The " thready" is ready.

[rayke1938]

Well after a bit of work and a few mods the yak that I won at the classic is ready for its maiden voyage tomorrow.

I have named it " thready" after the fish that won her for me.

I am going to Somerset tomorrow morning with Feral and Cameron for a test run.

A bit of a lesson in restraint in that I have limited myself to 14 lures and 4 spinnerbaits and 2 rods.

Here she is loaded up on the hiace ready for action.

I have fitted an 28 lb minkota to her as I am too unfit and old to paddle.

The rope running forward is my tilt mechanism.

Took a bit of fiddling to connect up the steering using the old rudder machanism.

I had to fabricate a small box section of scrap alluminum . I cut a hole through the middle of it and attached it to the shaft of the kota using set screws.

I think that the steering may be a bit twitchy and may have to experiment a little more with it but for the moment I hope to be able to keep on course using my hands in the water or using the paddle to create drag as needed.

I had to shorten the shaft of the kota by a few inches and removed the speed control head and extended the wiring so that I could have the speed control handy.

You can also see the rod holders and the sounder that I have fitted.

I ended up sickaflexing the transducer to the inside of the hull rather than mucking around mounting it externally.

The rod holders may be relocated. They are ok if I use short butted rods as I can tuck my feet under them whilst under way and still operate the steering.

I utilised a rod holder that was in the yak but I will probably remove the head unit to a more convenient location later.

Here is the head unit. I had to extend the shaft a few inches using a bit of plastic tubing.

I have pinched a few ideas from the AKFF site one of them being an improvised deadmans switch in case I fall out. I am using bulldog clips to connect the battery with a short piece of cord tied to one of the clips and I will connect the other end to my wrist.The idea being if I fall out the cord will disconnect the power to the motor and will also keep the yak close to me.

Here she is all ready to go.

No doubt there will be more mods to come after the test run. I tried to get everything in place despite my missus saying look at the crazy old coot sitting in "that thing" like a little boy with his first train set.

Cheers

Ray

[silver_rex]

nice one ray, good luck on its maiden voyage and hope we dont have a titanic repeat :silly:

[rayke1938]

I stuffed up one of the photos. Here is the kota mounted showing the bodgie tilt rope.

.

Pretty rough job of sealing the shaft just filled it with sikaflex.

[bootyinblue]

What a pearler of a yak set up and all in record time.

Have a great trip out to Somerset and may the first fish be a huge one!

[Rocket75]

nothing like a challenge to get the mind ticking over ! love your work Ray, best of luck tomm, hope you can christen it in style:fishing:

[Gazza]

Ray looks great bud you never secce to amaze me well done

hope all goes well

Gaz

[Dinodadog]

good luck Ray hope you fitted the brakes in case she goes to fast

[Feral]

Ray with an Electric, Cameron (Clawhammer) in a Hobbie, and me paddling, I reckon I know who will be buggered tomorrow and it wont be them!

Got an extendable tent pole tent pole strapped to your roof rack for loading?

I've got the other small battery on charge if you want me to bring it as well.

[ellicat]

Looks like a great little setup for you...love the name too.

Hope it's not too hot for the life jacket tomorrow Ray. Keep safe and good luck.:fishing:

[Leighton]

Nice set up Raygiever

[cpetrie]

good set-up. hopefully all the extra mods will make many extra fish.

good work in keeping your lures down. it's hard not to bring boxes of them. most of the time you'll only end up using 2 or 3. whichever get action.

[Angus]

Awesome mate she looks a beaut.

Cant wait to see some big bass photo's when you get back from Somerset today!

Cheers.

Angus

[fishingnut]

great thread been looking through all the yak stuff, the missus is going to buy me one for me birthday and just looking at set ups, dunno weather to go peddle power or electric. nice lookin yak there mate very jealous

[tacklebox]

what a machine! looks great Ray.