Aluminum Motor Mount For W Fishing Kayak

I have made some modifications to the motor mount designs out there, and this is what I have come up with. I have to thank Bruce Ramsey at Action Marine and Welding in Cape Coral for the fine aluminum work.
The wood used in the mount is Oak, which I will be treating with a Marine Grade Finish. I have added two bolts on each side for increased stability.
I also made some gaskets out of an old tire and cut them to fit between the mount plates and the Kayak to reduce any potential vibration and slippage.
The Oak was used on the mounting plate to increase traction for the motor. On the back side there are 2 layers of 1/2″ oak. One of the layers has 1 and 1/2″ holes cut out where the mounting screws for the motor can be inset. In the unlikely event of these bolts coming loose, this will prevent the motor from slipping to the side.
This is only designed for the 20″ Honda 2 HP.

Jeff Taubes, Florida

outboard motor on fishing kayak Cape Coral Florida

front of transom motor mount

back of motor mount

2hp outboard motor mounted on fishing kayak detail

DIY Extra Long Fishing Kayak Paddle For Paddling and Poling In Shallow Water

Kevin is a fly fisherman who fishes mostly standing up in his W kayak. He paddles and poles his kayak while sight fishing for red fish >
He’s also a prolific designer and craftsman when it comes to rigging his fishing kayak, and making wooden paddles for it.
Says Kevin:

-“I finally finished that paddle I’ve been building forever, and have paddled it a bit. It’s working out quite well for the W kayak.
I laminated the shaft out of one layer of poplar in the center for stiffness, and a layer of cedar on each side.
The blade is a lamination of two different colored cedars along with a maple tip to take a bit more abuse.
The blades have fiberglass cloth epoxied over both surfaces, and the shaft is finished in Tung oil (China wood oil) over the bare wood.
I also included a ferule for the shaft so I can break it down, as well as feather the blades left or right.
The paddle is nice and light, and really moves the boat along well. I’m liking it a lot so far.
I’d like to build one with carbon fiber paddles at some point, but who knows how many years that would take a the rate I put this one together.”

DIY wooden paddle for fishing kayak KE Florida

DIY wooden paddle blade - front side

DIY wooden paddle blade - back side

DIY 2 piece, adjustable wooden paddle for fishing kayak

More about rigging your kayak for fishing >

To Drill Or not To Drill? – Holes In Your Fishing Kayak

It seems like many anglers who rig their kayaks are concerned about drilling holes in them. Generally speaking, drilling holes in a kayak isn’t a good idea, especially in conventional kayaks (SOT, sit-in) whose waterline is so close to the deck that they hardly offer any free board. We assume that common sense rules out the possibility of drilling holes below waterline – After all, you don’t want to test your luck when the odds are stacked against you, and the consequences of being unlucky could be that you’d never get a second chance to try…

However, modern fishing kayaks offer considerable free board, which allows for drilling holes without creating any safety of structural problem. This opens a wide range of possibilities for attaching fishing gear and accessories to your kayak without having to use eyelets (tie-downs) or cleats.

Says Gary, a seasoned kayak fisherman from Florida:
-“Having seen some of the elaborate modifications W kayak owners employ to attach paddles and other gizmos to their W’s, I thought I’d share a really easy, low-cost, no-weight method that I use.”

Read more about drilling holes in your fishing kayak >>

fishing kayak improvements 001

DIY High Tech Fishing Kayak

Russ, from Connecticut, purchased a W502 in the fall of 2011, and installed a 2hp 4-cycle Honda outboard on it (read his initial motorized fishing kayak review >> ). Then came winter, which in New England is pretty long even in clement years, and Russ turned his W502 into a high tech fishing system –

Russ needs both types of motors (electric and gas) since some lakes & ponds are for electric motors only.

Russ installed a fish finder, compass, a radio, and racks to hold the paddle and push pole. He also put another bolt in each side of the motor mount, to make it more stable and rigid.
Russ also installed a small seat from a rowing machine on top of the W saddle, as well as two electromechanical jiggers. -“It’s overkill, but it’s what I want to fish” he says…
Russ plots out the lakes before he fish them, marking the outline of the proper depth for his type of fishing with buoys on his GPS screen.

1. work platform on top of fishing kayak saddle

Cutting board used as platform – the batteries are in the kayak’s hull tips

2. batteries at the bottom of fishing kayak hulls

Close up on batteries at the bottom of the hulls, for the trolling motor and jiggers. having a battery at the bottom of each hull acts as ballast, and stabilizes this fishing kayak.

3. fishing kayak cockpit with front deck and fish finder

Front deck, depth finder, platform with fishing tackle attached on both sides

5. stand for electric jiggers in fishing kayak

Platform and mount for the electromechanical jiggers

6. electric jiggers installed in fishing kayak

Jiggers installed – rear view with electric motor, jointed tiller extension, and seat

7. electric trolling motor mounted on fishing kayak transom mount

Long shaft electric motor, transom mount with additional piece, and security cable

10. front view of high tech fishing kayak

Rear view of Russ’ high tech fishing kayak. Note the motor shaft is secured with a bungee ‘W style’…

8. rear view of high tech fishing kayak

Russ’ high tech W fishing kayak. Note the eyelets on the hull sides are part of the 502 configuration, and that’s where you attach the XL flotation modules.

Standing On Top Of A Fishing Kayak From A Stability And Safety Standpoint

Some fly anglers practice sight fishing: They paddle their kayak standing up, and scout for big fish. They prefer to to stand as high as possible, because it expands their range of vision. Once they spot a fish, they cast a fly at it as fast as they can.
Many fly kayak anglers and reel anglers sight fish while standing comfortably in their W kayaks. However, Ted, the kayak fly fisherman seen in these pictures, wants to stand higher, so he can look further.
Unlike Kevin, another fly fisherman who fishes the flats standing on top of his W kayak saddle without using outriggers, Ted added both a pair of outriggers and a frame to his fishing kayak. This setup puts him about 15″ higher than he would have been if he stood on the bottom of his W fishing kayak hulls, and this way he’s perfectly stable.
The drawback of paddling from such a high level is that you lose some leverage on the paddle, so you can’t go very fast. However, if the water is shallow enough, you can push pole – It’s slow, but what’s the rush?

fly_fisherman_standing_on_top_of_his_kayak_with_outriggers_Florida

stand_up_fly_fishing_kayak_with_outriggers_Florida
This setup calls for an electric trolling motor, or an outboard gas engine, but those are not allowed in some areas, which leaves stand up paddling and push poling as the only solutions for propulsion.

Safety Concerns, and Solutions:

Standing as high on top of such a tiny vessel as a kayak means that sooner or later, the fly fisherman is going to lose their footing, or lose balance, or both – It’s a statistical fact, and every experienced angler, paddler, surfer or sailor knows that “Stuff Happens” is the rule on the water.
So the real question is not “What if” but “What happens when” –
When you stand up on top of a conventional fishing kayak (SOT, sit-in, or ‘hybrid’), you need to somehow manage to fall on your knees, or on your behind, and regain your balance immediately. It’s almost impossible, and although it doesn’t hurt to try, you’re more likely to find yourself swimming.
However, things are considerably different when you’re standing high on top of a W fishing kayak, as Ted does: He can drop on his kayak’s saddle, with a leg in each hull, and stabilize himself while he’s in the ergonomic kayak paddling posture known as Riding, which is similar to riding a jet-ski, a snowmobile, an All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) – or a pony. In other words, it’s the most stable, and most powerful position you can hope to be in when you’re trying to regain balance and control in your kayak. When Ted wants to switch from standing to sitting, it’s just a matter of hopping down –

fly_fisherman-sitting_in_his_kayak_waving

The pictures in this article were contributed by Ted Stevens, courtesy of Gene Andrews, W fishing kayaks dealer in Palm Coast, Florida.