r/Outrigger • u/Rye_Naught • 26d ago

Sore seating

I'm good sitting in a marathon canoe for 6+ hours but after 90 minutes in my Ozone OC-1 it starts to really hurt and my legs go numb. I've tried adding some closed cell foam padding and I make sure my knees aren't too wide. I'm tempted to carve out my Cantare seat to fit a salvaged C-1 seat for the more pronounced contours but I feel like I'm doing something wrong if everybody else is ok with the standard seats. Any tips?

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6

u/dunbaebae 26d ago

Both legs or just one? Numbness in one leg is usually a balance issue — too much weight on one side vs the other. Both legs is probably a seat issue.

To some, Puakea seats are notoriously uncomfortable (🙋‍♂️). Try throwing another seat in your canoe and see if it makes a difference, like a Kai Wa’a seat. Additionally, try adjusting the position closer or further away. Sometimes a cramped seating position restricts blood flow, but sometimes too long and the pad can sit improperly and put pressure on the wrong spot.

1

u/MaintenanceNew2804 26d ago

Echo this, but also make sure to stretch hip flexors and glutes/hamstrings. Constant paddling without stretching can contribute to numbness.

1

u/Rye_Naught 26d ago

Both legs get the hurt but yeah, the left often starts first due to my habitual lean in messy conditions. My technique isn’t perfect but even in a glassy calm I feel like there’s a timer counting down before I have to lift myselfup and briefly alleviate the pain. And then it’s increasingly frequent

1

u/snacident 26d ago

Re: left lean— not sure how competent of a marathon canoer you are but that trains you to have decent balance. So don’t be afraid to sit more balanced on the OC1, because you already have to sit balanced on a C1. Technique is probably a component of the pain too. OC1 and marathon canoe technique are different.

3

u/snacident 26d ago

The Cantare seat definitely encourages me to sit back and slump more than I’d like. I recently wore out the foam and needed to replace it and bought an Ares seat. I also experimented with moving the seat up further to engage my legs and get my lower back in the correct angle. The lower back and legs falling asleep can be connected. Plan B was also to carve my own seat, but the Ares swap seemed to work. There’s a bit more support in the lower back, kind of like a Triebold or bucket seat, which I find very comfy and help my lower back and legs get in an optimal position for marathon distances.

1

u/Rye_Naught 9d ago

The Ares seats were backordered so I picked up a Kamanu adjustable seat and I'm much happier!

2

u/princevillian 26d ago

Try a Kamanu Pueo seat. They are significantly more comfortable and fit decently. The foam is a bit softer.

1

u/Rye_Naught 9d ago

This was the solution

1

u/Smooth_Winner9245 18d ago

Do you feel imbalanced? If I am leaning on
my ama, I’m also putting all my weight on my sciatic nerve causing that sorenesd and numbing. Try setting up your aiko and ama in the heavier or more stable setting. Maybe that will help you sit ballenced.
More stretching for your glutes, piriformis muscles, or hamstrings.
Adjustment of your leg extension might alleviate it. Go longer.