: Actually the traditional Greenland boats anyway didn't have foot
: braces, so there's tons of room for the feet to stretch out
: into.

: Might take a bit of time for most people to get used to having
: their feet in that position for long, stretching exercises help
: alot.

: Bill H.

Really? I mean, if you kick back in your easy chair and let your legs relax into a neutral position your feet will rest at 90* to your shin? Mine don't. They are in the paddling position for those kayaks with my feet forward, not at 90*. It takes a good bit of muscle to keep them at 90*, and you could be using the energy that muscle is using for more endurance when you paddle.

If you put your legs straight out in front of you while sitting on the floor this is the case as well. If you put them at 90* it makes the hamstrings much tighter and makes it more difficult to do something like touch your nose to your knees. When you're in a moderny kayak, putting them at 90* fits well with the bent-knee frog-leg position that allows you to sidestep the issue of tight hamstrings and weak abdominal muscles.

m