06-05-2009, 03:17 PM
[quote Zabber]Hey Pon,
I did indeed end up buying the ODC 616. I've attached a few pics below... Two are of me (stuggling to rethread the line that somehow fell back through the loops :p), one is of another guy that was with us and that wanted to try it out...
Thanks for the kicking tip flygoddess, I'll give it a shot. I always thought you were supposed to "lean back and flutter like a swimmer" (or, move your leg from bent (90 deg) to straight out (0/180 deg)) though :p...
As far as cotton goes, I thought it was breathable as well... Just that it sucks when it gets wet (e.g. when you sweat) because you get cold when it dries, or something like that... Anyways, my waders definately aren't the breathable kind, they're just the plain regular rubber kind($60 or $80 CAD at Canadian Tire (/Wal Mart))... I was looking at scuba fins and "Force Fins" but so far I've just been trying to work with what I had lying around the house to get a feel for the sport (e.g. the cheapest waders money can buy and some "flippers" that I cut up and duct taped to the bottom of the waders :p)... I might invest in a better set-up down the road but for now my ghetto outfit seems to be working half-decently.
I didn't even think about sewing up the pontoons as being an option Pon, but maybe I'll try that... There's another less drastic thing to try just to see lowering your position will improve your leg propulsion. Maybe deflate the pontoons as much as you can get away with so they are not TOO soft in the cold water. Then add as much weight as LOW as you can to make the unit ride as low as you can. If you lower to the point where the metal frame is touching the water, your pedaling position will improve. But it will be difficult to pedal because the frame will be dragging in the water, and your seat bottom will still be maybe 3 inches above. This new position 3" above the surface may not be low enough and you will have a much harder time pedalling because of the water resistance. So you wouldn't gain anything. I was going to cut four tubes (or so) of the frame, drill a couple of holes beside each cut, stick an approx. 3-6 in. piece of slightly-smaller-guage pipe (w/ holes drilled at each end) in each tube, and then just stick some bolts through the holes (basically just "extend" the frame so that the seat is a few inches lower), but maybe I'll try making the nylon sleeves smaller first... Yes, I can see where this would lower the position. And you can return everything to original position, if necessary. Your frame would also be a little wider and that would put more leverage on the welds where the nipples for the metal seat support is. The tubing is thin compared to most American made units in my experience. Also, a new way to fasten the pontoons might have to be found, since the lower horizontal cross brace would be in a different position.
Good luck,
Pon
Cheers,
Rob[/quote]
[signature]
I did indeed end up buying the ODC 616. I've attached a few pics below... Two are of me (stuggling to rethread the line that somehow fell back through the loops :p), one is of another guy that was with us and that wanted to try it out...
Thanks for the kicking tip flygoddess, I'll give it a shot. I always thought you were supposed to "lean back and flutter like a swimmer" (or, move your leg from bent (90 deg) to straight out (0/180 deg)) though :p...
As far as cotton goes, I thought it was breathable as well... Just that it sucks when it gets wet (e.g. when you sweat) because you get cold when it dries, or something like that... Anyways, my waders definately aren't the breathable kind, they're just the plain regular rubber kind($60 or $80 CAD at Canadian Tire (/Wal Mart))... I was looking at scuba fins and "Force Fins" but so far I've just been trying to work with what I had lying around the house to get a feel for the sport (e.g. the cheapest waders money can buy and some "flippers" that I cut up and duct taped to the bottom of the waders :p)... I might invest in a better set-up down the road but for now my ghetto outfit seems to be working half-decently.
I didn't even think about sewing up the pontoons as being an option Pon, but maybe I'll try that... There's another less drastic thing to try just to see lowering your position will improve your leg propulsion. Maybe deflate the pontoons as much as you can get away with so they are not TOO soft in the cold water. Then add as much weight as LOW as you can to make the unit ride as low as you can. If you lower to the point where the metal frame is touching the water, your pedaling position will improve. But it will be difficult to pedal because the frame will be dragging in the water, and your seat bottom will still be maybe 3 inches above. This new position 3" above the surface may not be low enough and you will have a much harder time pedalling because of the water resistance. So you wouldn't gain anything. I was going to cut four tubes (or so) of the frame, drill a couple of holes beside each cut, stick an approx. 3-6 in. piece of slightly-smaller-guage pipe (w/ holes drilled at each end) in each tube, and then just stick some bolts through the holes (basically just "extend" the frame so that the seat is a few inches lower), but maybe I'll try making the nylon sleeves smaller first... Yes, I can see where this would lower the position. And you can return everything to original position, if necessary. Your frame would also be a little wider and that would put more leverage on the welds where the nipples for the metal seat support is. The tubing is thin compared to most American made units in my experience. Also, a new way to fasten the pontoons might have to be found, since the lower horizontal cross brace would be in a different position.
Good luck,
Pon
Cheers,
Rob[/quote]
[signature]