Technically, she’s a tandem kayak...but everyone has their own now, so it’s just me. I figured it’d be cheaper and fun to mod it out vs buying a new one.
I’ve already added an anchor trolley and some Yak Attack racks (rod holders and paddle holders) as well as a light mount and a couple of Scotty rod holders.
I’ve got a Vibe Hero seat to modify to an elevated seat on the way. I’ll be adding a fish finder and USB chargers (and a dry box battery, of course)...but today I put in some time laying down Deck Mat to quiet it down a bit when stuff is moved around.
The only thing I’m really wishing was different about this particular yak is the lack of flat surfaces. Because it’s all seat, everything is just wavy curves and foot wells.
I’m most likely going to try to make a console that fits into either the dry hatch in front extending back or into that wide gaspachi hatch extending forward. I figure I might as well utilize the room!
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New Deck Mat
- Ron Mc
- TKF 5000 Club
- Posts: 5690
- Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:12 pm
- Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
- Contact:
Re: New Deck Mat
this looks like a rigging thread, and probably belongs on the rigging page.
You got a great result there.
Mad Frog Gear is a good place to get dashboard ideas.
Here's the MFG Johnny bar, that's had 3 different lives:
a cockpit in the sternwell for my then 9-y-o daughter in T160 - the feet on the johnny bar were positioned to be her foot pegs
the sole rigging in her Redfish10
and now moved to my Kestrel
nice thing about it, you can move things around - here's a radio mount added on the left (and a new compass I can read)
Here's the bottom, all cleaned up using sex bolt fasteners, so there's nothing to grab your feet sliding in and out
If you're looking for fasteners, Bolt Depot is tops - they sell fasteners piecemeal, you can find anything, and they treat small orders with the same respect and great service as large orders. Also inexpensive mail shipping, and their NH postal hub has an uncanny way of getting 1st class into San Antonio overnight.
You got a great result there.
Mad Frog Gear is a good place to get dashboard ideas.
Here's the MFG Johnny bar, that's had 3 different lives:
a cockpit in the sternwell for my then 9-y-o daughter in T160 - the feet on the johnny bar were positioned to be her foot pegs
the sole rigging in her Redfish10
and now moved to my Kestrel
nice thing about it, you can move things around - here's a radio mount added on the left (and a new compass I can read)
Here's the bottom, all cleaned up using sex bolt fasteners, so there's nothing to grab your feet sliding in and out
If you're looking for fasteners, Bolt Depot is tops - they sell fasteners piecemeal, you can find anything, and they treat small orders with the same respect and great service as large orders. Also inexpensive mail shipping, and their NH postal hub has an uncanny way of getting 1st class into San Antonio overnight.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Tue Jul 07, 2020 7:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
- kickingback
- TKF 5000 Club
- Posts: 5177
- Joined: Thu Feb 18, 2016 3:24 pm
- Location: Houston, Texas
Re: New Deck Mat
Nice eyedoc. Thanks for the pictures from your post. I enjoyed reading your post on how you did it.
New Deck Mat
Thanks for that! I ordered an X-wing to see if I could make it work (it’s a little narrow) because I like that it’ll hold the battery inside vs dry storage (like it doesn’t weigh enough already), but if I can’t figure it out, I’ll definitely be hitting Madfrog!Ron Mc wrote:this looks like a rigging thread, and probably belongs on the rigging page.
You got a great result there.
Mad Frog Gear is a good place to get dashboard ideas.
Here's the MFG Johnny bar, that's had 3 different lives:
a cockpit in the sternwell for my then 9-y-o daughter in T160 - the feet on the johnny bar were positioned to be her foot pegs
the sole rigging in her Redfish10
and now moved to my Kestrel
nice thing about it, you can move things around - here's a radio mount added on the left (and a new compass I can read)
Here's the bottom, all cleaned up using sex bolt fasteners, so there's nothing to grab your feet sliding in and out
If you're looking for fasteners, Bolt Depot is tops - they sell fasteners piecemeal, you can find anything, and they treat small orders with the same respect and great service as large orders. Also inexpensive mail shipping, and their NH postal hub has an uncanny way of getting 1st class into San Antonio overnight.
I actually didn’t know there was a rigging page, so I’ll have to check that out as well
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- Ron Mc
- TKF 5000 Club
- Posts: 5690
- Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:12 pm
- Location: downtown Bulverde, Texas
- Contact:
Re: New Deck Mat
there's nothing cooler than detachable rigging you can tune as you gain experience using it.
This forum has one of the very best kayak rigging archives on the net - if you search it, you'll find several ideas to the same end, both home-made and commercial parts.
Rigging is not such a big issue these days with fishing-specific kayaks delivered with most-all rigging.
Track rigging has the advantage of moving it as you go, and I showed the johnny bar because it's been so useful over a dozen years.
This forum has one of the very best kayak rigging archives on the net - if you search it, you'll find several ideas to the same end, both home-made and commercial parts.
Rigging is not such a big issue these days with fishing-specific kayaks delivered with most-all rigging.
Track rigging has the advantage of moving it as you go, and I showed the johnny bar because it's been so useful over a dozen years.
Re: New Deck Mat
I’ve already got Yakattack tracks on there, so it might be the best option. I really like that tool holder.
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