Would like opinions on Happy Feet

I'd like to hear what all of you playboaters think of Jackson's Happy Feet. I'm thinking of using it in my new Jed Eye as a way to make it adaptable for more than one boater just in case I can get it away from my son once in a while.

Thanks,
Bob

Bob,

I don't call myself a playboater, but I've paddled a MonStar with Happy Feet about 10 times now since December. The happy feet are better than nothing in the front, but they aren't ideal because they seem to move around a little and change shape over the course of the day. I've thought several times that a solid piece of foam would be better, but I've not tried that yet. Happy Feet may work OK as a temporary item in the Jed Eye like you mentioned, simply because they're so easy to put in and take out. Of note, in your situation, is how they stay in the boat. They stay in Jackson boats well because you thread one of the hoses on the happy feet through a hole in the center pillar of the boat. I don't know if the Jed Eye has this hole (I would doubt it does) or even if it has a center pillar. Without the hose being threaded through, I would think they would move around even more and come out quite easily. I've also thought about trying some heavy duty Velcro tape to help keep them in place.

I'm sure some real playboaters or people with boat outfitting experience could give better info than I've given here.

Hope this helps,
Sheldon

The concept of beads within a surrounding chamber and evacuating the air to make a solid structure is a good one, except that ideally you should be able to put more or less beads into it to make it bigger or smaller and not have a second chamber of air in front to determine overall size. I think that factor killed it for me. There were so many who owned these and did not understand how to set them up, only to pop them. Even when set up right, the forward chamber popped quite often.

I like traditional mini cell bulkheads in small bow boats such as play boats, a surface to count on when you want to engage. The other thing about happy feet is that they moved around, even after taking the air out of the rear chamber. Push with your right foot, left foot comes back at you. Caused a delay of registering to your boat. Nope, didn't like them.

It takes a little time, and the fit is solely for you or someone sized like you, but mini cell foam rocks as bulkheads if you don't have a big enough bow for a full railed foot plate.
Bill

Sheldon & Bilbo,

You've provided exactly the type of information I needed. I wasn't aware that there was a second air chamber, I thought it was just a "bag of beads" similar to the happy seat. I wasn't sure about how it attached and also hadn't considered that it would shift under pressure. I put in the supplied foam block footrest. It seems fine for Jon but since he's got me by 3"-4" there's still a bit of space for me. I'll see if I can't find some suitable shims to slide in when (if) I get to use it.

Sheldon - maybe I should have said "those that own playboats" but sure didn't want to offend anyone. FYI, there is a center pillar with a space in front to insert the foam block footrest they give you. We'll have it with us on the SE trip so we should be able to provide a review albiet from a total novice viewpoint.

Thanks again,
Bob