Your chance to pimp my yak!

[bootyinblue]

Ok, now is the time to start screwing stuff in and down on my yak, but before I do I want to get some expert advice on a couple of things.

First is some extra rear rod holders. There is 2 slanted ones built into the decking and I am going to put 2 more which will be attached to the tub in the back. Question is do I mount them vertically behind the seat (as in pic 1) or on the edge and either upright or slanted towards the rear (as in pic 2)? Neither position will affect my paddling.

Pic 1

Pic 2

The other thing is I want comments on the cage design I have built at the front. Again it doesnt cramp my paddling, but gives me somewhere to store a bit of stuff or deal with a fish. Ideally I will get a tub thats a bit larger in base area and cut the sides down so its pretty shallow.

Any thoughts or ideas are welcome..

[Feral]

Booty - rod holders - sit in the yak and see which way is easier (and safer) to pull the rods out of while the rod is loaded up (IE as if there is a fish on it).

[bootyinblue]

I can only handle 1 rod at a time ;-) but yea, the extra ones are purely storage only. I get the feeling though that the laid back look might get me a few extra KMH when out on the water.

[WayneD]

I think upright will be easier to access as you might find it difficult to pull it out reaching behind your back on the angle as you have to reach further.

The crate at the front won't last long, I don't think there is a need for it. Don't forgot yak fishing is all about the simplistic things.

I ended up carrying all this crap on my Espri but I ended up cutting it down to whatever I cant carry to the yak in my crate doesn't go with me.

[bootyinblue]

Interesting... and why wont last long? Wrong location, not needed, or just wrong colour?

[WayneD]

I think you'll just get sick of looking at it. Obviously you are going to try it and I tried many things on my yaks over the past two years but in the end I have just gone back to a bare basic yak and I am loving it more then ever.

and yeah you're right the colour just doesn't match:silly:

[jeff f]

not real keen on the safety aspect of the front thing

thinking rollover, feet caught, drowning type thoughts

[Gazza]

Looks like he's going to do the dishes lol :woohoo:

[faulked]

you can buy these things called paddle leashes "a bit of telephone cord and some velcro" these could potentially save you everything i use them in my boat when running out heavy lines in case of a rod holder failure would have to be worth their weight in rods and tacklebags on a yak its not that you will roll often its just the day you do ouch itll hurt

jason:)

[batman]

Mate

I agree with the comments about simple is better!

The rod holders: Sit in the yak and see where they are easiest to locate, I just lean back and locate my spare rods etc so this is a personal thing. I upgraded my seat which has a great storage pocket in the back of the seat and it has two spare rod holders built into the seat - $120 APPROX FROM GOOD YAK STORES.

I can't stress enough to secure everything!!! That plastic box at the back - double sided velcro on the base will do the job.

Rod leashes - Officeworks - plastic stretchy key ring holders $3 will do the trick.

Lip grips, pliers, line cutters, gaff - use some stretchy rope and attach thm either to your yak or to your PFD (don't not where one cause the day you don't something might happen, I am a good swimmer but if you are knocked out or a boat runs yo over who knows)

A nav light - for night yakking

The front cage/bucket - I wouldn't go that way but I when I take bait with me I take a bucket and chopping board and a good bait knife, so you might want to use it for that.

my 2 cents

Batty

[shortie]

Where are you mounting the siren.

[Confused]

batman wrote:

Mate

I upgraded my seat which has a great storage pocket in the back of the seat and it has two spare rod holders built into the seat - $120 APPROX FROM GOOD YAK STORES.

Batty

Whats a good yak store???

[Shrimpo]

Theirs Rosco canoes at lutwyche and good time might have them at woolongabba

[tomca]

And don't forget there is heaps of storage in the hull itself. I keep my cast net and spare tackle in there; so if the sp's get you donuts, then unpack some rigs and use the live bait you catch. Saves paddling.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[Schultzy]

Booty,

I'd go vertical with the rod holders. Don't have to lean or reach back as far to lift the rods from them in that orientation.

Don’t forget to tie in or attach everything you want to keep (in the event of a roll over).

[Terry H]

A good kayak fishing store:

/>http://www.kayakfishinggear.com/

yes, it's overseas but if you make a big order you'll save a ton and they have such a wide variety of items.

[bootyinblue]

Yep... have gone with vertical rod holders and mounted them inside the rear tub. Pics to follow.

I might swage up some bungee cords with stainless clips on both ends so they can be used and interchanged around the place with rods and equipment.

You guys have got me worried though as every second post is about rolling over. It might be ambitious but hopefully the years of playing canoe polo where you had to brace against some gorilla trying to steamroll over the top of you and your yak, might help me just a little.

Batty - where do you have the bucket, board and knife when you are using them?

[Cowfish13]

Really, unless you do a surf launch, I don't think there is much chance of rolling over. I'm new to the sport, but have never felt like I was going to rollover. I've went off Wello for my first go ever, in average conditions and I felt that I was pretty safe.

[WayneD]

Booty the only things I leash on my yak is one of my combos and my camera. These are the only thing on my yak that cost over $100 the rest I can easily replace. The only thing I have ever lost overboard was a measuring ruler.

The only time I have ever rolled was doing a surf launch. Never felt unsafe while on the water and I have paddled back from Peel in a 1mtr+ swell.

[Feral]

I think the risk of loosing stuff overboard would be much higher for just making mistakes, like putting something down where it can slide off! I'd clip the rods just to stop an unexpected big fish taking the lot.

For tools I'd go for floating stuff like the factor X pliers and knives (you know the blue and green handled ones from Big W), or add those floating key rings to smaller stuff, even if it only slowed down the sinking giving you a chance to grab stuff before it disappears.

Dont forget you can always "do a Terry" and tow one of those inflatable rafts if you want to take the "kitchen sink"

[bootyinblue]

Feral wrote:

I think the risk of loosing stuff overboard would be much higher for just making mistakes

LOL... Feral, I didnt think I told you about my track record with losing things!

Here is the rear tub done, and still not convinced I can do without the 'washing up tub and drying rack' on the frnt but have taken it off for the moment to please the purists

So come on all you yak owners! Whats one thing you have done to your yak which you thought 'why didnt someone tell me about that earlier'

[Feral]

Booty, you might do better with one of those small nets that looks like a "snow shoe" that the trout fishermen use, a long handled net might be a bit hard to use considering your going to be so close to the water / fish

[big al]

booty why dont you get an old jib off one of your sailing buddys one off a calypso 14r should be plenty of old ones around :laugh: and fit to your yak :laugh: :laugh: then you would be first to the fishing grounds :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:realy out of control:silly: :side: :silly: :cheer:

[batman]

Booty

I chop my pillies in half or into cubes then freeze, so when I need them they are ready to go. I just pop the lot between my legs when I need them otherwise I just pop them in the back. The prowler is a bit bigger than your yak but I am sure you can make a plan.

[kriso]

mate i reckon the best way is to go for fish in it somewhere calm and see what you find comfortable/uncomfortable and go from there every one is going to have diffrent setups to suit them.

[jeff f]

saw a pic of one with a rocket launcher behind the seat that held 4 rods, that looked pretty cool

[fishyman]

i have a dual rocket launcher made out of pvc for the hobie

[bootyinblue]

Feral wrote:

Booty, you might do better with one of those small nets that looks like a "snow shoe" that the trout fishermen use, a long handled net might be a bit hard to use considering your going to be so close to the water / fish

Yep onto the smaller net idea already, that was just a net I had laying around and as they say in the ads 'Its for illustration purposes only'

Keen to head out for a paddle soon though and thought Raby Bay area could be a shot.

[kreel]

I don't yak myself (yet:angry: :laugh: ) but I have noticed that some of the yaks I've seen use a perforated crate - a milk crate or the like. I see that your crate is solid - I would think that water could easily pool in there and cause problems. Just a thought.

Make sure to post a report when you get your yak wet.:cheer:

[bootyinblue]

LOL... yea but using a milk crate is stealing, and I cant be seen doing that ;-)

[Terry H]

Booty a tip, or some other place theres millions of milk crates left dumped around.

[kriso]

i have a few, dont taze me bro!

[kreel]

It doesn't have to be a milk crate, I would at least think about some drainage holes in the one you have though. Again, I don't have a yak, and there are many others here that would know better than me about the subject. :S

[benno573]

kriso wrote:

i have a few, dont taze me bro!

aww geez, that's harsh eh bro....

[batman]

I agree it doesn't need to be a milk crate...I did nick one!! :laugh: and it works a treat but the only issue with a solid container is drainage...solution just drill a few holes in it??!

[bootyinblue]

Ok... I made it back from my inaugural trip out in the yak. The read tubs now has rod holder on the outside at the back as putting them inside just wasted space.

Yep, the landing net needs to be cut down or replaced with a lower one as it got in the way when leading fish around the back and to the side of the yak.

I think I will do away with the washing up tub and rack (I am hearing you all sigh now...) as it will get in the way and is really not needed. The hatch between my legs has a waterproof bag in it, but I might move it to the back hatch and try and squeeze some kind of icecream tub set up in the centre hatch as I had the hatch cover off all the time and had pliers, lip grippers, knife etc in there but dont want to puncture the bag.

WHEELS >>> Number 1 priority now! Can you use the scupper holes as recesses to attach wheels to? I dont really want to shell out $200 for a midified golf buggy so looking at making some that will fit in the front hatch when underway.

Whoops.... acnchors guys? I am looking at a little anchor too. I see some people have anchors set so they can have the yak side on. I was thinking more of having the anchor on a pully system attached at the left rear corner somewhere so when anchored you are 45 degrees or so facing with right hand side of yak downstream/wind. Does that make sense? I picture some little pulley system thing that you just haul the anchor up and down on.

Thoughts?

[Feral]

You'll get a chance to win a set of wheels at the Pine Clean up in August!

I have seen sets of wheels that turn upside down so you just turn them over (or fold them up out of the way, I did not look to closely) when you get the yak to the water, so you dont have to remove them or take them back to the car.

[bootyinblue]

Yea I thought about doing the 'turn them over and stick them in the scuppers upside down' but the tub covers the holes and they would get in the way of the rod holders.

I thought maybe 2 lengths of alloy tube that pivots on a bolt to open up in a cross shape. Wheel bolted to the upright and other end 'up the scupper' and crossbar sits in the natural groove under the yak. Once at the water pull them out fold 90 degrees so it looks like a long stick with a wheel on the end and shove them in the front hatch.

[James W]

glad its keeping you outta trouble booty:P

[ellicat]

bootyinblue wrote:

Ok... I made it back from my inaugural trip out in the yak. ....

Yep, the landing net needs to be cut down or replaced with a lower one as it got in the way when leading fish around the back and to the side of the yak.

I think I will do a......

Any more details on this little dropped hint ?