Set up is all a bit simpler in a sea kayak than in a K1 as, generally, it’s not possible to move the seat. That leaves us with adjusting the footrest and backrest.

The method for adjusting footrests in sea kayaks varies between models, however a ‘paddle’ is often used to loosen and lock the footrest in place which allows you to make adjustments whilst you’re sitting in the boat, which is handy.

So, sitting in the kayak with an upright posture, position your knees under the thigh/knee brace and adjust the footrest so that the balls of your feet rest lightly on the footrest with your heels resting on the hull slightly behind your toes. You shouldn’t adjust them so that they’re too tight (too close to you) and wedge yourself in which can be very uncomfortable. Ideally, you will have enough space to be able to relax your knees and take them out of the thigh brace so that you can put your knees a bit closer together when in calm water for a more efficient paddling position. However you should also be able to push hard against the footrest to wedge your knees under the deck if necessary (useful for rolling and paddling in rough water).

The back rest is there to provide extra connectivity in difficult conditions, not to provide extra comfort or support. Sitting with an upright posture, adjust the back rest so that it’s very lightly touching your back. When you’re paddling you need to be able to fully rotate your torso (as you would in a K1) for maximum paddling efficiency. Having a back rest that’s tight against your back will prevent good rotation. Some sea kayakers remove the backrest altogether for this reason.