17" is a good distance apart if your hips are 16.5"-17" apart!

You want them directly beside your hips or a little _behind_. Your legs "splay" out to the sides, and with pads too far forward, they'll cut off some of the circulation in your thighs.

If you're really into boat control with your lower body, you'll want them snugger than if you just want them snug enough to do an occasional roll. Start wide, add a thin (1/8" - 1/4") piece of minicell to the inside of the pads if they're too loose--if that's too tight, just rip the minicell back off.

Shawn

> I am finishing the last few details on a Chesapeake 17'. I have to insert
> the hip braces now. In the instructions it says to ensujre that they are
> 17" apart if you plan to instaqll the creature comfort seat. I'm not
> planning to do that, I'm simply using the closed cell cut out seat that
> they detail in the plans. I haven't kayaked before so I'm not sure of the
> position of these things. Do they sit snugly against your hips, or is
> there some room. Are they directly beside your hips or a little ahead?