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Danielle

By Danielle
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Binder Newbie

Binder

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16 hours ago, Danielle said:

@Uthrax and @Binder you can all get stuffed hahaha!  Are you insinuating that there will be a wobbly spill?? Because no insinuating necessary... It's a guarantee!  I'm counting on one of you yakkers to accompany me on my virgin sail I cannot be trusted to go solo first time :no: (there will be no fish left for anyone else)

Your welcome :)

My first trip with a forum group I ended up sitting on the bottom looking up at my kayak. Not 200 foot from the boat ramp. Reason - trying to net a large flattie and leaning over to far! Did mty usual boat style lunge with then net. Luckily didnt lose much but a bit of pride.

The first lesson you need to learn are that pool noodles are your friend.

Solid one make nice little corks when shaved down to fill up all the holes the idiots who design sit on tops put in so you always have a wet bum.

The ones with the hollow centres are great for putting on stuff you dont want to sink - like the handle of a landing net, or a set of pliers via a short length of cord.

It is almost mandatory to strap a milk crate on to the back to hold all your kit, although I prefer just a tackle bag.

I have used rod leashes on and off, I find a good locking rod holder (if you put the rod in it) is all you need though. I worry about the leashes rapping around me, but having said that, since my initial embarrassment - I have not fallen in again in 10 years.

Here are a few photos from when my son was young and used to be my offsider when yak fishing. I still had the barge as my main yak then. Still got the little seabreeze my son used, brilliant yak,  quite often use it my self when I dont want the big girl.

Offsider.jpg

seabreeze front.jpg

Yak rear.jpg

Yak Front.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...
Danielle Newbie

Danielle

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WOOHOOOO it's Kayak Pickup Day!! Was going to (and in the future probably will) get a set of Soft Racks but being the thrifty industrious girl I am I devised my own system. Seen a lot of Pool Noodle versions but decided this felt more stable... Camp Mats and Ratchet straps... Just hope that with my aerial folded down the front or back hull will sit over it. Will loosen straps and place Yak atop mat and through strap secured TO the yak buckles. Bought a noodle and sliced it in half anyway but my strap hook is too wide to fit through the Centre hole anyway.

image.jpeg

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Danielle Newbie

Danielle

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Ooh thanks @Doyley I actually read that if there was a twist it would create the noise so I purposely kept them straight (even though my commonsense was telling me otherwise) will absolutely try that next time! 

Am considering the mods I want and first and foremost cords connecting my paddle to the Yak... How do I go about doing the same for my rod?? Or is this not done? Was going to just slide a small cylinder of pool noodle around the handle so it at least floats.  Also; the storage pods I am thinking I would like to make the 'bags' waterproof - one larger to be filled with ice to keep the catch and drinks in and the other to hold bait. Probably use a large snappy bag with a rubber band to hold in place for the bait. The seat seems to slip a little (the bum part) so will just place some non slip mesh I use under my rugs there. 

Sitting in it in my carport I don't know how I'll be able to reach the front storage well without going for a swim but I guess that's the kind of thing I can o ly judge once in the water because I see so many clever clogs standing on their yaks and using cast nets etc. possibly time and experience and I too will be smug enough to try.

A few of the clips and pins were a little sticky so giving them all a bath in WD-40 and pumping the tyres etc.

I am fully aware this sounds crazy but I would really like to sit it in a pool and get some practice in before heading into open water...

Please please all advice is welcome and if you think my ideas  are silly and not viable I want you to tell me!!

image.jpeg

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timtam_ Newbie

timtam_

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RE: Roofracks. 

Pool noodles are great. Buy one, cut it in half, and then slice the length of it with a bread knife to create a channel to simply push your tie down into! then just make sure that the cut is always pointing skyward and you'll never have an issue. Try and get a dark coloured noodle or at least one to match your car because in my experience, bright pink doesn't look too crash hot. 

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Danielle Newbie

Danielle

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Thank you @timtam_!!!!! That's a brilliant idea... So I strap the noodles to the car and then what?? Just strap the Kayak to the car as well? Is there any point in double strapping instead of just placing the yak ON the noodles and using a single strap (other than preventing the noodles from rolling around when loading??  

As for the colour... My car is white so I was going to get blue to at least match the colour of the Kayak but they only had watermelon or yellow and my straps are red/watermelon so I matched them up haha. Besides... even though I'm a total tomboy and prefer thongs, no makeup and no bra...I have a little bit of girly girl in me and do like pink... It's so pretty haha :183_lipstick::186_high_heel::180_dress::11_blush:

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Binder Newbie

Binder

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Dont worry about to much about getting stuff out of the front hatch on the water, just pull into a bank, stretch the legs, raid the hatch.

Means you dont keep stuff you want to be using often in there, keep that in a crate or bag behind you (I prefer a bag - a bag you can pull around with a rope or strap).

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benno573 Rising Star

benno573

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An inflatable PFD would well be worth the investment too...

 

re trying it out in a pool, I wouldn't recommend that to give a true show of stability, manouverability etc. Kayaks (and any small craft) are more stable with momentum. Take it to a nice flat and preferably shallow area with a bottom you can stand on (sand not mud sort of thing) and take yourself for a couple of short paddles. If you think carefully about where you sit, how you move etc while on it you'll find them surprisingly stable and easy to handle. Hoping for your sake it came with a seat?

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Danielle Newbie

Danielle

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Seat and pfd... BUT I need another pfd as the one he gave me is only for emergencies and self inflates when you pull the release cord (seems like such a waste in my opinion). 

Any thoughts on where I should go for that kind of environment? The Spit and Broadwater would be perfect but somewhere near here... I guess Wynnum or Wello Pt maybe even Pt Halloran or Viccy Pt

image.jpeg

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Binder Newbie

Binder

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Wellington point if you can get there on a week day - nice sandy beach, well protected, (the left side as you go down, not near the boat ramps) lots of parking, reasonably quiet. You can paddle along beside the sand bar to king island and be close to easy landing spot until you get your confidence.

Find somewhere else if its a weekend.

Adjust you seat so your legs are bent enough that the ripples in the leg wells dont touch your legs, and you can push down with feet to push your back against the seat back. Gives you best paddle control.

Is the paddle painted black or black plastic coating?, or is a material of some sort? If painted or plastic, you might want some gloves, as it might get hot this time of year.

I also recommend buying a $5 chair cushion. The kayak seats bottoms are not comfortable for any length of time.

And yes, pool noodles are a kayakers best friend.

 

Do you have a name for her (or him) yet?

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Danielle Newbie

Danielle

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Been feeling a little under the weather the past few days but either the fact that the babies are at Sunday School and I have some peace and quiet or the fact I have eaten a handful of codeine... I am feeling super! So the plan is to take the petit gâteau out this afternoon. I love your idea @Binder of paddling along the bank to King Is down at Wello Pt. I know it will be feral busy today and many an eyeball will be fixated on my awkwardness but it also means the kiddies can walk alongside me and I can see them and feel they're safe. I have considered Dahlia the smaller sitting in the stern hull and Deccy sitting on top of the bow and not venturing too far from land as none of us have a pfd yet.

Tingalpa creek would be my first choice without kiddies but...

a) leaving the kids on the fishing platform to watch would be fine expect that they are likely to run wild and bother anyone within 8km

B)I watch a YouTube of the Brisbane Boys and they were in the exact spot and a bullie came right up to the yak and that terrifies me to my core, and

c) I don't fancy paddling around (while I'm such a beginner) in such murky water and not being able to see the bottom. 

So... If anyone is free this avy and want to join us we'd love to see you, especially if you have kids and then they can play together while the Mumma plays with her new toy!

Can try for some whiting and get an entry into the FOTM! 

@ellicat @rayke1938 @Binder @benno573 @Luvit @kmcrosby78 @Madmic @Old Scaley @Dinodadog

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Danielle Newbie

Danielle

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Also if anyone has a few pfd's they could lend me just for the day that would be amazing - Dec around 30kg and Dah around 25kg and me...well Adult size with a belly and boobs so any men's size would probably do. I'm at Rochedale South so anywhere not too far I could pick up and drop off later :)

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kmcrosby78 Mentor

kmcrosby78

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Looks like fun - well done on getting out there. Had my son's birthday party today (Sidenote: the electric BBQ beside our gazebo had been left in a disgusting state by someone who seemingly had cooked chicken skewers and not bothered to try and scrape it off at all .....) so had a very quiet arvo at home.

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