[WayneD]

Finally got around to getting started on the basic mods that I wanted to do to my Espri.

First up I wanted 2 rod holders out the back so that I can troll. The lovely people at Viking put the tie down points for the seat right where I wanted them so I removed them and will just clip to the ones holding the grabline on instead. I am fairly handy with the tools and had no dramas in drilling a couple of big holes in the yak and then shaping them to fit the rod holders with the jigsaw. Siliconed up the bottom of the holder to stop leakage and also under flange of the rod holder.

I was also planning on mounting my fishfinder but after redphenox did such a lovely job on his removeable rack thingy, I thought I would just copy him. Very easy to do and only cost $20. It is made from 20mm PVC. I think I am going to try and paint it a similar colour to the yak.

That's all for now.

 

[Dodge]

The lovely people at Viking put the tie down points for the seat right where I wanted them so I removed them and will just clip to the ones holding the grabline on instead. .

Wayne

Progress is going well mate.

The seat deck loops had to be moved on my espri also and tried your grabline idea above without success, screwed loops back on, inboard of the holders and they work well without interferring with rods [see dodge espri in Rigged Kayaks]

 

[RedPhoenix]

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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[WayneD]

OK the fish finder mounting bar is finished and disconnects in about 1.7 seconds for ease of movement to another yak. The battery and excess cables are kept in a dry sack under the front bungees. Even painted the bar, at the moment it is just in etch primer but will paint it a closer colour to the espri as soon as I can find one that matches.

I will be getting some sort of velcro straps to hold it onto the hand rails. Anyone know where to get these, my rod straps are too long.

Will have to test the transducer mount, may cause a little bit of drag, so I'll have to wait to pass judgement on it.

 

[RedPhoenix]

I will be getting some sort of velcro straps to hold it onto the hand rails. Anyone know where to get these, my rod straps are too long.

Grabbed mine from bunnings, in the electrical section (they're sort-of cable-ties). Failing that though, check out Spotlight:
http://www.spotlight.com.au/?p=8162

Red.

 

[milansek]

HI WAYNE
THAT YAK SURE IS LOOKING GOOD . MIGHT GET YOU TO RIG ONE OF MINE UP :wink: SEE YOU , MILAN

 

[WayneD]

I remembered that I had a buggered portable jumpstarter (faulty charging mechanism) and the battery shop guy told me they use a small sealed 12v battery so I pulled it apart hoping for a spare 7 AH but instead found a 12 AH, even better! Although a bit on the big side will be good for any longer trips I will do, maybe camping overnight somewhere.

Then I charged up the battery to test it and it charged up OK so then I tested the emergency light they have in them, yep that still works. Hmmm..... I wonder if I can hook that up to work in my kayak.

So I started with a small klip it container. These things claim to be airtight, so they should be watertight also, in theory. I pulled the light and the switch from the jumpstarter. Tried to silicone light housing to container, didn't work. Tried to supaglue light housing to container, didn't work. So then double sided taped it to it. For the switch I just drilled a hole slightly smaller than the switch itself and then just screwed it in.

Still have to finish off the wiring as I don't have enough of the small wire to run to the battery but have tested it and it works just fine. It is at the perfect height for shining a light in your lap when fishing at night time in the yak. Plus I still have access to the front hatch if needed.

I just added another piece of aluminium to the fish finder rack to attach it to. The whole thing is still portable to hange to another kayak if needed.

 

[WayneD]

Here's me and my yak all loaded up for a trip to Peel for the weekend. On top I have my tent, my sounder and battery, two rods and all my tackle in the pockets on the back of the seat, esky with 30 cans of beer and ice, tarp, camp pantry, and anchor. Below deck I have a 10ft telescopic fishing rod, 20, 10, & 5ltr dry sacks, 6 bottles of 1.5ltr water, brag mat and any other small items that the other guys couldn't fit in their yak.

After the weekend I have only two complaints about the design of the Espri. The first is that there is no scupper holes in the footwells so they fill up with water and then the bottom half of the front hatch goes under water before the scupper holes above the footrest start letting water out, possible leakage point. The second is that the back hatch needs to be bigger like on the Calypso's. This way it would be easier to store things under the deck. To get my dry sacks underneath I had to put them inside the hatches empty and then fill them up, a bit painfull when you have to do it often.

 

[dooyor]

hi wayne its a kayak not a caravan :lol:
tommy

 

[vertigrator]

That's a good setup you've got there.

How did it perform with all that extra weight on board? Especially since a lot of it is above the water line.

How many k's to get to where you camped?

Cheers
Vert

 

[WayneD]

Sorry for the late reply Vertigrator

The extra weight made it tougher to steer and the esky on the back acted like a sail and kept pushing me sideways on the way back when the wind was up, apart from that once you got up to speed it was no harder than usual.

From Cleveland point to Horseshoe Bay, my friend who has done the trip a few times, said it was 8 or 9 kms.

 

[PeterJ]

Yeah i agree with the rear hatch, ive measured the other types to put a bigger one in but can't find the right size yat.

I use a car wash sponge in the well to get rid of the water. I've never had any water get into the yak from the front hatch being where it is though.

 

[YakAtak]

I agree with Pete, no water ever gets into the hatches, but have found them to be too small to get any sizable gear into. Bring on the Scupper Pro! :twisted:

 

[WayneD]

Thought I had better not go over a year before updating my ride.

Honestly I have done not much too it. I added the obligatory milk crate on the back, a paddle holder, the sticker went on it as soon as I got it, and the most recent is the berkley rod holder which went on today. I also made a trolley today out of an old wheelie bin, something I have been meaning to do for ages.

Apart from that the only other thing I need is another rod holder for the other side, but I can wait for that.

View attachment 2
View attachment 1

 

[greenhornet]

Nice job on the trolley , very snug !!

 

[quadman]

I will be getting some sort of velcro straps to hold it onto the hand rails. Anyone know where to get these, my rod straps are too long.

Grabbed mine from bunnings, in the electrical section (they're sort-of cable-ties). Failing that though, check out Spotlight:
http://www.spotlight.com.au/?p=8162

Red.

For your velcro try a 3m product ,it is clear but once its on thats where it stays
Cheers Quadman