How to Install a Northstar Solo Kneeling Drop

Guest post from Cliff Fawcett. If you’re wondering how to install a Northstar solo kneeling drop, this is how I did it. I purchased my Northstar Northwind Solo with the standard (sitting) seat drops. If you’re not familiar with the term, the seat drop is the piece between the gunwale and the seat that determines the height of the seat from the floor of the canoe. This is what a standard seat drop looks like for the Northstar Northwind Solo.

After paddling the Northwind Solo for the first season with the standard seat drops, I was interested in trying out the kneeling drops. Kneeling drops allow the seat to be closer to the gunwale (giving more room under the seat for your feet) and angles the seat slightly forward so you can rest your bum on it while kneeling.  This is what the kneeling drops look like:

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I wanted to try the kneeling drops because the kneeling position gets more of your weight lower in the canoe and you also feel more connected to the canoe and have improved control. While they’re meant for kneeling you can sit on the seat with them installed too.

I purchased the kneeling drops directly from Northstar. They come with all the hardware you need to install them. It’s a straight forward install and took me about 30 minutes to install them by myself.

Tools you will need are:

• ⅜” open end, box or combination wrench
• # 3 Phillips head screwdriver

Be patient and take your time. Take note of which part of the seat faces forward (it may not be symmetrical). Double check you’re placing the longer hardware and longer side of the kneeling drop in the front holes.

Video below walks you through step by step.