# Playboat foot position



## rodgers712 (Apr 10, 2009)

I am taking an interest in advancing my playboating this upcoming season. My concern is I still cannot get a comfortable foot position in my boat it always feels as if thats where I loose alot of boat control. A friend suggested placing a small volleyball in the front and I have been using this but still feel like my feet move too much. My question is it worth the money to get Jackson Happy feet or is it worth the time and effort to use minicell foam (which is expense I have found too). I have a Liquidlogic Scooter which has a very sharp front to it so foot placement is hard to get right. Thanks for any opinions on the matter I'm sure its all personal preference.


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## lmyers (Jun 10, 2008)

I'm not familiar with the Scooter, and how much room you have to work with, but my LL Vision came with a foot bag. Very similar to the Jackson Happy Feet. I am very snug with it in there, but it is SO much more comfortable than toes on plastic.
If there isn't enough room for a foot-bag, then I would look at outfitting it with foam.


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## Ture (Apr 12, 2004)

I'd get a Happy Feet or some other foot bag if I were you. I borrowed my friend's boat (with happy feet) for a WestWater run a few months ago and that was the most comfortable my feet felt in a playboat... ever.

I sat in the boat all day and was fine except for the paddle out, when I drank whiskey and I got the bag all discombobulated and my feet all out of place and my feet and legs went to sleep and I couldn't stand up when I got out (from numbness in limbs, not from whiskey). The bags are kind of a PITA because you have to get in carefully and keep the bag positioned just perfectly and put your feet just so as you blow it up... they don't work for dick if you get them all tangled up and I found that easy to do... but it is worth it if you do it right.


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## Smurfwarrior (Feb 23, 2009)

I've had a Scooter in the past and I don't think you will have enough room for a happy feet setup in that boat if you are a normal sized adult. I ended up foaming mine with a heel wedge and then a bit to comfort the toes when they hit the bottom and top of the boat.


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## eklars (Mar 28, 2006)

I would strongly recommend no to the Jackson footbag. All the decent playboaters I know have removed theirs in favor of traditional foam fitting. Here's why, that dam bag moves around under your feet. If you push hard with your left foot, your right foot moves up. Then your hips start to twist and your hip pad isn't holding you down so well any more etc etc. Plus, if you change altitude alot the size of the air in the cushion keeps changing, so you are always messing with it. 

I would only use the footbag if you can find no other way of staying comfortable.


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## caspermike (Mar 9, 2007)

I usually go feet to plastic. Toes out, or go with the toe curl like wearing climbing shoes. Key is hip and knee shims and blocks so you can drive it like a dun buggy with a roll cage and full harness belt.. make sure you touch at the bow and are deccently comfy than shin it out ib the hips and add knee blocks


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## ckspaddler (Sep 25, 2008)

The Jackson set up will keep you comfortable, but if you are looking for a personalized fit that isn't going to move around then you need to get mini-cell foam and spend time fitting it to your preferred comfort/performance. Jackson does sell a Footblock that might help you get started. ​


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## BobN (Mar 28, 2006)

I personally never had much problem with the Jackson Happy Feet except that after a year or two, the air bag portion started not hold air well, just due to wear and tear. I would go with minicell foam. 

To determine the shape of your foot brace, take the front pillar out of your boat and tightly compress a whole bunch of aluminum foil in the front. Get in and put in your feet in a comfortable position, adding more foil if you need to. Once it feel just right, pull out the foil and you will have a model of the shape you want to aim for when carving the minicell. You'll probably need one or two 1'x1'x4" blocks of minicell, or if you have bunch of minicell scraps floating around (like I did) just glue them together with contact cement. Serrated bread knifes are great for making the bigger cuts and a curved Sur-Foam is the best tool for shaping the foam.

Have fun, it isn't hard to make at all.


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## brenda (Aug 10, 2008)

I use both foam and the happy feet. That way you don't need to blow up the air part very much and the foam keeps it stable from moving around when you push on the foot bag. It takes up less room this way. The beans are super comfortable and protect your feet.


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