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Author	Message Text
BWPaddler	06/02/2011 12:30PM   Good points mogos!
BWPaddler	04/26/2011 05:11PM   My kids are totally OK sitting on packs - especially if they don't have to share. They've never tried one with a hard liner - packs are stuffed so full they are pretty firm, yet cushy. Here's last year about this time. Kiddo was 8 and 97th percentile for height and weight. A 6yo could do it easily and it would be one less thing to hassle with. Will you paddle much without packs?
whiteh20	06/03/2011 03:40PM   Use a crazy creek or a pad for the gump seat. No need to add weight and bring another piece of gear. When we do a family trip Canyon simply rides on his crazy creek chair atop a pack in the center of the canoe. On portages the crazy creek gets put under a pack flap or clipped to the canoe.
mogos	06/02/2011 12:09PM   i don't think a seat is necessary. for the kids i leave an open spot in the canoe and they sit on an inexpensive ($12) floatation cushion on the bottom of the canoe. they'll lean back against a pack or a thwart. in my opinion, they've got the most comfy, cushy seat in the house. the cushion -- at a couple inches thick -- is thick enough to keep them out of any water in the boat. and the whole set up has a couple of desirable features for a six-year-old: 1) keeps his/her center of gravity low (makes your ride more stable and some kids feel safer) 2) allows plenty of room to readjust, wiggle, and fidget 3) can turn and face bow or stern 4) can nap easily (if they are inclined to nap -- mine are NOT) 5) being IN the boat allows them to play with rocks, sticks, and other wilderness "toys" with less risk that they'll end up overboard the limitations are that they have a limited view of the water and the shoreline, but they'll see lots of clouds! and they also can't "help" paddle very easily, unless they kneel. but we took a 4-day trip in a 16-foot penobscot with two six-year-olds and two adults. they sat side-by-side and they had a great time with each other. we were a little cramped for space (with your 17' it would have been much more comfortable), and we were probably riding a little low in the water, but we base camped without a portage. day trips -- without much gear -- were very comfortable for the boys. floatation cushion
Sparetime	04/26/2011 09:13AM   I am planning a trip with my 6 year old son and another adult. I have a 17' Old Town Penobscot canoe that should be big enough for the three of us. My question is if I should add a removable third seat or just have him sit in the middle on a pack. The seat would be more comfortable, but take up space and have to be removed on portages. What have you done?
CrookedPaddler1	04/26/2011 11:01AM   I have put a hard liner in a pack (hard sided rubermaid type tote -- used in my food pack). Then I lay it on its side and have the kids sit on that. It is high enough that they can paddle if they want and is more comforable then balancing on a pack or sitting in the bottom of the canoe.
nojobro	04/26/2011 12:56PM   We have a drop in seat. We haven't used it but for a day trip yet....so I'm not sure what to tell you.
mogos	06/03/2011 08:31AM   this is how we rolled last summer with two six-year-olds. each boy on his own cushion, side-by-side. in the 16' penobscot we put a #4 GG portage pack (clothes and sleeping bags) and the 60L barrel (food and cook gear) in front of me (stern). a small pack with tent, dining fly, stove when beneath the stern seat. and day pack with rain gear was stowed in the bow. we were packed pretty compactly, and there wasn't much more room in the boat. fishing poles were stowed in the swim noodles, which doubled as great toys around camp and in the water. i wish i was there now!
Sparetime	05/26/2011 01:03PM   Depending if we base camp or not, I don't know if we'll paddle a lot without packs. I suppose I could always throw his chair (pack) into the boat for fishing trips etc.