Yesterday a buddy and I loaded up the kayaks and headed out into the ice floes of Lake Superior. The ice is pretty spectacular up close, when the sun is just right the entire wall glistens like a million diamonds. Some years the walls are 50 ft tall and resemble, on a smaller scale, the glaciers of the artic. On a rare 70 degree day the ice calves off the face and adds to the excitement of being a kid again. There is only a small window of opportunity to enjoy this sort of activity so when the conditions are right off we go. This weekend, weather permitting we are planning on shooting some easy class 2 whitewater and after a long winter, get the blood moving again.
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Now that looks kool.
Armin: That looks like a lot of fun.
Thanks guys, yes it is fun, this will be my second season doing the kayak thing and I'm really looking forward to paddling in total peace and quiet. I spent the better part of 40 years canoeing and kind of frowned upon getting into a kayak. Late last summer a friend of mine stopped by my job site and forced me at hammer point to take an hour off and give him a tour of the cliffs. The wife tried one as well and the next day I went out and bought two.
Armin- thats looks pretty cool. I've done a bit of canoeing, how hard is it to learn to kayak? We spend some time most every summer by Lake Superior, mostly in Duluth/MN northshore area. Are you on the UP? Would like to get up that way this summer.
Mike.
Arcticcat, If you can canoe you can kayak, you can go twice as far with the same amount of effort. It's like the difference between snowshoeing and skiing. I think a kayak is more stable than a canoe, especially in rough water. The cockpit takes a bit getting used to and on the downside getting in and out of one is a bit awkward until you get the hang of it. I'm in Munising, just east of Marquette. If you come this way send me a message, be happy to give you a tour.
Thanks Armin, maybe we'll take you up on that offer if we get up your way. Enjoy the ice while you can.
Mike
Lookout for the iceberg!!!
Cool pictures Armin, how long will that ice be around?
Doug
how long will that ice be around?
Depends on wind and temp, if this mornings temp of 19 continues it could be a while. Some years it's gone by mid April, last year some diehards on the shady side of the shore remained until mid June.
Hey Armin,
Here's a couple of old fiberglass kayaks that my fishing partner and I are modifying to fit our old carcasses and fishing needs.
Gabe
Gabe,
Loks like you extended the cockpit to allow for bait, tackle & beer. Old Town makes a nice fishing kayak but a bit to pricey for me. What did you make the rim out of, it looks like you got a pretty good fit.
Armin,
I used some salvaged rink board soft poly that we had in various sizes and thickness. After the initial cut, I cut a one piece "gasket" out 1/4" material for the inside and a 1/2" by 1/2" for the top portion of the waffer with the fiberglass in between. Once that was done, I install a vertical piece made out of 2 pieces of 1/4" material all glued and screwed together.
There are several companies that make good fishing kayaks such as the one sold by LL Bean and Wilderness system makes some of the best.
We have no idea if our experiments will work but they were free and so was most of the material we are using. Junkhound would be proud.
In one of the pictures you can see the beginnings of the outrigger assembly that we're trying to put together.
Always wanted to try kayaking and this will certainly give us the incentive to do it in spades.
75% of our fishing is done out of a square stern canoe with a small electric motor and I really like the quietness and ability to get into some pretty tight areas that most boats can't go near.
Gabe
Armin,
Here's a shot of the initial waffering of 1/4 material, fiberglass shell edge and 1/2 by 1/2 stock screwed together before adding the vertical pieces.
Gabe
I got my wife a flat water kayak . Its a Pelican ,poly plastic construction. She uses it to fish on the pond all the time. I had to modify an old fishing pole to fit . Cut it down to about 28 inches. She carries a small folding anchor a dip net stringer and bait.
Have you tried kayaking too Don?
I think Armin has the right idea for touring the waterways in his. I really hope our kayaks work out the way I want. For the time being it's a great project during the off season.
Gabe
Thanks for the ideas Gabe and Don, I'll be on the look out for a cheap beater to remodel into a custom fish boat. At the risk of sounding like a nut job, whats your thought on cutting a hole out the bottom and putting in a clear panel. The seal would be tricky but think of what you could see.
Use the GM type windsheild tape . that stuff is soooo sticky and resiliant for years and years.
I have used it to make custom thermal pane windows . 2o years ago still nut fogging
One other way would be to make metal frames that bolt together with a neopreme gasket and window sandwiched between.
I suppose it could be easily done but the trick would be to keep the outside slick and smooth without any bumps or ridges to slow the flow.
Gabe
I can't she woun't let me use her kayak ,because she might need it. I just get to make the stuff for it .
I had to make her a cart with big wheels so she can run down to the river on a moments notice.
I'll have to get my own if I want to do any kayaking.
Don and Armin,
Tried the kayak in the river yesterday before proceeding any further with the project. Had to find out if me and the kayak were compatible. Also had to check out the water line and my 225 lb ballast.
First time in a kayak after a few decades in a canoe, I have to say that I've found a new love.
The prototype was perfect so far. Time to get serious about picking out the final finishes and accessories.
On my fishing partner's kayak we installed a keel from one end to the other and it seemed to track perfectly but we didn't have mine without the keel to compare. Before I install any keel or keels on mine, we will compare the two this Saturday when I go up the valley.
Gabe
Well I've come to the conclusion that I may need training wheels if I want to lean over and fish out of this new creation of mine.
I have no intentions of practicing eskimo rolls to view fish from below.
Outriggers are the answer. Can't find some that I like off the shelf so it's back to the drawing board.
Will post the results when I find something that works.
Gabe
gabe an out rigger and a keel are probably good ideas.
From the amount of rocker (curve from front to back) those look like river kayaks.
more maneuverable and less stable and will require more effort to make them go straight.
for people with six pack abs not quarter kegs!!!
;)
I got a touring Kayak that is great for lakes and slow moving water.
stable and goes where you point it.
Have fun!!!
I have never been spanked, But I could use a good paddle!
Mr T
Happiness is a cold wet nose
Life is is never to busy to stop and pet the Doggies!!
You're absolutely right about the advantages of the keel. We put one on Don's right off and the difference is like night and day. His is controllable and mine will track every which way but straight.
I'm going to try modifying a keel on mine by adding 2 strips of compatible plastic (1/2" X 3/4") about a foot apart and only for about 5 or 6 ft. midship.
Then it's back to the river for a little testing.
We're going to have to try various shapes and sizes of outriggers ala duct tape assembly first before we can settle on something permanent.
I don't think that it will take very large pontoons. Another consideration is that they have to be easily attached and removed when not fishing.
Bass season opens on the last weekend of June out here and our kayaks will be 100% completed by then, come hell or high water.
Hard to find the time to tinker, I'm caught between finishing deficiencies on one project and excavating the second project (60 miles apart) right now while I tread water waiting for the long awaited, politically delayed and unsure of start date of my next 3 year project to start.
Oh well, fishing is more important and the kayaks will have to come first............
Gabe
I got the keels installed and also the support blocks for the outriggers.
Still trying to come up with a good light design for the outriggers and keep changing my mind.
The keels made a world of difference in tracking and even helps with stability but not enough.
Gabe
I have built surfboards, and my wife paddles the big outrigger canoes. she has a small one man outrigger with an ama (pontoon for those of you who don't speak Hawaiian). It attaches with a couple ubolts that protrude up through the deck. The pontoon is hollow of thermoformed plastic.
But, you could combine the two technologies, by cuttin a piece of 1/4 in plywood into the profile you desire. Then take 3 or 4 inch dense foam and glue to each side. Then shape with a sureform rasp, and coat with a thin layer of fiberglass cloth and resin. Bond some aluminum tube to the top of it, and glue on the ubolts and youre in like Flyn. Make the tubes long so you can adjust the length to get just the right amount of "antiroll".
Stef
How far out from the kayak do you think I would have to go.
I didn't want to go any more than 36" wide overall but I really don't know. I'm probably going to have to experiment with different diameters of tubes, different lenghts and different spacings.
I don't feel that I need much, just enough to stabilize the craft during typical fishing activities.
Only giving ourselves another month to reach 100% completion with final finishes.
Gabe
Sorry I didn't get back to you sooner.
Hers are out about 4 feet. They only keep you from rolling toward the outrigger. Easy as pie to roll the other way, called "going Huli".
Have you tried making it yet?
Stef
Hi,
Got the 1 inch aluminium tubing made up for the outriggers last week.
They will span 48" and have welded 90 degree returns on each end to attach to the pontoons.
Can't decide on the final product for the pontoons yet, but may try 4" light PVC piping shaped with foam ends to make em streamlined.
It's hard to find the time between bass fishing but I'm not giving up and it will be done by the end of next month.
Will post pictures of the next step for input from you all.
Gabe
Linda took her kyack out on the pond and got 10 big small mouth bass for dinner the other day.
Why are you leaning over ? put a tall back rest on that thing with an umbrella for shade ,and to keep the beer cool. Lean back and cast just to the side .......... Oh I forgot you are pulling in the BIGG ONES from the north country . Never mind. Just tie the both of your kyaks together so he can help you land the whale
Hold onto that umbrella thought for a little while. If the outriggers out work well, watch out.
Gabe