made it a permanent "sitter".
 
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