excerpt from Facebook Surfski Kayak Discussion Feb 2022

Chris Chappell (FastPaddler Wayland, MA)

Hey Nikolai Rogich you need to make a road trip out to Boston this year. You can try out some other big boy boats as part of your research: my 560XXL Gen2, V14 (with modified bucket for big boys), Cinco and Sete XXXLs. Oh and try some paddles too

Nikolai Rogich

Chris Chappell I’ve been eyeing the Viper XXL on your site for awhile now - if I came out to Mass I’d try to come home with that guy.

Ron Cook

Chris Chappell Hi Chris your modified V14 bucket, could you communicate info and a photo of that. I’ve modified a number of buckets in the last few years. And am interested in other peoples solutions. I don’t fit in anything past a V10. My SEL was so tight remounting was very difficult so it went to a friend.

Chris Chappell

Ron Cook Hi, I have wide hip bones which prevents me fitting in many of the narrow skis. Here are the pics of my V14 project (4th ski I've done this to for myself over the years. I used Divinycell to secure the bucket to the hull at cut out, and shape to create the transistion. Paint is 2K…color slightly off since it was left over from some Fenn work. The seat pad shape is cutout from my K1. Have a bunch more pics of the process, just FB only lets me up load 1. Have over 2,000 miles on the boat, no issues. Worst part was cutting into a new V14 Ultra!

Nikolai Rogich

Chris Chappell I did something very similar to my SEL. Worked wonderfully, was a huge relief and freed up rotation etc. Only thing I would say to anyone considering something similar is make sure you always have structural integrity in mind, especially if you plan on getting into big conditions. Chris’ method is exemplary if you have the patience and time.

In my Fenn I just use a 1.5 inch seat pad at all times which frees up my hips and allows for slightly improved mechanics; you get used to the loss in balance and can always take the pad out for extreme conditions where max balance is crucial.

Ron Cook

Chris Chappell thank you Chris for sharing a sensible solution. Because I spent so my years with my boat building, design company cutting up big boats to modified them. Example can’t tell you how many 60’ power boats I cut up because the owner couldn’t part with it, but wanted an 80’er. So cutting up a 60’er and stretching it to 80’. For me it became a reflex. When I’ve modified surf skis for my wide hips my reflex has been to simply cut the complete cockpit out of the boat and build a new one from scratch. That work with drying time takes a month and a half. When I saw your manufactured dent I laughed at my self for being arrogant with my composite skills. My next cockpit modification for wide hips will be a Chappell dent. Or maybe it could be called the CCR modification, “Chappell Comfort Recess” what do ya think Chris CCR? Seriously thank you for the photo and reply…..less is more.

Chris Chappell

Ron Cook Hi Ron, ..well sure yours looks more OEM! Yup my “dent” may not be pretty, but works for me. Only challenge with the “dent” is the transition from the back of the seat into the “dent”, hence I just used the foam with the UHMW sheet over it. Makes a nice transition from back to side when rotating. Here is a pic of the blocks from 1/2inch Divinycell I used to fill the gap then shape. May be a better way, but like the structural properties and ability to shape, then just 2 layers of glass.

Ron Cook

Hi Chris, a while back you Sold a Huki S1-XL to a friend of my he’d now like to work something out with me for it. It’s to tippy for him. You didn’t alter the bucket did it work for you? How does it compare to a V10 bucket wise and overall stability. Or general impressions. Thanks

Chris Chappell

Ron Cook let’s chat on the phone…I went from gen2 V10 ultra to the Huki XL I ordered new. And I have a Gen 3 V10 now so can give some comparisons