I've done a lot of thinking about parallel side rails, specifically for my Great Auk and the Mystery I'm building. They won't get in the way at their aft end, when they stick out (in towards the center) the most. If Pat at Onno has a hardware kit that solves this--terrific. (Pat and Onno get high marks from everyone I've spoken to.)

I don't think I'll drill bolt holes in the side of my kayaks anymore. A dab of dookysmutz (heavy filler and epoxy) on a roughed up aluminum surface (I used a course file) and roughed up hull works great. You could probably also do this with the wide base bolt pads. If you need to change it later, just grind it off.

I was hoping Pat would see my full foot brace with pump, improve on it and I could just buy the next one from him.....

Full foot braces are the only way to go. I can now feel my toes at the end of a paddle! The only things wrong with this world are greed, famine and foot pegs....

Will

: I talked to Pat at length on Friday and learned that his foot plate
: requires side rails that are parallel meaning the width between
: the rails is the same front to rear. Since all kayaks get
: narrower from the cockpit forward, the hardware kit allows you
: to bring the aft mounting points of the rails inward from the
: sides of the kayak so that the fixed width foot plate can move
: fore and aft. If you have the mounting bolts bonded to the
: inside of the hull like I do (and like most wood builders use),
: you can't get your rails parallel without some surgery on your
: boat and then use thru-hull mounting hardware.

: Bob Beaullieu