SpeciMan

http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=9174.0

My latest version: 6m of floating rope with a small float attached to take the weight of the carabiner tied to one end. This could be turned into an emergency tow rope by lengthening the rope and adding a bungee buffer and another carabineer on the opposite end. The rope is stored in a mesh bag. This keeps it seperate from the anchor and reel when not in use keeping things tidy and preventing tangles. A medium weight Ortlieb dry bag is used. Black was the only colour I had - however being a high contrast colour its quite easy to spot during daylight. I also added yellow and reflective tape. This dry bag has D rings near the mouth. A carabiner is attached to a D ring. This is used to attach the dry bag to the anchor line and to clip the bag and contents to the tankwell/crate when not in use. A Divers SMB reel is used - there are a number of different models available. I've got two different types but prefer this one mainly because it floats and offers a free spool mode where you don't need a finger on a lever to release line. I will reduce the length of line on this reel as it feels a bit overloaded - it can jam on the last few turns if the line is not distributed well on the spool. I've done away with the chain on the anchor. It works fine without it - I don't anchor over rocky ground. When the anchor is deployed, the dry bag is clipped onto the anchor line. The floating rope is then clipped through the SMB reel handle with the opposite end of the rope passed through the carabineer on the anchor trolley and jammed in a cleat. The floating rope can be quickly released from the kayak if you encounter difficulties at anchor or need to paddle over and help, photograph or chat to a fishing buddy. When not in use the rope, reel and anchor is stored in the dry bag. With air expelled from dry bag it makes for compact storage. If a normal buoy had been used big enough to easily spot at sea storage could be more of an issue. I've added some foam to the bottom of my dry bag - this cushions the anchor from the deck and provides some buoyancy should the dry bag become flooded. On the scales the whole lot (dry bag, 1.5kg anchor, anchor reel, dry bag, floating rope, mesh bag & sponge ) weighs just 2.6kgs. I've used this system a couple of times now and it works great. The buoy sits more vertical in stronger current.

A Yakkers New Trident

Good luck with the auction Mike. Wouldn't mind a paddle of the Scapa looks quite swift and if it does weigh the stated 23kgs it should be easy to manage off water - the volumes quite low though -something to be aware of - the description mentions it will take one an adult and a child. Doesn't mention in the description if it includes the cockpt enclosure system - might not be worth having anyway unless you're heading out in winter and want the biting wind kept off you. ----------------------------------- Second thoughts, thinking back to last winter, there was no biting wind down here!

Haven't seen it mentioned on this board. This weekend its the AnglersAfloat Species Hunt - a free to enter, fun tournament that can take place at any legal venue/s of your choice salt or fresh. Details: http://www.anglersafloat.co.uk/KayakTournament_07.html Tournament Forum Discussion: http://anglersafloat.proboards107.com/inde...read=1180822607 (need to register or be logged in to view forum pages).

To be fair on Mike, he went back and edited his posts on the BIC thread (perhaps too much!) and the original review which caused the hoo haa has since been updated and is much more balanced. Mikes still posting after taking some stick & I hope he continues to do so.

Any joy with your reel servicing?

Too easy to get swamped - by waves or wash from passing boats.

Excellent post Andrew. Only yesterday I was reading up on kayak design and materials and came across another good article. It also covers the pros and cons of different materials (about 2/3rds down the page) and the rest of the article talks about kayak design, stability etc. Rogue Paddler - How to choose the right kayak Simon

Just received these images from Simon Everett who struggles to post pictures online! Taken yesterday at North Wales, these are the first on water shots of the Kaskazi Marlin which features the new center 'glove box'. Before anyone asks, no I haven't taken a bung. There are enthusiasts (UK & abroad) waiting to see these images.

Nice post Neil. Paintly and Darnsarf posting on the parallel thread at the AnglerAfloat forum also mentioned they've been involved in a call out too. Have just signed up for Offshore RNLI membership. £5 a month direct debit.

I think it was Phooey who damaged his dorado whilst entering the surfzone with a rod in the flushmounts. Strapping the rods along a gunwale, breaking the rods down or placing them in the hull will reduce chance of damage. If you get snagged whilst trolling, the yak tends to turn round and face the snag before any damage is done, giving you time to release tension on the line. I always have the drag set at least a little less than tight. Which yak did you get Pav?

Nice report Martin. The cooker exploding is worrying - similar models to that are sold in a lot of camping shops. Were you wearing shorts at the time? If you'd been in paddling trousers it would have been an expensive replacement.

Thanks for that John. Great blog by the way I enjoy reading it. Simon

Some info on channel 0: "Maritime Use 2.1 VHF Channel 0 (Zero) Channel 0 is the Primary Coastguard SAR Channel for use with Declared Facilities 1, either for routine communications or for communications during SAR Operations when only Declared Facilities are involved. It is a private channel for licensed users only and is controlled by HM Coastguard. All applications to fit and use Channel 0 should be sent to HMCG for approval." taken from a pdf: SAR Implementation & Control

Have you tried putting one twist in the part of the strap which runs underneath the kayak? - that may help reduce the noise. I've got cable ties on my front hatch straps. I feed the end of the strap back in through the tie.

Hi Jules Thats a great account. I can remember reading about that incident on the BBC website and the Lifeboat Blog last month. There are definite similarities between last nights episode and yours although yours went a stage further! Last night, when the guy spoke over the in vehicle PA system there must have been quite a crowd up there on the cliff top - theres a seafront apartment block along there. However, by the time I got back up to the top of the cliff, there was a deserted road with one curtain twitcher left. Have just been down to the lifeboat station, I don't think last nights call went down as an incident - the incident board hasn't been updated - the station was locked but will make a point of popping down there when someones around. Even though I've called the Coastguard before, the coastguard crew I spoke to last night weren't aware of kayak fishing. They thought I was 'stuck' there out at sea not at anchor happily fishing away. Of course I should have called first to let people know what I was up to but I did ask them why they didn't try to call me over VHF. I'd been on CH16 all night.

Hopefully the title to this thread will pull in as many views as the BIC review thread. Fished Barton On Sea this evening, a sleepy coastal village in the eastern corner of Christchurch Bay, Dorset. I've been meaning to fish this venue since I've had a kayak but given I'm spoiled for choice of marks in my area and Barton gets the brunt of the westerly swell I've held off fishing here. Tonight the conditions looked favourable so I decided to try for sole. Theres quite a steep path down to the shore which has also put me off launching here but with the invention of the C-tug I gave it a go and it was no big deal. I didn't take much tackle & coming back up wasn't too bad I just pushed the kayak up the slope from the stern and stopped for rests. When I got to the shoreline it was high tide, the sun was still up and I picked my launch spot - a steepish section of shingle bank. Counting the waves I waited for a lull and seal launched the kayak (only about 7 feet or so) down the bank and into the water (felt good ). I paddled out to my mark - probably about 400 yards off shore. I wasn't far out & was out of range from a couple of beach fisherman along the shore. I set up my new v2 anchor quick release system which uses a dry bag as a buoy which worked very well (will post up a thread about it at some point) and fished on into dusk. The wind picked up a little and it became a little lumpy when the tide turned but I decided to stick it out as it was manageable. Bites soon came and the bream were going nuts! Took a couple of these fishy protein shots for the pot and put the rest back. Now to the title of this thread... Not long after darkness fell I noticed commotion from the nearby cliff top - I couldn't make out what was happening up there - headlights from a vehicle hit me head on a few times but then went off - I had my VHF on channel 16 nothing happening on there & put it down to perhaps boy racers in the car park above. When I saw a few sillouttes of people on the cliff top and then heard a voice over a loud speaker, that was enough. I paddled back into see what was happening. Turns out a concerned resident had seen me leaving and called the coastguard when it got dark. When I got to shore I had a brief chat with the coastguard volunteers(eek!) and the Mudeford Lifeboat now on its way over (eeek!) was asked to stand down. I gave them my details ran through my safety kit to reassure them and they went off being fine about me heading back out if I wanted to. I didn't, I called it a day. The obvious lesson to this is always phone the coastguard first to let them know what you doing... but I've come back unsure as to how far I should take this. Depending on where I'm heading and what I'm doing I may phone the coastguard but on this occassion I didn't (I should have). Fishing Tanners Lane, central Solent (very quiet area) I haven't but all it takes is one concerned bystander to make that call. But call outs aren't only a night thing. Not long ago Mark Crame shared with us details of another call out when he was trying out his sail in broad daylight. So its left me thinking should I be calling them everytime I launch no matter how short the trip, the conditions or time of day. How many of us do this? I am of course grateful that there are people out there concerned enough to make the call and to the coastguard and RNLI for being there. ----------- Ready to take the flak - hopefully something good will come from this post.

Have you tried Microsoft Live? Sometimes the resolution of the images is better than Google Earth. http://maps.live.com/ You will have to click the birds eye view icon top left corner to change from the default map view.

The 30-50lb would be used when trying again for the common skate or if I try for a shark. The 20-30lb used when after conger in rocky areas (tire it out faster) or fishing stronger tides with heavy leads if I want to hold bottom (thinking outer Christchurch Ledge and the Needles in my area). Wouldn't mind trying for a blonde ray too. Rest (most) of the fishing would be 10-20lb plus a spinning rod on board. Would rather catch mackeral, bream etc on as light gear as possible.

I think it was Simon Everett who recommended the Salt ones. I've been wanting to take a look at that them too. Have emailed the seller about a possible 10-20lb/30-50lb combo. That and a 10-20lb/20-30lb set would cover all fish species, & I'd have two 10/20lbs rods which I'd use the most.

Thanks for that. The bags just under half the weight of the rods - which is good - I thought the stainless steel fittings may have turned the rod into a really heavy item. I currently fish with Fladen Solid C's but they're not doing too well now. Have chipped a ring on one, have replaced the tip ring on another and had one rod replaced when the screw on the handle went. There is also light corrosion behind the rings. The blank itself is nice but I feel they've skimped on the fittings. From those pics, the fireflys look much better quality - the SS rings look durable & the rod easy to stow as its a travel rod. I don't mind opening the front hatch at sea but don't like putting my Solid Cs in the hull as they can get damaged this way. A couple of beers coming your way...

Hi David If its not too much trouble could you pop only the rod sections on the scales ? I suspect the case makes up quite slice of the 1.5kgs.

For £200 looks good. Quite heavy though for its size. Looks quite similar to my Caper I used to have - should be ok for shorter close inshore trips on sheltered waters. You'll have to check it out in the flesh. Can't make out from the pic areas where you could fit rod holders. If the hull isn't injected with foam you may be able to fit a front hatch.

Hi DD Is this the kayak in question? I have not seen or paddled one but going from this pic and specs ,if it is then there are a few things to bear in mind before buying. Firstly, do you plan to paddle this by yourself or with someone else? Thats quite a lot of yak for one person to deal with - it weighs 70lbs and could be hard to car top on your own. It has a 36" inch beam. Thats one of the widest sit on tops I have seen. The beam should give excellent primary stability (it won't feel tippy when you get on board) and you'll probably be able to stand up on it in calm water (in practice I question how many do this and how often). However to stop your hand from smacking the gunwhale you'll probably need a longer paddle which in turn may place more stress on your shoulder joints. If you're not planning on going far, fishing calm waters then it may not be much of an issue. But, if you do get into kayak fishing and head out regulary you could soon outgrow this kayak and pine for something more efficient and easier to deal with off the water. For fishing, the kayak appears to have a very small tankwell of an awkward shape so it may be tricky finding a crate for it. Theres no internal storage either.