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JaniFIN

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You;re probably right, if your talking about the rear rod holders. That's worth consideration, but we're still looking at an offset angle. The front rod holders are my go to rod holders. Not only that, but you'd keep kicking the cross tube.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I finally worked it out. Secured the storage crate to the rear well using the existing bunhgee fittings. Now everything gets bolted to the crate. I can now attach the outriggers, motor mount and other goodies securely.

Pics to come.

Sent from my GT-I8150T using Tapatalk 2

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  • 3 weeks later...

As promised, some pics of the pimping so far:

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Found some latches to secure the crate to the bungee screws.

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Made an anchor light from 4 x super-bright led's epoxied to the base of a medicine cup. Turned upside down on the top of the light pole, silastic to keep it in place and powered by a 9 volt battery hidden in the pole.

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Found a chassis switch to turn it on with. BTW, I tested it out. The battery will last over a week non stop.

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Watersnake 24lb motor attached to the varnished skirting board which, in turn, is bolted to the crate with a couple of eye bolts. (Handy for attaching more stuff later).

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Painted the whole thing bright gloss red and added a yellow plastic flag (actually a medical waste bag from work, don't worry, it's new!) so I would be more visible on dull days.

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The guy next door was throwing out an old mountain bike. I grabbed the reflectors of the wheels and screwed them on to the sides of the crate. A bit of a wank, yes, but you can't be too visible to other craft.

BTW, the outriggers you see there need a lot more buoyancy before I mount them.

I've just received a new Lowrance Elite 4x for my birthday. I've installed it, albeit the transducer. I have three options;

a) Use the trolling motor mounting kit that came with the fish finder (very temporary)

b] Mount it on the transom which has two brass screw inserts to secure a metal plate to hold the transducer bracket. That work for me. I'm going to test a & b out tomorrow.

c) Through the hull which is my least popular option as I've read too many posts of people having all kinds of trouble, from air bubbles to poor longevity of the adhesive in use.

So that's it. When I decide on a permanent placement for the transducer, I'll post some more pics in case others who bought my "cheap and cheerful" Mantra Noa styled yak have a few more options when it comes their time.

Truth is, I'm convinced that this pimping process is a never ending story. If it ain't something new, it'll be improving what you've already done. I'm even thinking of a waist high grab rail on a frame to make standing and sitting more do-able. Throw some fabric over it and you have a poor man's bimini.

Tight lines for 2014 and beyond.

Edited by GreyNurse
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Hey Greynurse and all,

Mate thanks for the ideas as you know I have the same yak, I'm gonna be doing the same to mine the first chance I get.

Other things iv done as well is run a line the entire way around the top of the yak starting at the back, up one side going throught the loops to the front Handel and back down the other side through the same loops on the other side to Finnishing at the same spot as it started on the opposite side.

What this provides is a line to attach anything that needs to be lanyarded to the yak and it can slide up and down the line freely between the attachment points.

I'll get some photos up so you can see what I'm on about.

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That's a good idea Whitewash. Just like some of the better yaks I've seen. What hardware did you use for the loops? I used s/s saddles from Bunnings. 168705-thumb.JPGThey cost about $2.50 each with the s/s screws.

When I say this pimping is a never ending affair, I've just decided that mounting the transducer on the transom has a couple of drawbacks. One is it's vulnerability to be damaged both on and off the water, especialy getting the yak on and off the roof racks.

Secondly, I worked out I would have to drill another 7/8" hole near the stern, probably on the back wall of the rear well, for the cable. That's a problem as there's no easy way to get to that hole from the center hatch. I could install a 6" hatch in the rear well, or even incorperate your system and run the cable alongside the deck rail rope then drop it down through an (unused) rear rod holder but still, how do you protect the transducer if say, you accidently bang the yak down on the stern. You can't stow it anywhere back there so It could be an expensive placement.

So I'm going to do a "thru the hull" mount. If the results on the screen are satisfactory enough next time I take her out, then that's what I will do. I'm still keeping the braket and adaptor plate I made. Just in case.

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I actually just used the plastic saddles that are already there for the sides and then throught the handle loop and back down the same saddles on the other side, starting and finnishing at the equipment D rigs at the rear.

Once I eventually get my sounder I'll be going throught the same trials as you, but by then You'll have the R'n'D covered.

Cheers Wash

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just bought two of these yaks and they are top value very stable craft.Some great ideas above for the fit out as I too have a watersnake and lowrance x4 ready to go.thanks guys.

Edited by roostersone
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  • 2 weeks later...

Cool as, Whitewash,

That's what I'm gonna go. I took care of the knife placement by getting some of that sticky back velcroe from the $2 shop. Placed a length of the fluffy side on the scabbard and a corresponding length of the hook side on the inner wall next to my right thigh. The knife's always in easy reach. and easy to remove after a session on the water. Wish I could have the same with the lip grips, but the attachment line solves that problem.

Thanks heaps for a great but simple idea.

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OH, I watching 2 days ago yak fishing in NZ Coromandel, By finnish TV. I get huge yak fever again. But it is not enough buy yak, you have buy lot of pimp stuff and use hundreds of hours for pimp it. Building anchor systems, "flybridges", minibar, smoker for fishs...sundec... ext. :sun:

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  • 1 month later...

G'day raiders! Had the first real fishing trip on my new scorpio terrapin xl and have begun the pimping process so thought I'd chuck pics up!

Love the yak really stable and easy to paddle the rudder is so useful!

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Took it out paddling with a mate from work who does paddle boarding, so nice to just float around on pittwater!

First pimping was a cradle to store it at the side of my house, simple but over engineered :P foam timber and some brackets keeps it safe n soundPosted Image

Went out near Roseville yesterday for its first real blooding, got some nice bream and got used to maneuvering the thing! Made some rod leashes with carabiners and bungee chord, and a stakeout pole with carabiner clip from my aluminium sling spear. Rod holders are a bit close to the water so got some 32mm pvc electrical conduit a d rigged some up for a temporary solution, have scottys coming in the mail. Juggling all the gear and rods will take getting used to!

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Going to have to learn to drift fish properly...

Thanks for reading! Hope to see some of you on the water!

Cheers

Witha

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

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Nice, nice & nice. Good idea for the rod holders. I did the same. I'm afraid it's a necessity if you value your reels. Schmick looking unit all round. Where's the Espresso machine? Hehe.

Haha thanks mate, what you think that lovely big dry well at the front is for ;)

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

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