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Any winter kayak projects?

2K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  Dble Haul 
#1 ·
Anyone doing any winter kayak projects? Any more customizing or the like?
 
#2 ·
Hi Mark,

I found the guy that I bought my Kayak from installed the fishfinder within the seat/feet well area and after awhile I endup with enough water in there despite the scuppers that it could get the unit wet. So I'm looking at moving it out of the seat area and plastic welding the hole closed he put in there for the wires.

I'm tempted to pull it out all together and put it on my boat since it's newer than what's on my boat and I'd use it more. Although if I could get a second mount and transducers/gps antenna I'd use it on both my Kayak and boat. :smokin:

I noticed you have a fish finder on your yak. Do you use it much? Does it work ok on your Kayak?

Greg.
 
#3 ·
I use my finder (an Eagle Claw Barracuda or Pirhanna, can't remember which) quite often when traveling from one spot to another so that I can see what kind of water depth I'm over. You'll notice that I call it a finder, not a fish finder, because I never have the fish finding feature turned on. The fish ID sensitivity is too whacky and unreliable, but the information that I get in terms of bottom composition (hard or soft), contour, and depth are worth the effort of the installation. It's useless in water less than two or three feet deep, but then again who needs a finder then? :wink: It's particularly good on new waters, or during tidal stages in that I rarely fish in well-known areas.

My finder is powered by eight AA batteries in series, which can provide 18 hours of use when fully charged. If you'd like install details, I can direct you to some via PM. Just let me know.
 
#4 · (Edited)
I have a project, but not quite a kayak project.

My dad picked up an old canoe for $15 at a yard sale. (One of the ones that looks like it is made out of shredded plastic.) It looks like it may have fallen off a car during transport. There is a huge crease/hole in the center. Being the cheapest guy on the planet I'm going to try an patch it with some marine varnish and fiberglass this spring and see if I can get it to float again. :eek:
 
#5 ·
I picked up a new Heritage Marqesa at the end of the season last year, and after using it about a dozen times I think I'm ready to outfit it.

figure I will put a paddle holder system on the left side handle.

Will put a Ram rod mount on the right, behind the seat.

Will put a recessed rod mount on the left, behind the seat (net, or spinning rod)

DHaul, I'm considering a depth finder +/- GPS mount.....how tough was it to install and make waterproof? I think you used instruction from KFS?

Seems like you are not completely satisfied with that unit. Is there some sort of adjustment that can be made to improve the sensing of fish, or is it the unit itself, do you think?

I'd be most interested in finding structure, but knowing about deep bait, or game-fish, would be a bonus, too.

Mark
 
#6 ·
Mark-

I did install the unit per KFS. I used the transducer fixed into a pad of styrofoam, and used some petroleum jelly for contact between the transducer and the hull itself. It works great.

As for my lack of satisfaction with the unit's sensitivity, I specifically find that the unit is overly sensitive, even when I manually set the sensitivity low. I may be able to tweak it here or there some more after extended use and experience with it, but like I said before that feature really isn't that important to me.

Good luck with outfitting your rig.
 
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