Bucket comfort/padding

After paddling an Epic v12g2 last week, I've been thinking about bucket comfort and how/why folks pad out their cockpits.

My v8pro is perfectly comfortable. A v10g2 felt a tiny bit tighter and the v12 felt like it pinched my hips when I tried to apply proper leg drive/hip rotation. I really liked the Epic v12 and think it would be a great boat to challenge myself, but the cockpit concerns me. If it hurts, it obviously no fun.

I know some folks pad out their cockpits to make them feel tighter or more secure, but does anyone pad out a bucket to keep things from rubbing/chafing/bruising? Am I wiggling around in the cockpit too much? One time after a race both of my hips were bruised even from the v8pro, which is usually fine.

What other brands that are comparable to the Epic  v10 or v12 that might have a similar feel or performance that would be worth checking out? The only surfski dealer within a couple hundred miles of me is an Epic dealer, who doesn't stock any inventory.

v10 and v12 are in different categories... similar to a v12 you'll find an elite s or vega. I don't know whether they're any wider. You could perhaps try some UHWM tape to make the sides smoother, but they're pretty smooth already... I find the v10g3 quite a bit wider than the v12, a swordfish s might be a tad wider yet?

i put some padding to the rear bottom of the seat of a gen 1 v10 sport, and it just changed the erogonimcs of it, probably shift hips forward a bit. Everything feels way more comfortable.

Also I started positively rotating my hip forward rather than just relying on drive leg and pulling other hip forward on strap. I think that keeps the axis of rotation centred rather than causing any side to side hip movement and constant dragging of hips on side of bucket when rotating hips. You see this positive forward movement of the hips more clearly with k1 sprinters were its easier without the hump. Ski paddlers have a tendancy to just push back with drive leg and just hang on to foot step with the other leg. This causes the hip to drag down one side and at worst push the hip into the back of the seat. None which helps stability. Maybe just a perception  but it feels way cleaner and different to what I used to do.

Surf Ski buckets tend to put your pelvis in a posterior tilt which then has a knock on effect on your spine position and further up the chain, shoulder and head position. I have found customized padding on the back of the bucket almost like an orthotic in a shoe will help with coccyx rub etc, posture in the boat (results in better power generation) and shoulder/neck injuries. Just as runners need to pay attention to their shoes paddlers need to pay attention to their butts. How you sit in your boat dictates your mechanical efficiency which translates to speed and injury proofing. 

^ This.
The human body is hardwired to restrict power to the limbs when the posture around the CNS is compromised (poor posture).