Rigging a sit-on kayak for spearfishing?

[bobdonny]

Appreciate it man, was hoping you'd reply

Would you really consider a 13ft to be so bad? I know what your saying bout paddle, anchor, dive, paddle back.

Hmmm,

Thanks for the links! I'll check them out.

There is a nice scupper for sale in kerry on done deal at a good price.... but from what I have heard they suit narrow build guys and I would be better suited to a prowler or trident....

Anyway, it seems the prowler 15 are no longer made, the tempo won't fit me so I have the prowler 13 only or the trident 13/15....

I'll have to ring those guys, the websites are woefully outta date

Thanks!

Edit: nah...seems that scupper sold 3 hours ago
http://www.donedeal.ie/for-sale/watersports/2236390

 

[sunfish]

Hi Rob, your welcome to try my Scupper if you want to see how the cockpit/seat feels. Tell me if your interested and we'll arrange for the next reasonable weather when you've time off.
As for the 13 foot I have to say I've never tried one but I have had the Scupper in some messy seas and managed to scrape through. The size gives me a feeling of confidence.

 

[bobdonny]

Hi Rob, your welcome to try my Scupper if you want to see how the cockpit/seat feels. Tell me if your interested and we'll arrange for the next reasonable weather when you've time off.

Thanks for the offer Dave but perhaps the next reasonable weather we have I'll expect a training day :inlove

I followed up with funboats and they are actually the distributor of OK for Ireland so I picked up a nice yellow prowler
The thing is massive.... way bigger than I thought... now my wife and kids want one and they are talking about the malibu xl

Anyway, here she is.... do you give a name to your kayak's like you do a boat? Think I will

 

[sunfish]

That looks good to me!!!!

 

[sunfish]

Bingo!!!! Got it. This:- Kaskazi Pelican is the irish dealer in Kaskazi kayaks.

 

[Magpie]

That is a good price, much cheaper than the english importer, wonder how much they'd want for a Marlin and if they could ship it here?

I've got a Scupper. Tried a Marlin and Dorado and they are definately a step up, much lighter and quicker, but the Scupper was close enough to not warrant the extra dosh at the time.

Also, I do a lot of beaching the kayak on rocks and was worried about eventually scratching a hole in the fibreglass.

 

[bobdonny]

Wow... nice kayak but saucy price!!

 

[island_sands]

This is has got to be the longest thread in forum history! i cant believe its still going. Just flicking through makes me want to buy a kayak again.

great stuff going on here guys

 

[mishu1984]

Thanks for the offer Dave but perhaps the next reasonable weather we have I'll expect a training day :inlove

I followed up with funboats and they are actually the distributor of OK for Ireland so I picked up a nice yellow prowler
The thing is massive.... way bigger than I thought... now my wife and kids want one and they are talking about the malibu xl

Anyway, here she is.... do you give a name to your kayak's like you do a boat? Think I will

nice! i have a scrambler. no rudder and no hatches. its a POS to be quite honest and a little pre-purchase research would have saved me the joys of modifying it.

i called it the spirit of the ocean.

 

[bobdonny]

nice! i have a scrambler. no rudder and no hatches. its a POS to be quite honest and a little pre-purchase research would have saved me the joys of modifying it.

i called it the spirit of the ocean.

Scrambler is a grand kayak, but the hatch is the only main difference... still should be relatively easy to bungee in a dry bag.... in retrospect I am not sure I will ever open the hatch at sea in mine. if it capsized with the hatch open it would go straight to the bottom... your hatch less kayak might be more suited to us spearo's than one with a hatch...
Having said that the hatch is super handy when you beech the kayak

Spirit of the ocean... nice I think I will name my kayak something all right... .hmmmm

 

[mishu1984]

Scrambler is a grand kayak, but the hatch is the only main difference... still should be relatively easy to bungee in a dry bag.... in retrospect I am not sure I will ever open the hatch at sea in mine. if it capsized with the hatch open it would go straight to the bottom... your hatch less kayak might be more suited to us spearo's than one with a hatch...
Having said that the hatch is super handy when you beech the kayak

Spirit of the ocean... nice I think I will name my kayak something all right... .hmmmm

haha the guy at Ocean Kayaks said the same thing. I told him the same thing ima tell you: try paddling that POS out of my marina when the tide is coming and the wind is blowing you out. rollercoaster.
now try it with a prowler. HUGE difference. ive done both in and out the marina within a span of 10 minutes with the wind holding. prowler was soo much better than POS scrambler. (yes i feel strongly about the scrambler being a POS rofl ).

the hatch is very usefull to be quitre honest. it allows me to store 1st aid kit, lights, and even certain guns, fins, and fish. makes a world of a difference when paddling through some chop near breakwaters.

 

[bobdonny]

ya your right, the prowler is awesome, i was just trying to make ya feel better

 

[Mr. X]

If you have a hatch, you might consider inserting a block or two of expanded polystyrene, or injected foam at both ends of the yak. That used to be standard practice/essential for fibre-glass kayaks. [Alternatively, you could also get cone-shaped inflatable bags to insert in the ends but that seemed rather more risky & expensive to me].

 

[Jonny250]

I agree with Mr X there - i have stuffed loads of polystyrene blocks into my yak.

 

[devondave]

Somewhere there is a post, maybe from Pastor, saying he uses the silver linings from wine boxes to stuff the front and rear of a kayak, tough and free.

 

[foxfish]

Plastic drink bottles are used on lots of boats (a South Africa favourite)

 

[Magpie]

I was going to spray in a load of foam, but read in a few places that over time it soaks up water, so your yak would get heavier and heavier.

That may or may not be true mind you.

A popular one with yakers is to shove a load of pool noodles, them long foam cylinders, inside.

 

[bobdonny]

I was going to spray in a load of foam, but read in a few places that over time it soaks up water, so your yak would get heavier and heavier.

That may or may not be true mind you.

A popular one with yakers is to shove a load of pool noodles, them long foam cylinders, inside.

Ya I have foam in the bouyancy tanks of my boat and it is soaking and very heavy...once water gets in its almost impossible to remove. If you can get drink bottles you need to silkaflex the lids on, but I plan on removing the foam and replacing them with small plastic balls like this...
Buy Chad Valley Bag of 100 Multi-Coloured Plastic Play Balls at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Other outdoor games.

When I am doing this I plan to throw a few into the kayak as well and seal off the hatch area. I also plan on fitting some waste pipe for rods and spearguns and sealing that in. But thats a winter project

 

[scottwilson]

Great choice in Yak Bobdonny.

I like the idea of the plastic balls. That front hatch will come in handy for sure, I have a small hatch in the bow similar to the one closest to you that I use to store a spare mask, snorkel etc.... Its also a good place to put your lunch and keep it away from the elements

 

[Mr. X]

...A popular one with yakers is to shove a load of pool noodles, them long foam cylinders, inside.

I read that as Pot Noodles on first pass . I like that type of foam (same as body boards?). Polyurethane? Quite resilient. Those noodles can be expensive but I noticed a local "cheap stuff" shop had a big box of them outside this year.

With the balls, I'd be worried that they might escape, e.g. if the hatched opened. I can just imagine a yak sinking as lots of coloured balls appear at the surface.

The problem with wine-box bladders is that you'd have to get rid of all that wine first:friday.