You are correct. Had not noticed that with those foot pedals. Yes on the Sealect, you have to pull the pedal forward with your toe and then re-lock in place.

I like the SeaLect pedals (if anybody wants some 'Keeper' pedals for little more than postage cost, contact me!) and agree that you need to pull the pedal towards yourself ('forward', if 'forward' means 'aft' in your boat... ;-) ), but it's not a problem in most of my boats. In one tight-fitting (low deck) boat, I would pull the pedal aft by hand, enter the boat, and then slide the pedal forward with my foot.
I hardly ever adjust pedals 'on the water' anyway.

About the pedals that are attached to the adjusting rod (rod locks by 'dropping' downward?), a friend has complained that the pedal rod 'unlocks' when rolling i.e. when the boat is upside down the rod drops out of the locking position.. Perhaps the rod loosens with age? Perhaps these are different pedals than the ones being discussed here.