Jump to content

Kayak Modifications for Fossil Hunting


Bone Daddy

Recommended Posts

I was wondering if anyone here has made any modifications to their kayaks with the purpose of fossil-hunting in mind? 

 

Having just received a new tandem kayak, I find it lacking in attachment points for gear. It has a good amount of cargo space, but most of it is inside the hull and only accessible through two, 6-inch ports. So, you can only put small-diameter objects into the hull storage. During my previous hunting trips on a single kayak, I always found myself a little short here or there on storage space for my gear : backpack, shovel, screen, probe/walking stick, machete, loot bag, drinks/consumables, and the usual keys/wallet/phone/etc. The result is always a kayak that resembles something out of the Beverly Hillbillies : stuff awkwardly strapped to every surface and poking out in all directions. 

So, after looking all over the web at various websites about kayaks, building kayaks, fishing with kayaks, etc, I have yet to see anything closely related to fossil hunting. Some of the modifications made for fishing could prove useful, but I am curious if my fellow fossil-hunters here have done anything to their own boats with an eye towards improving the fossil hunting experience.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's this one. It's a Lifetime "Kokanee" tandem kayak. It's 10.5 feet long and 36 inches wide. Plastic construction. It can be used in a single configuration by removing one of the seat backs and placing the remaining seat in the center position. When I am using it as a single, I will have plenty of space on the deck. When I am using it as a tandem, space will be more limited. Oddly, the back seat has no cup holder. I guess they figure that person doesn't get thirsty.  LOL. 

I will likely use marine adhesive and heavy-duty velcro to avoid drilling new holes - as much as possible. 

 

wrongway.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This type of plastic has low surface energy, so it is hard to bond to unless you source specialty adhesives.  I think 3M makes some for low surface energy plastics.

  • I found this Informative 1

Grüße,

Daniel A. Wöhr aus Südtexas

"To the motivated go the spoils."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Uncle Siphuncle said:

This type of plastic has low surface energy, so it is hard to bond to unless you source specialty adhesives.  I think 3M makes some for low surface energy plastics.

I read about that. It's tricky to work with, but it's also tricky to mount new hardware if you start drilling holes in hard to reach places. I'd like to find an adhesive that has strong holding power, but will not drastically outlive the velcro I attach to it. A couple years down the line, I don't want worn out velcro attached so firmly to the hull that I need to chisel it off. Things like paddle holders, drink holders, etc.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've always purchased "sit inside" kayaks instead of "sit on top", just because of the problems you're having. Carrying bags of matrix or large heads of coral requires allot of space and larger access ports and heavy loads stabilize the kayak instead of making it top heavy. As far as not wanting to drill holes in the hull, I would reconsider that. The way we use them, as long as you stay above the water line, leakage is minimal to non-existent. I cut a 12" diameter hole in the top deck of my last kayak to install a round cooler (which worked great) and I only sunk it once in heavy seas in Yankeetown. Hundreds of Peace River trips were uneventful.

  • I found this Informative 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

5 hours ago, Sacha said:

I've always purchased "sit inside" kayaks instead of "sit on top", just because of the problems you're having. Carrying bags of matrix or large heads of coral requires allot of space and larger access ports and heavy loads stabilize the kayak instead of making it top heavy. As far as not wanting to drill holes in the hull, I would reconsider that. The way we use them, as long as you stay above the water line, leakage is minimal to non-existent. I cut a 12" diameter hole in the top deck of my last kayak to install a round cooler (which worked great) and I only sunk it once in heavy seas in Yankeetown. Hundreds of Peace River trips were uneventful.

 

Hi Sascha,

I've always had mixed feelings about both types of kayaks. I like the containment and accessibility of a sit-in, but I also like the ease of getting in/out of a sit on top. Also, one can stand (carefully) on a sit on top. But yeah, all of that cargo space inside a sit on top is wasted for large objects. I guess I could just open the port and stop dropping dugong ribs into the hull.  LOL.

I really wish I could put my screen and shovel inside the hull and get it out of the way on the deck. What did you use to cut your cooler hole? Do you put any kind of float inside your hull (just in case it sinks like it did in Yankeetown) ?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Bone Daddy said:

What did you use to cut your cooler hole? Do you put any kind of float inside your hull (just in case it sinks like it did in Yankeetown) ?

 

I just drilled a starter hole and used a scroll saw. The plastic works very easily.  No floatation is really required in the hull because we're usually in such shallow water or close to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...