are you sure you don't want the winning lotto numbers too?

1 - look into installing an adjustable foot brace ala Wenonah

2 - just go to Wal-mart and buy some kind of small step stool that will fit, glue some non-skid rubber or something to it so it won't skid around, and just hand carry it on portages - or use a six pack cooler to take up the space

3 - glue blocks of wood to the bottom of your bow paddlers boots, so he can reach to the front tank - that will give you some added floatation

I vote for option 1

Honestly I wouldn't even mess with your flotation chamber. I would instead consider putting in an adjustable bow seat. That way your front paddler always has the leg room He/she wants and to top it off you can use the seat to adjust boat trim for varying paddler weights and varying wind conditions.

I know Wenonah has them available.
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There's also some different styles out there.
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This is the only DIY kit I found after a couple of searches.
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Otherwise I know there is pretty detailed instructions on how to build them from scratch in theses two books.
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Good luck
SW

How much of a filler do you need? 3" or 1 foot?

How about a block of ethafoam?  NRS (and others) sell blocks of ethafoam - you could probably use the mushroom head velcro-type stuff to hold it in place when needed.

I don't know, a sliding seat is for trim - not legroom right? When I solo my tandem I don't have a foot brace so I end up using my peli case shoved against a pack. It's sort of okay and I can slide it around depending on which foot I use. A bow is probably a weird shape though and so the case could possibly shift unexpectedly. I'd vote daypack w/ nothing crushable inside.

Or, what about cutting some foam (pink stuff) glued together and shaped to fit? Then cover that with glass and epoxy. Even tape/velcrow it in if you wanted. Not sure how that could be made to be adjustable but I'm sure you could figure something out. The biggest problem I see is the shape of the bow. Forward or back a few inches and the width would change quite a bit too.

Bruce, if memory serves me corectly, you also have the SR Q18.5, don't you? If so, was the slider seat in it when you got it, or did you retrofit it?

Gimp,
Let me know if you want me to take some pictures of my sliding seat and take the deminsions for you and put them on here.

Bruce

Gimp,
I could not load the pictures here as my camera takes too big of pictures and I did not have time to resize!

And here are the specific for the seat:

The three Aluminum tubes are 30 inches long and about 1/16th (.0625)inches thick.

The four Aluminum angle brackets are 5.75 inches long and held in place with 3 rivets through the hull.  They are spaced 35 inches apart (outside end to outside end)  the back bracket is even with the bow thwart 72 inches from the end of the canoe.  The angle stock is about 1/8th (.125) of an inch thick.

The tubes and brackets are held together by single bolts are you can see.

The under seat tube is 1.25 inches in diameter and about 1/16th thick, it is the length of seat, it is spot welded to a piece of angle stock that is about 1/16th of inch thick that is screwed into the seat with two screws.
You might be able to use something different for the sliding part, like the brackets that are used to hold wiring conduit.

here is a link to an online aluminum source:

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If you need anything else leet me know.

Bruce

Actually, I do not work with metals, I am a high school assistant principal, I just know that when working with materials like aluminum tubing it is best to have the correct or as close as possible measurements, and some people prefer fractions, and others decimals, and it was no problem to put both.   

I don't think you would have problems putting in the slider at all...  I think the biggest problem would be how to fit the slider tubes on the seat, but again I think you could use the conduit holders to keep it in place.    

I put a removeable 3rd seat  that I built in mine so I could paddle it solo, (when there was no wind of course) I have since bought a Wilderness solo and don't paddle th SR 18.5 solo any more.   I also built a seat back that slides onto the bottom of the seat and does a good job of giving you support.   Here's a link to a picture of it on my solo...

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Bruce

My Wenonah Spirit (royalex) has no chamber, but has a bow slider. For years my wife asked  for some type of foot brace in the bow. I finally made one out of 3/8 plywood.  I cut it to the shape of the hull. It tucks up under the gunnels and braces against the grab handle then runs down to the floor at a 45 degree angle. A bungie cord attaches it to a cord run through the grab loop holes. The bungee allows it to hinge up and down and there is room to slide a dry bag into that space. I stuck 2 traction strips to it. I then made three legs to attach to the bottom so it doubles as a camp table. I am now back in good graces.

I guess my description is a little hard to picture. Wife took the camera to
Colorado, I'll post a picture when she gets back.