Experimental Kneeling Thwart

[alsg]

I have been wanting to try out some kind of kneeling support in my tandem canoe to make it easier to paddle closer to the center. I have been undecided between the traditional wood kneeling thwart, which gives great stability and the sling-type saddle seats made of leather or canvas and straps, which can be easily installed and adjusted.

So I compromised and did half and half. This experiment consisted of a 30 x 3.5 x .75 inch piece of plywood that I eased the edges of on a belt sander. I then drilled four 1/4 inch holes in the corners. Total construction time was probably 15
minutes.

The thwart was hung using el-cheapo Home Depot cordage rated to 150 lbs. At each corner, I threaded a piece of cordage and I tied a simple double overhand stopper knot below the thwart and then tied through the existing brass pad eyes in my gunnels using adjustable taut line hitches. Total installation time was about 5 minutes or less. Thus, including construction and installation, I was into this experiment for a total investment of 20 minutes of my time and $0.

At the put in, I got in and gingerly and slowly put my weight against the thwart. I weigh over 200 lbs and even though I was kneeling, and thus all my weight wasn’t on the thwart, I was half expecting it to rip the pad eyes out of the gunnels. But, no, everything was very secure. (Try that for a gunnel experiment McCrea!)

The taut line hitches actually held where I adjusted them and the thwart proved remarkably comfortable and stable. There was, to my surprise, very little play side to side. The thwart worked both paddling flat and with the canoe heeled over paddling Canadian style.

I’m going to keep playing with it and if I still like it I'll eventually make a nicer looking one using some leftover sapele from the build and better cordage.

This design could easily be adapted to scuppered gunnel canoes. Has anyone else done one like this??

 

[Odyssey]

I think this is very interesting. A middle point between a hard fixed thwart and a sling. Good experiment alsg. Well worth the effort to find the magic middle.
The bent fixed kneeling thwart in my canoe is fairly pleasing but I know I'd far rather sit in an actual seat, but I'm not (crazy) committed enough to go that route. At times I think maybe I'll just say F it and paddle from the bow backwards in an asym canoe. But that would be heretical. Which I am anyway, bought the t-shirt. lol
Keep at it and keep us informed. I appreciate your posting this. Bend the rules and own them I say.

 

[gumpus]

I've never seen one like that. I have an old Nashwaak "solo strap" that I used on my Bluewater Freedom Tripper 17 years ago and I was surprised at how comfy it was with two straps around 3 inches wide supporting one's keister but it did pull the gunwales inboard. I also have a Canadian made canvas hanging seat that's no longer available. I like your design and I'm also surprised it didn't pull the fasteners on the gunwales out. One question...it looks pretty far aft, are you bow light or do you carry a big dog? You might try moving it one more position towards the yoke. I have two little-used tandems and both have proper center seats (and no yoke) and I do love the trim compared to boats I've owned with kneeling thwarts.

 

[alsg]

Yes it was still too far aft. The pad eye locations were sort of betwixt and between: too far forward using the pad eyes closest to to the thwart and too far aft using the ones I used. I wasn't going to move the pad eyes just for the experiment.

But now I am in the process of moving my bow seat closer to center anyway and I will be moving some of the pad eyes as well, which I hope will give both a better sitting position for solo paddling and a better kneeling position for my experimental kneeling thwart.

Thanks for the feedback!