# SA - storage on my yak



## Tim71 (Nov 27, 2013)

Hi all,

I am considering some home made mods to the yak, in the way of removable console or similar. Removable because it is a family yak and I need to throw 2 kids on there with me at times. I have some ideas in mind but just thought I'd throw it out there - if anyone has done the same and might have a succesful idea or some pics?
I mainly want it as a combination bait / tackle/ rod holder type set up so I dont have everything sitting on my lap or around my feet in a mess.
I am not concerned with more holes and fixings in the plastic as long as they serve a purpose.
Any advice or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers


----------



## laneends (Jan 25, 2013)

Do you have room behind you for an esky/crate arrangement that can be fastened down in any number of ways?

Do you have a flat surface/console in front of you? If so You can get a lunch box type tackle box, couple of hooks/tabs or similar at each end. Then attach a couple of short bungies that cross the the console front and back of the box, passing over hooks to hold box down. When not in use unhook box and you will just have a couple of bungie cords across the console.

To store any catch insulated tote back from supermarket


----------



## Tim71 (Nov 27, 2013)

Yes I have stacks of room behind and I bungy down my esky there. I cant reach further behind the esky without chancing a quick dip and i cant move the esky further back as the deck shape tapers off, so a bit of wasted space.
I don't have anything flat in front of me (except the forward deck which is a long reach) which is why I'm looking to make a decent support system a little closer to build from.
At same time don't want to make it awkward to board ship.
I have one small circle hatch just in front of my seat, only good for wallet - keys - phone, am thinking of upsizing that also with a solid container rather than the little bag it comes with.
cheers


----------



## solatree (May 30, 2008)

Tim71 said:


> Yes I have stacks of room behind and I bungy down my esky there. I cant reach further behind the esky without chancing a quick dip and i cant move the esky further back as the deck shape tapers off, so a bit of wasted space.


A couple of thoughts - can you get an alternative to a hard esky ? For example, you could use a soft esky bag - I use a big dry bag with cold blocks or techni nice to keep the catch cold. Use a small crate just behind your seat with what ever gear you need - you generally don't need much and put the soft esky or dry bag behind that. You should also practice sitting side saddle in the kayak - you will find it is quite stable and from that position you can easily reach behind without the risk of falling out. Some flush mounted rod holders, either behind the seat and/or upfront would help carry rods. You can get tube rod holders from scotty (supplied by Binks) or Eco (from BCF). I like the scotty stuff - good quality and there is range of holders interchangeable with the same mounts. Hope this helps.


----------



## laneends (Jan 25, 2013)

This is a tandem with front seat removed? so you have room up front. Catch can go in soft cooler in front of you, clipped/bungeed on to something forward (front seat attachment points?). Get rid of esky and use crate with vertical tubes cable tied on. You are right dont try reaching behind crate. I find if I sort items into several small dry bags and pop them in crate it makes it easier to reach behind you grab bag out, bring it round the front to get what you want then toss bag back in crate, bags keep stuff dry too. it is easier than fumbling through crate for loose items. You could leash the bags if you want to in case you tip

Get rid of centre hatch bag. Either get an oversized soft flexible basket/bucket ($2 shop, bunnings) chop down to hull depth and squeeze it into centre hatch to give you a bigger storage compartment. Or plastic garden mesh, fold up into box shape cable tieing corners and push this into hull below centre hatch. This will increase capacity of hatch, so you can use multiple small tackle boxes and just fish around for the one you want. width of bucket/box can be way bigger than hatch. Think of it as the hatch is just giving access to the hull and the bucket/box is just to stop things sliding out of reach.

Those small lunch box sized padded coolers (the sort kids take to school) are handy for putting a couple of small lure boxes, scissors or what ever in , even bait. This can either tossed in crate or put in front of you. I always like lure and tackle boxes in something so if they come open you dont have stuff fall everywhere.

Oh and leave the kitchen sink at home, we always take too much junk.


----------



## Tim71 (Nov 27, 2013)

Thanks for the advice I like your thoughts there Solatree, in fact I was going to throw out that very question - what alternatives to a hard esky are yakkers using?
The bag sounds like a good idea I like it. It is very quick to flip a lid and chuck a fish in the esky what is it like accessing the bag? Most of my target fishing will be smaller bread and butter species, not so much the trophy snapper and the like (perhaps I will get there one day). So if you are on a hot bite (happens to me all the time.....I wish :lol: ) is the bag easy to use?
Will try that side saddle maneuver never considered it!
cheers and thanks


----------



## Tim71 (Nov 27, 2013)

Just saw your post there laneeds (was half way through the other reply then interruptedd by dinner and kids)
What you mention about the hatch is almost exactly what I was thinking, and had seen some posts on this forum about.
No it's not a tandem but does have reasonable deck room, just not as easy to access as I first thought.
And yes agree with minimal gear, still working through what is 'neccessary' !
Great advice on here guys thanks heaps guys


----------



## solatree (May 30, 2008)

Tim71 said:


> what is it like accessing the bag? Most of my target fishing will be smaller bread and butter species, not so much the trophy snapper and the like (perhaps I will get there one day). So if you are on a hot bite (happens to me all the time.....I wish ) is the bag easy to use?


 Yep - pretty easy to use. If you are targeting bread and butter fish, you could start with zip up insulated bag - that's how I started, using a two bottle wine cooler bag. Some pictures below of my Hobie Lanai Kayak which I suspect is not dissimilar to your Tribe. The Lanai is not a fishing kayak and the pictures show how I had it organised for fishing.


----------



## Tim71 (Nov 27, 2013)

Thanks for the photo's there solatree, that is a neat and clean set up, and that will do me. I need to minimalise.
Never tried the techni ice before I usually use frozen 600ml plastic bottles but having a full sheet of ice looks the goods
cheers


----------



## laneends (Jan 25, 2013)

The problem with an esky is that often its a waste of space for wishful thinking. I started taking an esky, had no room for anything else, even IF I caught anything it never filled the esky, so I was in effect carting a big empty box around at the expense of everything else. I few doughnut trips can cure you of that habit.

Note with the Hobie lanai the rear deck solatree has his bag on is higher than the crate recess, so it is easier to reach than a most yaks. But there is always somewhere to lash down a soft bag.

you can always add more bungee webbing and eyes, Some folks even put some across the bow to put a catch bag there


----------



## solatree (May 30, 2008)

Tim71 said:


> I usually use frozen 600ml plastic bottles but having a full sheet of ice looks the goods


Nothing wrong with frozen bottles especially if you use sea water in them which gets colder than fresh water ice - Techni-ice is really good but it can absorb fish juices - so it needs to be inside a strong plastic bag to separate it from your fish. I now use Techi-ice in the esky I keep in my car for the journey home - and use large flat esky bricks in my catch bag.


----------



## Tim71 (Nov 27, 2013)

Just found a suitable size cooler bag I forgot we ever had, never used, even has a small flip open tab on the top - perfect for quick dispatching  
Lining seems a little thin though may spike easily so will sort out a tougher liner.
Going minimal - seeing the light!


----------



## laneends (Jan 25, 2013)

Tim71 said:


> Just found a suitable size cooler bag I forgot we ever had, never used, even has a small flip open tab on the top - perfect for quick dispatching
> Lining seems a little thin though may spike easily so will sort out a tougher liner.
> Going minimal - seeing the light!


I have seen some with a tougher polythene inner lining that zips out


----------

