its too bad…
that you’re joking about that. your run of the mill 6 pack cooler doesnt always do the trick
kayak gadgets
I’ve made a sail, outrigger style stabilizers, a removable deck extension, and numerous other gadgets for my kayaks. some have worked well and some were total failures. The sail was copied as best I could from pictures of one from an Austrailian company. they claimed it could track somewhat into the wind, but mine was useless for anything other than downwind. The pontoon stabilizers were similar to ones shown on the kayak fishing stuff web site (styrofoam pontoons with pvc pipe arms). They work very well though I use them rarely. The deck extension I made for my perception sundance 12’ I use all the time as I predominately use my kayak to fish Ozark mt. rivers and streams. The sundance has a huge cockpit, which is great for a river fishing kayak. Its large enough to sacrifice a portion with a piece of 7/16ths plywood cut to matcth the curve of the cockpit. It slips into the groove in the inner cockpit lip, and is secured with a couple of bungees. I mounted a rod holder and a compass on this. Its only about 6 inches wide so it dose not reduce the cockpit by much (from 54" to 48"). I know that to you ocean kayakers a cockpit this size would be ridiculous but for a river fishing kayaker who is wading about as much as he is paddling, this type of boat works quit well.
hatch bags
#1 - I have a WS T-140 and it has a small day hatch in the cockpit with a small keeper bag. I have found that one of those small Folgers plastic coffee containers fits inside perfectly. I fashioned a loop handle for the lid from duct tape and now have the perfect storage system.
#2 - The rear hatch on this boat is small and round (my only real complaint about the boat). It is just a hatch and provides access to the entire rear section, but it has no bag. Any small items that I placed in the rear storage area would wander around the inside of the boat and be very hard to retrieve. I obtained a spare cockpit day-hatch bag, cut off the bottom, and attached it to a large nylon stuff sack. Now I stuff the large hatch bag inside the hatch and can load small items down inside bag where they remain for easy retrieval.
Block Freeze the beer
Works for me, no extension cord or solar power required
Brian
SoFlo
Lots of inventions
But Im not sharing
Brian
SoFlo
GPS Holder
Got the idea from JackL.
I bet
If you wrote up the instructions, I bet Sea Kayaker would publish them:-)
Cart
It’s a kayak cart that breaks down to go in a hatch, made with fat wheels that roll over sand and pvc pipe. The whole thing goes together or apart in less than a minute, and I’ve used it to cart the boats six blocks or more with no troubles.
Once, I beached at Capitola (Monterey Bay, CA) right in front of a dreadlocked dude smoking reefer. He watched me pop the hatch, assemble the cart and load the boat. “Cool! It’s got wheels!” was his evaluation.
Most of the cost was the wheels ($20) but I’m told they’re less at Harbor freight. The rest of the materials were pretty much laying around the garage.
Two Small Items
The first one is an enhancement for BNystrom’s method of securing a submersible VHF to a PFD. Brian uses platic wire strapping to fasten the radio belt clip to the PFD shoulder strap and some bungee material for extra security. I’ve replaced the bungee idea with a sewn an elastic collar that slips on the shoulder strap and replaces the bungee. To this I’ve added an NRS key ring 'biner fitted with an extra small key ring that slips through the hand strap opening on the radio. The 'biner clips on the shoulder strap. This allows the radio to be easily removed from the clip en route and hand held (plenty of slack) while remaining secured to the PFD. I also remove the radio from the clip and let it hang when carrying my boat so the radio doesn’t get in the way. It’s been surviving my (un)rolling practice just fine
My second idea is still under development. I have a children’s pool diving ring slip knotted to the end of my stirup rope. I use this rope during practice sessions, looping it either to the bow grab loop of a partner’s boat, or a dock, to make it easier to find it when needed. The ring is supposed to make the rope sink a bit, but it’s not really working.
Lou
Sing
I saw your post in regard to things that you have made. I have thought about making a couple of dry bags as I’d like a specific and odd size. How did you go about making yours?
thanks,
Mark
Lou
I wound up having to make a stirrup for my paddle partner. It is very simple and could possibly help solve your issue. I used quarter inch nylon line. I have the line tied in a figure eight. One loop is sized to easily fit over the cockpit coaming. The other loop forms the step. On the step loop I threaded a six inch piece of PVC which serves to help sink the step and keep the step loop open for easier use. We store the stirrup with the paddle float wedged between the seat support and the hull of the boat.
Mark
Thanks
thanks
– Last Updated: Jul-22-05 1:01 PM EST –
31 replies . . pretty nice. This was exactly the type of dialog I was trying to create. Hoping members might unselfishly share small creations with others that might be useful. Again, I wasn't looking to steal trade secrets, may never use one of these ideas myself, and have not been that creative yet to offer up one myself. This type of post was popular in my photography forum and just wanted to try it here. After some initial concern and caution, looks like members then felt comfortable posting. I doubt if some lurker or member will market one of these and get rich . . . .
Heat Sealable Fabric
– Last Updated: Jul-22-05 1:10 PM EST –
is available at Seattle Fabrics. The 200 weight is something like 12/yard (50' plus wide). One yard will produce a number of drybags.
The easiest to make is the square/rectangular flat version. Just cut two matching pieces to the square/rectangle size you want, run hot iron (go to a goodwill store and pick up a used one) along the edges, ~.5", sew 1" nylon webbing on one side of the open end, sew on fastex buckle to the end of the straps, and voila! Drybag is done.
If you make small drybags to hold say a wallet or a cell phone, then use .5 nylon webbing and a smaller fastex buckle.
sing
Sing
Thanks,
I will take a look at that website and see about attempting to make my first dry bag.
Mark
Grill…absolutely FREE, too!
Redneck Grill…
http://community.webshots.com/photo/168528019/401616604fVpKJg
River Goddess
Ive Been Wondering
if I wanted to weld some folding legs on an old grill so I can place it over a fire. Now I see I can just visit the local grocery.
Mark
Not home made but cheap
– Last Updated: Jul-22-05 5:32 PM EST –
Out here in the PNW coastal waters hardly ever get above 60 degrees. On overnight and longer trips I bring a cheap mesh laundry bag, the kind with a drawstring top, for a beer cooler. Place a few smooth edged rocks for ballast (sharp ones poke holes in the beer cans), tie one end of your tow belt line to the drawstring loop, toss in your beer or soda, throw it out into the water and tie off the other end of your towline to secure it from washing away.
Do make sure to cinch up the drawstring, your beverages will float away if you don't (been there). PS, also watch that incoming tide heights don't cover the the rock or log you sucured the line to unless you like swimming for your beer (been there, done that too)
Bob