I did put the seat all the way forward as well. I asked Robert and that is what he did, so I also did that. I also have some padding for my knees, but no knee blocks. I also always have to move the thigh braces all the way back. For the bulkhead, I just used the foam block that comes with it and put a strip for my heels (I do that in all of my boats). I did find that I don't get pushed back so much that my butt slips out from under me, like in other boats, so I haven't needed anything to keep me from sliding on the seat. But I might try one thin layer of foam under my butt, now hearing that you tried that. Hey, but I do have 2-3 inches on you! ;-)

I am actually an obsessive outfitter, so I was surprised at how little I did to the Shiva.

Thanks for the feedback--it's good to hear how different people outfit their boats, especially when they're new on the market.