The Great C-1 Conversion
July 24, 2010
The C-1 can be a pretty far out concept for anyone that wants to switch from their old kayak technique to the antiquated closed canoe approach. Just from a quick run down, it doesn’t make much sense.
The Disadvantages? Less stable for river running, less paddle power (stroke rate, offside power), nonstandard outfitting, and a smaller community for instruction.
The Advantages? Pretty much all the disadvantages for entirely different reasons.
From my short experience attempting to venture into the C-1 realm, I’ve done it for all (dis)advantages. It creates a challenge that is above and beyond what I’ve experienced sitting on my rear. It’s less stable, creating a more challenging environment when running my usual rivers while giving hole and wave surfing a much more dynamic feel. Elevated seating with your legs beneath gives a level of torso mobility far superior to any kayak. This creates an environment where engaging an edge, a stern, or a bow, even in flat conditions, is far easier. Further, the single paddle blade requires a level of planning to use efficiently and a level of skill to paddle confidently.
Entering this environment is a drastic change, however. While resources exist for c-boaters (such as the excellent cboats.net), it can be difficult to tease out the bare theory behind it. And when it comes down to it, unless you’re buying the dagger pedestal, you’re going to be outfitting your shell from the ground up out of foam, fence post, treasures found in the dump, and maybe even some old bits and pieces. Hopefully with examples from my method, there’ll be a greater understanding of how to outfit a C-1 from the ground up.
My specifications were pretty loose when starting out:
- Lightweight
- Provide rigidity to the the hull and prevent oil canning
- Be comfortable
If only it was as easy as typing a bulleted list. But it is possible!
Just like a kayak, there needs to be 4 points of contact within your boat. In a K-1, the points of contact are the two hip pads on the seat and the knee wells. The foot block exists to keep your knees in tight. Using these 4 locations, you can apply pressure that allows you to initiate the bow, throw cartwheels, maintain an edge on a wave, or throw a hip-snap and roll. These 4 points need to be as static as possible for consistency.
Consider a new boat that has yet to be outfitted. You try to edge right, pulling on the left knee well while leaning into your right hip. There’s a gap of about an inch between the hip pad and your hip. You slide this inch, throwing your balance and either roll or return to neutral. When the boat is properly outfitted, there is consistency each and every time you edge your boat. It’s as tight as possible without being uncomfortable. This is what enables confidence in whitewater, the knowledge that you CAN reproduce a move as many times as possible.
All this translates to the C-1 as well. You’re knees need to be in the same spot each and every time you’re in the boat. They need points of attachment to enable you to exert the same lateral forces you can in a kayak. Otherwise edging, cartwheeling, and wave-wheels are next to impossible. Additionally, you need the second two attachment points at the hips. Having these attachments lower on the leg doesn’t allow the full use of your upper body weight when attempting to control the boat. The cockpit rim is generally the favored point, as it can interface with the illiac process (the top of your hip bone that you can feel). Contact with your hip bone allows an energy transfer that is immediate and generally more comfortable.
I’ve attempted several ways of attaching hip pads without drilling holes in the boat (duct tape, clamps, etc.) but have found that its impossible to have a reliable and static hip pad when it’s just some junk taped to all hell to the side of your boat. The best recommendation I’ve found is and L shaped piece of plastic (can be cut from hollow mailbox post) bolted to the top deck of your kayak and sealed with epoxy. It seems to be dry, rigid and durable. It has the added benefit of allowing the skirt band to have full contact with the cockpit rim, keeping you that much drier.
An additional method is necessary to keep your knees attached to their contact point in addition to keeping you in the saddle. I like thigh straps connected to the attachment points for the K-1 seat and the saddle itself. These generally allow you to stay in your saddle, keep your knees on the pads, and are safe enough to generally allow you to slip out if your roll fails. Using a foam “dashboard”, a shaped block that you wedge into your boat to keep your knees down, is another option. It has the advantage of being easy to escape from, but can slip and don’t offer the snug feeling of thighstraps.
The saddle itself needs to be attached to at least two points in the boat. It needs to be able to bear the stress of the thigh straps (should you use them) while sitting flush against the hull to provide rigidity. I use a composite pole that came with a deceased Jackson Super Hero and ran it through the entire assembly: the front bulkhead, the entire seat assembly, and the rear bulkhead. This keeps everything it needs to be while providing a good backbone.
My Dragorossi Fish is far lighter than the original K-1 outfitting and is way more comfortable. But thats more likely a function of Dragorossi’s outfitting being absolutely terrible. But those are the fundamentals. All it takes is some trial and error, some spray contact cement, and plenty of foam. If there’s further interest, I’d be happy to post a full how to or go further into detail.
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