Smart Track Foot and Toe Pedal Update

Smart Track introduced new style foot and toe pedals late in 2014 for the 2015 season. These are found on the Performance Toe Pilot FootControls, the Recreational Toe Pilot Foot Controls, the Performance Foot Braces and the Recreational Foot Braces.

The original foot pedals and toe pedals have a rounded face. See photo below.

The new and improved pedal and toe pilot design have a flat face, and offer increased foot contact area, increase turning efficiency up to 25%. See photo below.

The toe pilot springs also changed with the new pedal design.

The old and new pedals and toe pilots are NOT interchangeable. This means an older, rounded toe pilot parts may not be upgraded or replaced with the newer, flatter pedal parts, and vise versa.

This information is applicable to those who are seeking to upgrade Foot Braces into Toe Pilot Foot Controls, or those who seeking replacement parts for the older foot pedals and toe pedals with a rounded face.

Those who are seeking to upgrade a Feel Free Lure kayak with foot controls for a rudder will want the original Toe Pedal Kits with a rounded face.

The TopKayaker Shop will continue to stock the original Toe Pedal Kits with a rounded face as the Original Toe Pedal Kit (With Cables) for rudder upgrade and the Original Toe Pedal Kit (No Cables) best for replacement parts. These Original Toe Pedal Kits will be the best source for small replacement parts compatible with rounded face Smart Track Foot Controls.

The TopKayaker Shop will be stocking new version Toe Pedal Kits with a flat face as the Performance Toe Pedal Kit (With Cables), for rudder upgrade, and the Recreational Toe Pedal Kit (No Cables), also for rudder upgrade. These new version Toe Pedal Kits will be the best source for small replacement parts compatible with flat face Smart Track Foot Controls.

The TopKayaker Shop will be stocking the Performance Toe Pilot FootControls, the Recreational Toe Pilot Foot Controls, the Performance Foot Braces and the Recreational Foot Braces, ALL in the new and improved pedal design with the flatter face (unless otherwise specified in the product descriptions).

Use this link to see page one of the multi-page Smart Track components category.

Greetings Kayakers!

This blog will serve as a platform to publish information of interests to all kayakers. While the www.TopKayaker.net free online magazine is ending its journey you can look here to see new information. I will be referring to many of the TopKayaker articles, so consider it your "freshman text book".

What has peaked my interest greatly is the restoration of classic kayaks and this will be a primary focus here (as well as parts ID service for more modern kayaks). Fiberglass, composite and plastic kayak hulls are nearly indestructible. These hulls will nearly last forever. The "soft parts" and other fittings will not. Your great grandchildren will inherit that old kayak in your garage. Lord knows, what they will use for a seat, hatch cover or rudder, maybe their cows will be drinking water from the hull. In any case, these old kayaks will be passed down, sold at yard sales and distributed to those who want to paddle them. These classic kayaks can be restored to full working condition, to be used safely for their original intended purpose. These kayaks were good enough for us a decade or two ago, they will be again with some TLC and a little elbow grease.

Yes, there are some kayaks that are lost cause and should be recycled or repurposed, never to paddle again. The reason for such could be many and varied. This topic will addressed at a later date. For the most part, if you have a viable hull, most of the original parts, a budget, some time and effort, as well as some ability to work with your hands, restoring an old kayak could be as much fun as paddling it.

Much of what you will initially see here on this blog will be information on kayak repair, maintenance, and access to parts. In the past decade or so my work at www.TopKayaker.com (the TopKayaker online store) has allowed me to help all kinds of kayakers, customize and improve their kayaks, repair kayaks, obtain hard to find kayak parts and to restore older kayaks back into full working order. So I will be pointing your attention to the TopKayaker Shop often. I like to say that "We have every thing but the hull".

I will not be encouraging people to "Mickey Mouse" or jury rig their kayaks back onto the water. While their might be a little McGyvering and some garage engineering, I will be advising repairs that take into account safety and practical needs within the realm of kayaking. Kayaking as a discipline has many levels in terms of the equipment used and the skills needed, not only to have fun but also to be safe. By percentage most paddlers simply want to float around on a pond, small lake or slow river, their goals and needs are simple, their exposure to risk is minimal. Other paddlers are more serious, even pro level, with more complex goals and greater exposure to risk. While paddling skills cannot be taught completely in a blog, I can address the equipment restoration based on the type of kayak and the intended use of the kayak by the kayak's designer and manufacture. In other words I will not be advising on how to strap a lawn chair into kayak, nor how to convert a white water kayak into a sea kayak, or vise versa. I will also drag my heels on the application of any motor, no matter how small, or designed in the boat from the beginning. I will apply my 38+ years of experience as a paddler, in the paddle sports business, and my common sense, to all that is published here. My goal is to help you restore your kayak back to safe operating condition.

I hope to address some other issues of interest to kayakers here as well, such as destinations, kayak news, reviews of equipment and the history of modern sport kayaking in the USA.

I look forward to our journey together, Tom Holtey