Centered foot braces for kayaks: new fitting

New fitting. Consisting of a rail and a slider unit.

A rail mounts to the kayak floor with epoxy. Raw material is a hardwood stick 3/4W x 1H x 32L". 3 lag screws are driven down into the rail 4.5" apart

The slider, a 10" long t-track, is the unit that moves over the rail for adjustment. A base 4" x 9" x 1/2-3/4" for the foot board mounts on top of the slider.

The foot board, 12" wide by 4.5" high by 1/4-1/2" thick, attaches to the base (glue or hinge). The foot board mounts at an angle of ~12 degrees. two wedges of wood attach to the base behind the foot board to keep the base-footboard joint stable.

How the slider moves over the rail: the t-track will slide over the lag screw heads on the rail. The screws endure some stress, but not as much as the rail.

How the slider locks:

• A cleat mounts on the stern end of the rail. The cleat holds the adjustment cord from the slider. It must endure stress at the bow end of the rail. Pluses: easy installation, infinite adjustment & rail can be shorter. Minuses: could slip if the cord is bumped & force is applied higher than the axis of the rail. OR
• The rail has notches drilled and cut per page 149 of "The Strip Built Kayak." The adjustment cord/cable is a loop that attaches to the slider. One adjusts by placing the loop from the slider into one of the notches. Pluses: may weigh a few grams less and may be less prone to slippage. Adjustment is less fussy. Minuses: requires more work to build. might be more prone to breakage if holes drilled too close. 1" adjustments only.

Note: rudder controls can be added consisting of hinged flaps atop the foot boards & cable wheels if you can find a source. front cable end attaches to front of brace, rear cable end attaches to rudder.

Cost:

1. rail: $3.51
2. t-track:

Weight of this rudder system:

Below, a picture of foot braces viewed from above.

Top: Keepers foot braces weigh 12 ounces w/mounting screws.

middle: Sea dog foot braces weigh 24.25 ounces w/mounting screws. The square shows how the footpad tapers such that one's foot tends to slide off.

bottom: Sea dog foot braces with rudder control weigh 29 ounces w/mounting screws.

My note to SEA LECT designs:

• I have Sea dog foot braces in my 23" wide kayak. love the adjustment and the sturdy build. But, on every paddle, when I put the pedal to the metal, I found my foot slipping off frequently during forward stroke technique. I removed the unit and saw the tapering of the unit toward the center of the boat probably didn't help. With the Keepers units, while not built to last, my feet slipped off but rarely. I don't want anything from you--this is just FYI. Part of the problem is my boat's 23" beam and my using the boat as a fast cruising vehicle. I am working on a widget to attach to the foot brace to improve the angle and the foothold. Again, the Sea dog is a huge step up from the Keepers and for most kayakers, the cat's pajamas.
• Thanks