Bulkheads:- Beluga Style VS Sauvage/Pyranha/Robson

TheKrikkitWars · Post by **TheKrikkitWars** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 5:49 pm

Inspired by Craig mentioing both styles at the same time in the Spanishfly Outfitting thread...

I'd like to know which people find better...

For me it has to be the old seperate thigh-hook style... partially because its very adjustable and yet still totally functional (and works well even if push fitted rather than glued);

By comparison I jumped in a Nitro to demo it, and couldn't physically fit into the saddle... though what really finished me off about the beluga type saddle is seeing one installed in a brand new l'edge... it fits poorly (and whilst it's particularly noticable in the big deep l'edge, it seems to fit poorly in many boats.) with space down the sides of the top, and little contact with the sidewalls, all space that could be filled with foam, rather than [potential] water.

I suppose what I'm really saying is that the beluga type saddle isn't adaptable, whereas the many variations on the older factory bulkhead design, was able to adjust for different sized paddlers and with five minutes thought, a marker pen and some plywood for a new template for the thigh hooks could be made, adapting the same design to suit a variety of different boats.

Anyway, Answers on a [forum] postcard.

EDIT: It was helpfully pointed out that Esquif doesn't use beluga saddles, and that there are a number of similar integrated bulkhead-saddle designs; so I've changed the wording a little.

On re-reading I need to emphasise that I didn't mean for Esquif's name to feature so strongly in this when I wrote it... but given that they're the only company to use this style of saddle as one of their stock outfitting options, I suppose it was inevitable... Very Sorry Esquif!

Todhunter · Post by **Todhunter** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 6:03 pm

What style is the saddle that Bob Britt makes? His are the ones I prefer.

TheKrikkitWars · Post by **TheKrikkitWars** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 6:25 pm

Todhunter wrote:What style is the saddle that Bob Britt makes? His are the ones I prefer.

They're simmilar to the beluga ones, (they may even be the beluga ones for all I know).

horizongfx · Post by **horizongfx** » Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:53 pm

My saddles look similar to the Beluga/Esquif, but that's where the similarity ends, they are a very different design, I never felt the Beluga/Esquif style saddles allowed me to get my knees far enuff apart, If one wanted the outside wings to attach to the side wall then it would be a simple matter to cut some wedges and glue them between the Boat and the outer wing of the saddle.

TheKrikkitWars · Post by **TheKrikkitWars** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 12:34 am

Can anyone put their finger on what it is about the all in one saddles they like?

I'm looking specifically in terms of fit, comfort, convenince, ruggedness, and anything else you feel reccomends them...

Kris · Post by **Kris** » Sat Aug 27, 2011 1:08 pm

I make me own saddle with automatic pump and dry store inside the saddle

https://picasaweb.google.com/canoeadven ... 5749797074

Regards Kris

C-Forum

Bulkheads:- Beluga Style VS Sauvage/Pyranha/Robson

Which bulkhead do you prefer?

Bulkheads:- Beluga Style VS Sauvage/Pyranha/Robson

Saddles