working the crate

[Spider1]

Well, I've been working on my kayak lately. A guy told me that you should "rig to flip, dress to swim", and that made perfect sence to me. I was looking at my gear lately and realized that if and when I flip it, most of my stuff is going to the bottom. I decided to pimp out my crate and got 'er done last night.



looks good with plenty of room.


I add rod holders so I can troll.


and added a flag and stern light.


the stern light was a garden solar light from the dollar store but it only had one LED in it and that wasn't enough light. I found that my cheap 9 LED $3 flash light that is armor coated was a perfect fit so I epoxied it in place. Perfect.



All I got left to do is rig a couple bungees to hold it in the tank well and I'll be safe if the worst happens.

[chez]

Nice buddy.
Do you need lite on a yak,after dark to be legal???
For safety i would say yes.
Looks good bro.
I think ill buy a stern lite for the back of mine.
A clsmpon one maybe???

[Spider1]

I'm pretty sure every craft on the water has to have a 360 light after dark. I added the flag for daytime safety too. I'm planning on hitting the pack, Delaware and susky and yaks ride pretty low, I want other boat traffic to see me.

[Spider1]

lookin at those pictures and geez, I realize I gotta paint that board. Man does it look cheezy as it is, lol! I will paint the tubes too.

[perchgypsy]

Good ideas spider ...Def worth planning for the worst in the yak...only have to worry about yourself ..makes life easier ...good job👍

[HenryDavid]

PFBC  "Any non-powered canoe or kayak on the water prior to legal dawn or after legal dusk must have on board a hand-held white light, which is to be turned on and held overhead if approached by another watercraft, in time to avoid a collision."

Same as I was told a few years ago, headlamp at the least is okay, better yet to have a high powered light so any reckless boats can see you from a good distance. 

I would think a reflector or strip of reflecting tape might be a good idea as well, all depending upon where you're boating of course.

I have spent quite a few nights wading the Susky at night and once in awhile a boat will be coming back to the launch after dark.  I now carry a high powered flashlight so I can wave them off. 

[FM]

Nice work, it shows that you are a pro. I will have to post some pics of the mods on my boat, lol looks like I did them with a sledge hammer and a chainsaw. I spent many night last summer anchored in my canoe at night in the susky. kept a big flashlight on board to warn off power boats at night. Came in handy a couple times, no troubles though.
FM

[Spider1]

regulations also say that all boats must have all around lights when anchored. I figure it doesn't matter, I like being seen when I'm in a little boat. All I need is a guy coming out of nowhere and running me over. You're also suposed to have a horn or whistle. I got a whistle around my neck and an emergency whistle in a pocket on my pfd vest.


yeah, I like reflective tape. When a light hits it it is brighter than the flash light sometimes. Something new they are doing is adding strip lights to the sides of kayaks like running lights. I saw one guy who had a switch panel for all the gadgets he had.

[Spider1]

Thanks FM. You know me, I like to tinker. I have one of those tactical flashlights also on board just in case I need more light and I have a coast headlamp as well. "Welcome to the department of repetition and redundancy welcomes you". I like redundant back ups, I carry 3 or 4 knives too

[Spider1]

I finished it up last night. cut a couple of bungees and rigged it so it ain't going anywhere.



tied knots on the inside so I don't have bungee running through my crate.





when I was done I took it all apart and gave it a good paint job. black all over. It's still drying but I hope to have it on the water this afternoon.

[chez]

great job bro..
lets see some pics from todays adventure.

[HenryDavid]

I'm curious  about weight distribution in your yak.  With my pontoon I can adjust the frame to the toons, weight forward or back.  Having a extra heavy load on the back rack can really slow me down.

[ram guy]

I really need to get a yak. Been wanting to for years. That set up looks pretty good

[chez]

I really need to get a yak. Been wanting to for years. That set up looks pretty good

RAM GUY,,,
GET YOUR MONEY TOGETHER,AND BUY ONE.
I WAITED AND WAITED till my OLDEST SON BOUGHT ONE..
I TOOK HIS FOR A RIDE,and was hooked.
I bought my own ,,2 weeks later.
PLUS I BOUGHT 2 more.LOL.
I find myself fishing more from my YAK than my big boat..
NO TRAILER,NO GAS,NO BATTERY CHARGING.
SLIDE IT IN MY TRUCK,and im gone....
ONE THING I WILL SAY,is IF AND WHEN YOU GET YOURS...
PUT A ANCHOR and TROLLY SYSTEM on it...
YOU NEED ONE TO FISH WITH IN MY EYES,,YOU HOOK INTO A BASS,
YOU CAN GET PULLED DOWN THE LAKE 100YDS or so...
THEN YOU HAVE TO PADDLE BACK TO WHERE YOU WERE TO CONTINUE where you left off.
IN A RIVER YOU CAN PUT THE ANCHOR DOWN SO YOU CAN FISH THE HOLES ,INSTEAD OF BLOWING THREW THEM...
I WILL SAY,,,,I LUV MY YAK.Ibet I had it out 3 dozen times last year.some days,once in the morning on 1 lake.
then the evening ,a different lake...
Don't PROCASTONATE any LONGER,I waited for years myself.THEN NOW,,,I SEE WHAT I WAS MISSING....
GOOD LUCK BROTHER.

[Spider1]

I added some plastic tie downs. I didn't like the way the original ones worked. I was afraid they would twist under load and break or pull out the threads or something. I hated drilling my yak but they work better and are easier.




That's pretty much it for the crate. I changed the way the flag/light post goes in, it slides in instead of screws on. This way I can take it off for transport. I might do a few other touch ups and add-ons but it's done.


HD, I don't know much about other yaks. I would think it's all about how you pack it that distributes the weight to keep the trim even. But I do know that the seat in the Wilderness systems yaks slides back and forward to micro adjust the trim. I don't see me doing much adjusting, Maybe in the future but right now it's good how I got it and I'm not too fussy about it at this point. maybe when I get better with it. I've only been out in it 4 times so far, woulda been more but this wacky weather got me hanging out in the workshop instead.

Ram guy, I had a canoe before the yak. I liked the canoe and paddled it solo most of the time. Had it rigged up for solo. I miss the extra room but I like the yak cuz it's easier to customize the way I want and is easier to maneuver. I could go either way but I'm happy I switched to the yak. I find myself watching u-tube videos of guys out in the ocean fighting sailfish and sharks and thinking, "yeah, I'm crazy enough to try that!"