just an intro- feel free to ignore if it's not your thing :)

PaulS · Post by **PaulS** » September 20th, 2007, 8:03 pm

tbartman wrote:
Does anyone have the end-all be-all solution to the pain? I went sculling this summer and noticed that the seat in the boat was much more comfortable (even though it was harder)? Has anyone replaced the C2 seat with something completely different?

Of course.

Tell Carl Paul sent you. <link>

dszil · Post by **dszil** » September 20th, 2007, 9:22 pm

Bob...the quote you pulled was said in jest but nevertheless...I can PROMISE you that there is nothing worth wondering about with respect to my technique...it's 100%...without-a-doubt...pathetic

2 weeks ago I figured out where my butt and feet should go...and started making things move

. Like I said in my first post...since then I've done a TON of reading on this forum, have seen xeno's (sp?) online clip, read several explanations of good technique and technique drills. Now I just need to figure out figure out how to take those things and turn them into my own actions!

PaulS...I really have been paging through the archives too long these last few days. I saw that pic several times in multiple threads and was going to dig it up and post it as a suggestion myself! My guess is it would cost more than I paid for my entire erg though so I think it's out of my league

. Looks pretty amazing though!!!

PaulS · Post by **PaulS** » September 21st, 2007, 1:33 pm

dszil wrote: PaulS...I really have been paging through the archives too long these last few days. I saw that pic several times in multiple threads and was going to dig it up and post it as a suggestion myself! My guess is it would cost more than I paid for my entire erg though so I think it's out of my league . Looks pretty amazing though!!!

Carl is very reasonable, and now that he knows just what to do (the two he made for me were the first ones ever) it may even be a bit less than I paid for the prototype run. I'm pretty sure it will be under $100 shipped, jsut not sure how far under with the suffering US $.

coggs · Post by **coggs** » September 21st, 2007, 2:07 pm

The folks a Durham Boat would also be able to put a Dreher carbon seat on the C2 trolly. All depends on whether you are going for that high tech or traditional look. I've got an old training 1X that needs work in the off season. If the repair costs are too high the Dreher seat is going on my erg. I'd feel better about sticking a neoprene pad over a carbon seat than covering up one of Carl's pieces of craftsmanship.

http://www.durhamboat.com/seats.php

dszil · Post by **dszil** » September 21st, 2007, 2:22 pm

Carl is very reasonable, and now that he knows just what to do (the two he made for me were the first ones ever) it may even be a bit less than I paid for the prototype run. I'm pretty sure it will be under $100 shipped, jsut not sure how far under with the suffering US $.

LOL...like I said...more than I paid for my erg!

! I actually found a guy moving to a NYC studio apt who posted a ModelB in great condition on Craigslist for $300 and said that he was moving in 2 days and would absolutely have no where to put it. I had been looking for a used "D" and was willing to wait it out and pay for one once it came up...but figured it didn't hurt to email this guy with a low-ball given his situation. Got a call 2 days later from him saying if I could get there in the next 30 minutes...I could indeed have it for my $75 offer. Showed up...it looked good...so I loaded it in the back of the SUV and drove home a very happy customer! I'm a retro kinda guy anyway so I actually like having an old-school model...even if it doesn't have all the bells and whistles

If the addiction grows to the point where I'm willing to double+ my investment...I'll certainly be contacting him though. To tell you the truth...I was envisioning several hundred dollars for a masterpiece like that! I agree with coggs though..it would have to be after I've convinced myself that I could go padless...as that seat is just too damn beautiful to cover up!

michaelb · Post by **michaelb** » September 21st, 2007, 4:27 pm

Back to doing a marathon. I think that is a perfectly reasonable goal for your first year, with your intent to do it at an easy, relaxed pace. To me the first question about doing a marathon is are you planning to stop and get off for short breaks? The PM will keep counting for a certain period of time (I forget what it is right now, 3 minutes or so maybe), so if you get off it is critical not to be off for too long and let that stop. Otherwise, it is perfect "legal" under the rules to stop periodically since the clock keeps running.

I can't imagine at this point doing a marathon without getting off at least a couple of times; the butt pain would kill me. I can do a half without stopping, but that is about my limit. Although it is possible to eat while rowing, and take quick sips, stopping every so often (say 10-15,000m) to take a nice long drink is really nice.

If you stop and get off you can change your padding. Bubble wrap is the time honored method of padding the seat for a marathon. But I only did that for the last 12,000 or so. Changing the padding during the row gives you both the benefit of more padding later and different pressure points over the row so that is another huge advantage to taking short breaks. Other than butt pain, my hands got tired and blistered. This was managable, but the last 8k it was my hands that hurt much more than my butt.

Good luck and keep us posted.

dszil · Post by **dszil** » September 21st, 2007, 10:47 pm

Back to doing a marathon. I think that is a perfectly reasonable goal for your first year, with your intent to do it at an easy, relaxed pace.

Thanks for the encouragement.

My plan really is just that...to just get through the first one. I come from a volume-training type background and really think that getting a marathon out of the way quickly would be kinda fun...especially if it really hurt

. I'm kind of a masochist like that

My original plan was to try to knock it out pretty soon...but I actually don't have a free weekend for a while. As soon as I do though...I'm toying with the idea of just sitting down and going for it. As far as breaks are concerned...I figured I'd try to go at least the first HM without getting up and then assuming I made it that far without getting up...I'd take an adjustment break at 30k and then just shoot for the finish. As for the hands...I've been rowing with my lifting gloves and tend to like it. Would hope they would pevent any hand issues.

Thanks for the encouragement though! I'll certainly keep the forum informed as I work toward this!

ckaiserca · Post by **ckaiserca** » September 22nd, 2007, 11:52 am

dszil wrote: Thanks for the encouragement. My plan really is just that...to just get through the first one. I come from a volume-training type background and really think that getting a marathon out of the way quickly would be kinda fun...especially if it really hurt . I'm kind of a masochist like that

My original plan was to try to knock it out pretty soon...but I actually don't have a free weekend for a while. As soon as I do though...I'm toying with the idea of just sitting down and going for it. As far as breaks are concerned...I figured I'd try to go at least the first HM without getting up and then assuming I made it that far without getting up...I'd take an adjustment break at 30k and then just shoot for the finish. As for the hands...I've been rowing with my lifting gloves and tend to like it. Would hope they would pevent any hand issues.

Thanks for the encouragement though! I'll certainly keep the forum informed as I work toward this!

Might as well just get on and knock it off then! I rowed my first half marathon after only 11 days of rowing, but you WILL need a more comfortable seat for the FM! I can get up to HM distance with no problems, but even 1k over that and my butt gives out.

PaulS · Post by **PaulS** » September 22nd, 2007, 4:51 pm

dszil wrote:
Carl is very reasonable, and now that he knows just what to do (the two he made for me were the first ones ever) it may even be a bit less than I paid for the prototype run. I'm pretty sure it will be under $100 shipped, jsut not sure how far under with the suffering US $.
LOL...like I said...more than I paid for my erg! ! I actually found a guy moving to a NYC studio apt who posted a ModelB in great condition on Craigslist for $300 and said that he was moving in 2 days and would absolutely have no where to put it. I had been looking for a used "D" and was willing to wait it out and pay for one once it came up...but figured it didn't hurt to email this guy with a low-ball given his situation. Got a call 2 days later from him saying if I could get there in the next 30 minutes...I could indeed have it for my $75 offer. Showed up...it looked good...so I loaded it in the back of the SUV and drove home a very happy customer! I'm a retro kinda guy anyway so I actually like having an old-school model...even if it doesn't have all the bells and whistles

If the addiction grows to the point where I'm willing to double+ my investment...I'll certainly be contacting him though. To tell you the truth...I was envisioning several hundred dollars for a masterpiece like that! I agree with coggs though..it would have to be after I've convinced myself that I could go padless...as that seat is just too damn beautiful to cover up!

That was one heck of a deal you made for a Model B!

I'm sure that the carriage arrangement is different on the B so you would be back to some custom work with Carl if you ever chose that path. BTW - The ERg seat is the ugliest of the ones he's made for me, the Avodire (top) and Birdseye Maple (Bottom) are both a bit more stunning.

But they are only set up for the boat.

Byron Drachman · Post by **Byron Drachman** » September 22nd, 2007, 7:09 pm

Not as elegant as a Carl Douglas seat, but a seat from the Maas Boat company is $54.00. It is very comfortable:

I recently installed a Dreher carbon seat, ordered from Durham Boat Company, on my 1x and I find it very comfortable, and the spacing of the holes is better for me than the seat that came with the boat.

Byron

dszil · Post by **dszil** » September 24th, 2007, 8:49 am

Paul...Truely stunning! I ran some numbers...and it appears as though Carl is 1,883,627,432,271x more a craftsman than I

ckaiserca...I totally agree with you. But since I typically don't even get home on weekdays until after 8...I think I'm going to be forced to wait it out until a weekend presents itself. Some day this week I think I'll try to fit a HM in though...just to get an idea of what that's like. Well...maybe a HM+1000 would be a better gauge

. If I do...I'll let yas know how it felt!

Byron...not as elegant as Carl's indeed...but I imagine it is far more elegant looking than the bubble wrap I hear referred to so often!

johnlvs2run · Post by **johnlvs2run** » December 11th, 2007, 12:22 pm

The various seats with holes look great. Do you feel the holes when you're rowing? I've always wondered about this, as it looks like one would get "stuck" in the holes but that must not be the case.

PaulS wrote:I'm sure that the carriage arrangement is different on the B so you would be back to some custom work with Carl if you ever chose that path.

The carriage is different but the connection for the seat is the same. I've changed seats back and forth from the B to C and all fits the same