How to Make Kayak Foot Braces
Kayak foot braces offer a place to put your feet against as you paddle in the lake, stream or pond. Foot braces provide a solid platform against which to push and offer alternate resistance to your forward paddle strokes. However, sometimes kayaks, for whatever reason, are not equipped with foot braces. In this case it is fairly simple to add your own homemade kayak foot braces. With a bit of ingenuity, any paddler can assemble their own easily adjustable foot braces in just a few hours time.
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Things You'll Need
- Two 24-inch long pieces of 2-inch aluminum angle bracket
- 3/8 inch screws
- 3/8 inch nuts
- 1/4 inch bolts
- 1/4 inch nuts
- 3 feet 1-inch x 1-inch lumber
- Hacksaw
- Drill
- Crescent wrenches
Instructions
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1
Drill holes only along the sides of the front portion of the kayak nose. Use the 1/4 inch bolts and nuts to anchor the angle bracket along these holes to the inner sides of the nose of the kayak (the area where you feet will be).
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2
Sit in the kayak and measure on the angle bracket where the balls of your feet will be with your legs slightly bent.
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3
Cut the lumber to a length that will span the distance between the two angle brackets inside the kayak cockpit (probably around 18 inches). Use the 3/8 inch screws to bolt the lumber to the angle brackets at the location you marked earlier.
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4
Take the kayak for a spin to make sure that when you place your feet on the crossbar the position is comfortable. If it is not, reposition the bar forward or backward along the angle bracket until the most comfortable position is reached.
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Tips & Warnings
You can also make the cross member out of aluminum angle if you are concerned with the strength of the wood suggested in this article.
