# footrest advice need quick adjustability



## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Matt, That's a lot of difference in your height but if you've got a high-back seat, try putting a PFD behind her so it scoots her forward in the seat.


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## erdvm1 (Oct 17, 2003)

Thanks for the quick reply Andy.
The background is that my wife was a professional raft guide for 6 years. I'm the raft novice. So we are looking for a solution that will allow us both to be in optimal positions to run difficult rapids with the kids on board.


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

Got it - not the usual situation. In that case, if you wear kneepads the oarhandles won't hurt so much when you bang them into your knees...


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## erdvm1 (Oct 17, 2003)

Rafters are just as big of smart asses as kayakers. Good to know. 
Very unusual situation, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.
Come on Andy, surely you've got something up your sleeve to resolve this.


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## glenn (May 13, 2009)

Oversized wingnuts? Retrofitting a bikes quick release skewer?


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## bobbuilds (May 12, 2007)

you could pre drill holes for the foot rest in both locations and use the quick pins through the pipe instead if a set screw.

we did that on ours, it is solid and takes a second to move it.

our foot rest has quick pins to adjust the foot brace angle already, so we just pulled the set screws, drilled the holes and used the quick pins at the frame rail as well.

i would note, i did pull the fittings, pollished the shit out of the insides of the fittings and scrubbed a pencil inside the fitting all around.

graphite is a lubricant, helps the aluminum slide. easy peasy.

let me know if you want some help.

EDIT: seeing as your wife is the guide, if any of this baffles you, no pun intended, have her read it, it should make sense.

ha


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## erdvm1 (Oct 17, 2003)

This is hilarious.


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## readNrun (Aug 1, 2013)

erdvm1 said:


> I'm 6 1" and the wife is 5 3"
> We switch back and forth at the oars
> I currently have the nrs deluxe foot rest but its a hassle to adjust on the fly. What are some solutions to this issue


+1 on bobbuilds comment. We did the same (DRE frame). I (6'2"), my wife (5'6") and my daughter (5'1") can all row with our setup with a simple hole-pin change.

I also have my cooler setup up higher in the bay directly fore of my footbay so that they can row from there as well. No real foot rest when they are there but since they are not sitting as far back as they would on the cap'n seat, they can use the dry box (under me) for leverage.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

Must be nice.

I'm 6'-6", my wife is 5'-4".



...but she doesn't want to row. :lol:


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## readNrun (Aug 1, 2013)

MT4Runner said:


> Must be nice.
> 
> I'm 6'-6", my wife is 5'-4".


Not really. The differential is more between me and my daughter. 17" for our combo and only 14" for yours. Of course if she doesn't want to row then it's moot


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

At least one of y'all speaks Rafterese in the family... 

Before drilling holes in the NRS frame, I think Glen's idea of some cam-lock quick release nuts on the NRS kickbar would work really well for what you're looking for. That, with some pre-set marks on the frame for where the kickbar should go for each of you should let you to switch out in about a minute. Whatever you settle on it will be helpful to have a block of wood or rubber mallet handy on the river just to make it easier to move the kickbar into place (yeah, like you need any more gear when you go rafting...with kids...).

But wait, you'll also need to move the oar towers. Looks like you might as well just get another raft!

Let us know how it goes,

-AH


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

ironmanbldr said:


> Not really. The differential is more between me and my daughter. 17" for our combo and only 14" for yours. Of course if she doesn't want to row then it's moot


The "must be nice" part was about your wife being a rower. Listing my height was purely sarcasm. :lol:

My oldest daughter is already 5'-6" and rapidly growing. 
...and she wants to be a raft guide.
I love that she wants to row. I'm terrified of her living with a bunch of horny raft guides for the summer! :lol:


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## portercassidy (Jun 10, 2010)

This is the first thing that comes to mind, 

NRS Deluxe Foot Bar at nrs.com

I have one in my small boat, it is not super hard to grab a ratchet and reconfigure things.

I think of how more more storage space would be available if I was a smaller person. Bigger cooler, bigger drybox etc...


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

I have a question for those of you that use the NRS deluxe foot bar. Do the Lopros on the cross bar interfere with your cooler or cooler latches? I use a AAA foot bar/cross bar, and my cooler sits on the cross bar (no drop bag or slings). I want a foot bar with better "toe hooks" for bracing, instead of just the loop. I'm looking for options for my NRS frame. What do you think of the foot pegs on the NRS as opposed to a straight across solid bar for hooking in the toes?
Thanks for any suggestions.


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## readNrun (Aug 1, 2013)

MT4Runner said:


> The "must be nice" part was about your wife being a rower. Listing my height was purely sarcasm. :lol:
> 
> My oldest daughter is already 5'-6" and rapidly growing.
> ...and she wants to be a raft guide.
> I love that she wants to row. I'm terrified of her living with a bunch of horny raft guides for the summer! :lol:


No worries. I'm still trying to get her to row more. I think on our last trip my daughter rowed more than my wife. My wife has a mental block on being able to make the raft do what she wants without thinking really hard. She'll often start pushing the oars or pulling them when the opposite is needed. She is also challenged by what pulling the left oar and pushing the right will do based on where the bow is pointed often taking the "long way" around when spinning the raft.

And....as you know....I'm always wrong with the way I teach


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## festivus (Apr 22, 2006)

Easy

Put an aluminum sliding seat bracket under the seat. Adjusts in five seconds.


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## erdvm1 (Oct 17, 2003)

Festival
PM sent

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## portercassidy (Jun 10, 2010)

Cataraftgirl

I love being able to lock in my feet to the deluxe foot bar. Usually I will lock on foot to the footbar, and brace my other foot against the drybox wall below me. This allows me to sit forward and push while still being attached to the foot bar.

This was one of my only footbar options for my 13' Hyside. I have not had any problems with the lo pros messing with my cooler, unless I try to pivot it to a flat position (for transport) before taking the cooler out.

Hope this made sense.


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## readNrun (Aug 1, 2013)

festivus said:


> Easy
> 
> Put an aluminum sliding seat bracket under the seat. Adjusts in five seconds.


This would be great. I currently have a DRE frame and my chair flips over my dry box. Anyone have a similar setup and moved to a sliding seat?


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

portercassidy said:


> Cataraftgirl
> 
> I love being able to lock in my feet to the deluxe foot bar. Usually I will lock on foot to the footbar, and brace my other foot against the drybox wall below me. This allows me to sit forward and push while still being attached to the foot bar.
> 
> ...


Flat as in horizontal, or flat as in straight down?


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## portercassidy (Jun 10, 2010)

cataraftgirl said:


> Flat as in horizontal, or flat as in straight down?


Flat as in Horizontal.


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

portercassidy said:


> Flat as in Horizontal.


Thanks. I'm concerned because my cooler sits directly on my cross bar. My latches are 28 inches apart, and the inside to inside measurement on the NRS deluxe foot bar looks to be 28 inches. I want my cooler to sit flat without LoPros in the way.


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## erdvm1 (Oct 17, 2003)

Does anyone have an image of the festivus idea

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## Gremlin (Jun 24, 2010)

I'm about a foot taller than my wife. I went with the idea of a sliding seat similar to what was discussed here: http://www.mountainbuzz.com/forums/f44/building-a-dry-box-seat-mount-53550.html


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## STD* (May 25, 2009)

I just ended up buying my wife her own boat.

Problem solved.


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

EVRDM1 - follow the link: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g1153?seid=srese1&gclid=CLe22obOuL8CFcRffgods3sANQ. For what it's worth my first thought was the same as bobuilds... pull two pins and rotate to new holes... I fear wing nuts, quick releases, etc. won't get tight enough to keep the low-pro from rotating around the bar... They would be nice though if it worked.

Ironmanbuilder. - That sliding mount would work on your flip seat as well... have both!

Cataraftgirl. - could you just add the stubs with low pro's to your AAA?


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## cataraftgirl (Jun 5, 2009)

elkhaven said:


> EVRDM1 - follow the link: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/sum-g1153?seid=srese1&gclid=CLe22obOuL8CFcRffgods3sANQ. For what it's worth my first thought was the same as bobuilds... pull two pins and rotate to new holes... I fear wing nuts, quick releases, etc. won't get tight enough to keep the low-pro from rotating around the bar... They would be nice though if it worked.
> 
> Ironmanbuilder. - That sliding mount would work on your flip seat as well... have both!
> 
> Cataraftgirl. - could you just add the stubs with low pro's to your AAA?


I thought of that, but the foot loop is really small. No room for the foot pegs. This bar was designed for my cat, so it's smaller & shorter. I had a skid guard floor on the cat in the rower bay. I could hook my toes between the solid floor and the bottom of the loop. On the raft, there's a lot more room between the loop and the floor of the raft, plus the floor is constantly in motion in the rapids. Hard to get a solid toe hook & brace. I think I'm going to have Dusty at DRL make me one. His NRS compatible cross bar/foot bar looks like what I need. No issues with the LoPros & the cooler, less weight than the NRS, and less $$$.


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## MT4Runner (Apr 6, 2012)

After checking out lhowemt's Madcatr? frame, I want similar foot loops on my boats!


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## mrkyak (Jul 11, 2005)

I'm in ft Collins , you design it, I'll build it for a six pack. I can bend, weld, notch, drill, alunimum tubing 
And probably have a bunch of short pieces that might work. Let me know if I can help


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## asleep.at.the.oars (May 6, 2006)

STD* said:


> I just ended up buying my wife her own boat.


x2

We're 6'3" & 5'2". We pretty much only trade boats for the day any more so there's time to fuss with stuff. Do you have a hard floor in the cockpit? A cam strap around an ammo can sitting on the floor and pushed up against the foot bar can be enough for lower-key stuff. 

Boats down in the Grand will set up a step like the pic attached. My wife felt more solid in that boat than anything that also fits me. Maybe you could get a quick on/off for a step, or a flip setup like the DRE seats.


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