magic seat height?

[Jim Dodd]

I have an 83 glass Wildfire. It has original trim, with the high seat hangers. I'd like the intermediate hangers. So Ted has these ?

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

I have an 83 glass Wildfire. It has original trim, with the high seat hangers. I'd like the intermediate hangers. So Ted has these ?

You can lower your seat by using longer bolts and adding shims. The shims can be wood with drilled holes, or just use metal, rubber or felt washers. Using washers for shims is helpful if only as a temporary measure to experiment with different seat heights.

You can use wing nuts for ease of adding and removing shims without a wrench, but be careful to tighten the wing nuts regularly as they will loosen.

 

[Jim Dodd]

Thanks Glenn !
I was just trying to keep it close to original as I can.

 

[charlie wilson]

The Curtis/Bell/Hemlock/Colden/Swift, and I guess others, one piece seat drops keep the seat from swinging so are preferable to dowels and/or stacked spacers. NorthStar should be willing to purvey them and Ed's probably still makes them for NS. If from Eds Canoe Parts, communicate hole spacing and request 13/64" bore not the looser 1/4" holes.

 

[Jim Dodd]

The Curtis/Bell/Hemlock/Colden, and I guess others, seat drops keep the seat from swinging so are preferable to dowels and/or stacked spacers. NorthStar sould be willing to purvey them and Ed's probably still makes them for NS. If from Eds, know hole spacing and request 13/64" bore not the looser 1/4" holes.

Good point ! Thanks Charlie !

 

[JAWS]

No Title

back to orig. post, raised the magic seat up a bit, now I can get my feet under the seat and sitting position is still stable, front drop 2" rear 1 5/8" homemade of course thanks to all of you for your suggestions. JAWS

 

[JAWS]

No Title

well now with the seat raised my long legs and knees rest on the sharp cold metal gunnels, so I took some scrap ash stained and glued it to the inside gunnel. Now have the the feel of wood -comfy

 

[Trevor Paetkau]

well now with the seat raised my long legs and knees rest on the sharp cold metal gunnels, so I took some scrap ash stained and glued it to the inside gunnel. Now have the the feel of wood -comfy

I like that option ... unless lowering my weight for safety reasons my solo paddling preference has always been sitting cross-legged with my knees against the gunnels. Not comfortable with either sharp or cold rails though. The wood is attractive too ...

 

[Guest]

I usually futz around with various dowels to get the perfect height and angle intending to make proper drops when I'm satisfied, but somehow never get around to making them. So I have "prototype" drops in most of my solos.
Turtle

 

[Guest]

my solo paddling preference has always been sitting….with my knees against the gunnels. Not comfortable with either sharp or cold rails though. The wood is attractive too ...

A more comfortable (albeit less attractive) solution is to contact cement custom carved minicel knee bumpers to the inwale. Those can be whatever size, shape or width best captures and comforts your knees.

I usually futz around with various dowels to get the perfect height and angle intending to make proper drops when I'm satisfied, but somehow never get around to making them. So I have "prototype" drops in most of my solos.

You can always cut a wood seat drop, of any style, shorter, or angle in a bit more cant. Making shorter drops longer; not so easy.

I kinda know how deep I prefer my drops, even +/- on wildly different hull depths, and fashion them there and adjust (or usually not, that’s fine) as necessary. Getting the seat placement positione fore/aft is much trickier than depth.

BTW, I will now throw DougD under the bus. He has two sets of OEM Bell seat truss drops, Nice, skinny, dark (walnut?) Bell seat hangers, a short drop set and a long drop set, both canted a touch.

Those seat drops are from late Canoe Tripper JSaults’ outfitting adventures. JSaults sent them to me, I later sent them to Doug and he is ready to send them back to me. I still have no use, even for virgin OEM Bell wood truss seat drops.

It would be a lot easier if Doug mailed them directly to a good home. Given their JSaults pass-around history they really should end up in a Bell canoe someday. JSaults would be pleased.

 

[dougd]

If someone needs them I will gladly send them on minus the McCrea package verbiage that makes most postal carriers cringe. I'll have to break the box open and post a picture of what is there!

 

[Jim Dodd]

Hi Doug
Are they the long drops ?

If so I'd be interested. I bought a glass Bell Wildfire, that had short drops. Fine for kneeling, but not for sit and switch. I Bought long drops from Ed's with hardware. I shortened them to what I like on my strippers. And still too squirrelly. I saved the cut offs, and can add them back on.

But if you have full length drops, I'm interested.
Gladly pay shipping +.

Jim

 

[Guest]

Gladly pay shipping +.

Doug has a set of deep drops (and a set of shallow ones). Which I stopped him from throwing away.

If DougD charges you shipping I’ll drive to New Hampshire and beat him with a sock full of pennies.

Photos with ruler Doug.

 

[dougd]

Sorry for the delay Jim and appreciate the pennies Mike. I'll take pics tomorrow after work and post them.

 

[dougd]

No Title

Jim, I apologize for the delay. I'm attaching pics with the measurement of them, pics taken with a ruler. If still you're interested will gladly send them on to you free of charge. The thought of McCrea coming at me with a roll of pennies in one of his socks is actually quite scary! Although I'll bet all the pennies would drop out of the toe holes before it hit me! ;-) There's 4 of the full size and two which I've never seen before.

dougd

 

[Guest]

Keep looking through your canoe parts stash Doug, none of those are Jsaults Bell seat drops.

The Bell drops will be thin, dark walnut trusses with beautifully routered edges.

I found a sock with no holes in the toe.I’m coming for you.

 

[Jim Dodd]

I know full well how hard it is to find things !!! Sometimes right in front of my face ! Just ask my wife ! "Eagle Eyes Linda"

Mike is right, that those aren't Bell hangers.

Don't worry about it ! If they pop up, or in My shop, crawl out from behind a bench, covered in saw dust. Let me know !

Thanks !

Jim

 

[dougd]

No Title

Jim, I found them! Here's pics of them. The bigger set I'm guessing is for a little slant as one "leg" is longer then the other. They're all yours if you want them.

Doug

 

[Jim Dodd]

Thanks Doug !

I'll take the long ones. If no one wants the other set. I'll take them also, and pass them on to the next person that wants them.

I'll have three sets. I can be the storage depot, for Bell seat drops.

I'll PM my address.

Thanks Doug, and Mike ! Got to Love this site, and the people that inhabit it !

Jim

 

[wingnut]

Jim, where do you source the long screws for the drops? I changed my Magic from the short drops to the long but could not find the 10-24 screws that were used on the shorts so I had to re drill to 1/4" to use the only screws that I could find that were long enough.