Share Your Innovations

[Phatford]

I am suprised that putty works. It is mostly clay and some have fiberglass or other stuff mixed in to keep it strong. I used it a lot in Vaccuum sealing applications. Also I would not expect the putty to release air bubbles, which could be a problem.

I am kind of confused after looking at your picture though... It seemed like your Fish Finder screen was all clutered? Is that right? Mine is perfectly clear except where I would expect to see noise or Hopefully marks...


Good Luck

[Jimmyz123]

Originally Posted by Phatford

I am suprised that putty works. It is mostly clay and some have fiberglass or other stuff mixed in to keep it strong. I used it a lot in Vaccuum sealing applications. Also I would not expect the putty to release air bubbles, which could be a problem.

I am kind of confused after looking at your picture though... It seemed like your Fish Finder screen was all clutered? Is that right? Mine is perfectly clear except where I would expect to see noise or Hopefully marks...


Good Luck

What you are seeing on the screen, other than the water spots, was whatever was in the water. 99.9% of all the area that I was in was clear, there was a lot of bait in the water, grass, temp changes. I would have liked to video the entire outing but I didn't want to bore anyone.

I was a doubtful about the putty myself but I thought well for a $1.29 it can't hurt and if it doesn't work, I'll just Goop it down when I get home. After seeing the results from yesterday, I am very happy with it.

[blitzburgh]

Originally Posted by dsafety

Good job Jimmy. Your method is similar to the grease mount version that I currently use. The wet mount, while very effective can have some problems, most notably leakage.

Bob

Bob, do you have your grease mount posted here anywhere? I cannot find it and would like some deets. Thanks!

[Dunegoat]

Question for you guys who made your own live well;

What speed bilge pump are you using? I'm debating between a 500gph and a 360gph pump. The 500 seems like it blasts a lot of water, maybe too much. Any input would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Randy

[Jimmyz123]

I use the 360 and it works great.

[dsafety]

Originally Posted by blitzburgh

Bob, do you have your grease mount posted here anywhere? I cannot find it and would like some deets. Thanks!

Here you go. http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/s...t=grease+mount (use the search function with keywords "grease mount")


I have been using this technique for nearly a year now with no problems.


Bob

[Jimmyz123]

Originally Posted by Jimmyz123

Electrical Putty Transducer Installation

Not happy with the wet installation results of my transducer I remembered a Youtube video a friend of mine, John Oast, did about installing a transducer with Electrical Putty.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u1d3_UeD3k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEZ9_C1iKP0

I went back to watch how he did the installation and found another video of someone who tested it on 3 different Kayaks with a couple of different installations. I chose to follow what John did with his transducer.
Here are the materials needed, I did not photo the Marine goop but that is needed to secure the sponge to the Kayak in this method of installation.

I like having the ring to be the guide for where the transducer is going to be installed.

First I cleaned the area with alcohol prior to gluing the sponge. Then I glued the sponge into place and let that sit for about 5 minutes.
Then I opened the putty and cut off a little chunk. I then formed that into a small flat slab to put in the center of the sponge opening, making sure to really mush it around to fill the opening.



Then I stuck the transducer in the opening and rocked into place.

This Putty is sticky and does not let things slip. Prior to launching I made sure the transducer did not move and it had not.

I am very happy with the results I found that the readings were right on, depth wise, and temp wise. The best part to this is I can move the FF to another boat, or Kayak at any time.

Cost of the sponge - 99 Cents
Cost of Electrical Putty - $1.29 Home Depot
Marine Goop and Alcohol already on hand.
Time spent on installation including driving 30 minutes.

Watch the videos I have included there is a way to install without gluing anything to the hull. Great option if you don't want to glue anything to your hull.

There was a concern mentioned that what happens to the putty after time, does it break down, does it have any issues. I have actually used the same chunck of putty shown in the picture to install my FF in the Malibu and Kayak I had and also now in the Prowler I currently own. It does not lose it's stickyness, and has not effected the performance at all. I know many love the water mount install, but I challenge you to explore going away from the popular trend, save some money, and install this way if you are shooting thru the hull.

[james92026]

IMG_0823.jpgdon't know how good it will be, but just messing around and made one out of sturdy wire coat hangar (the type that have a coating). It is simply bent into loop, hooks on each side, wrapped top loop with electrical tape. It seems strong enough and when weight is on it, the hooks hold firm. Of course you can get a real one for $18.95.

[jorluivil]

I was interested in purchasing one of those new Hobie deep trays for my Outback but I was getting nothing but bad reviews from those that already had them. Most if not all of the guys that I talked to stated that if to much weight was added or if it was a hot day the tray would give and fall through into the kayak, I decided to buy it anyway and see what I could do to keep it from falling through. After figuring out why the tray would fall through I came up with a little idea.

Step 1
cut a piece of 3/4" PVC to size


Step 2
Goop the hell out of it



It works great!! I had roughly 3 lbs of lead, my digital scale, digital camera, cell phone and a few other small items in the tray and it never fell through.

[bryguth]

Step 2
Goop the hell out of it



It works great!! I had roughly 3 lbs of lead, my digital scale, digital camera, cell phone and a few other small items in the tray and it never fell through.[/QUOTE]

Good idea George!!! I purchased one on Sat, took it out Hooping on Sunday and it already has cracks in the same places were you added the reinfocement... I am convinced that goop is the new duct tape... I wonder what McGguyver would have done with a little goop and PVC?

[dsafety]

For me, the biggest problem with the Hobie hatch system is that there is usually water that settles in the seams around the hatch. When I open the hatch, all that water falls on my previously dry stuff.

Has anyone come up with a solution to this problem, (other than the obvious towel option.)

Bob

[jorluivil]

Originally Posted by dsafety

For me, the biggest problem with the Hobie hatch system is that there is usually water that settles in the seams around the hatch. When I open the hatch, all that water falls on my previously dry stuff.

Has anyone come up with a solution to this problem, (other than the obvious towel option.)

Bob

Drill some tiny holes in the bottom of the bucket/tray. I'll post pics later

[icelogger]

Here are a few mods i did to an X Factor. Bait tank with a t-500 pump. Adjustable FF on a yakattack track with ram mounted for head unit. I can slide and lock into place any where along the track. Transducer through hull set up with duct seal putty couplant. Foot trough lined with comfortable rubber matting material.

[Cbad Mike]

Originally Posted by icelogger

Here are a few mods i did to an X Factor. Bait tank with a t-500 pump. Adjustable FF on a yakattack track with ram mounted for head unit. I can slide and lock into place any where along the track. Transducer through hull set up with duct seal putty couplant. Foot trough lined with comfortable rubber matting material.

Looking Great!

[echo1er]

for all your GoPro guys.

[PapaDave]

Lacking the upper body strength to just yank a fish out of the water, I have been thinking of some small, inexpensive way to use a rod butt holder while tugging on the larger variety. Here is what I found, 1 1/4 inch tee, just thread your belt through the tee section. I ahve tried it and it seems to work, and it is comfortable and out of the way most of the time.

[Yakin]

Originally Posted by echo1er

for all your GoPro guys.

I would like to see how you attached this

[bus kid]

Originally Posted by Yakin

I would like to see how you attached this

with knotless string!

[DanaPT]

I had a wild hair and picked up a used outback on the forum. Now I have two kayaks (i will eventually sell one of them).

for about 1 week I had them side by side in the garage. Hard to do anything in the garage since they were in the way. Making things worse I really couldn't access them easily.

I needed a storage solution.

I Poked around on line and liked the idea of hanging the yaks on the wall on their sides. My pops was in town (a very clever man). We discussed and then off to Home Depot. I bought 2 X 10 ft sections of 3/4 inch steel pipe, 8 bolts @ 1/4 x 2 1/2 s & borrowed a pipe bender.

I Cut the pipe into 4 x 5ft sections and did this.
- hammer flat one side of the pipe about from the end to 6 inches down.
- Drilled two 1/4 inch holes in the newly flattened ends
- Bent away. Used a metal wired hanger as my template
- Bolted the bent pipe/racks on the wall.
- Hung kayaks.

What I still need to do is trim-down (shorten) the racks. I trimmed about 8 inches from the bottom hangers. That makes mounting and un-mounting way easier.


All said a very in expensive fix to storage.

[mtnbykr2]

damn it, now I don't have an excuse for getting that other kayak...looks great, thanks for sharin'....