: Thanks for responding Greg. It is from your posts, during my efforts to
: master the balance brace, that I first began to think about the
: difference.

: I absolutely agree that a kayak which is very wide may be much more in need
: of hip braces than one which is already sized to the individual. I also
: think it is much more possible than is common for strip built boats to be
: sized anatomicly.

Agreed.

: In the two plastic boats I have and my Great Auk, my hips are held between
: 4 and 6 inches above the side of the boat by hip pads or seat pieces. In
: the two plastic boats, there is enough space between the seat and the side
: of the kayak to stuff a water bottle. This, and their high volume, holds
: my lower body well out of the water, making the balance brace or layback
: roll, more difficult.

So the boat itself doesn't fit you.

: I now wish to hear the opposite side of the coin... Why hip pads are
: necessary for a crisp hip flick and successful roll.

They are necessary to take a boat that doesn't fit you and at least make the cockpit fit you so that you can impart "body English" into the boat. If you can't make contact with the boat, you're not "wearing" it. If you're not wearing it, it's a separate vessel, not an extension of your body.

If the boat fits you, then hip pads aren't necessary.

I have thin hip pads in my Guillemot, none other than the seat in my Avocet, and I don't even have hip pads in my WW kayak (but maybe I should?)

Shawn