Monday, April 29, 2013

The Ultimate DIY Kayak Crate - Part 2

I have been working on the rigging of my new Trident 13 for several months now. I am finished and am going to start a series of post on what I did and how I did it. I plan on finishing with a monster overview post, showing all of my customization. This is the seventh post in the series.

1st post: Installing a Fish Finder 
2nd post: Upgrading a Plano Dry Box
3rd post: How To Install SuperNova Fishing Lights On Your Kayak
4th post: Install Scotty Flush Mounts on a Kayak
5th post: YackAttack GearTrack GT90 Install and Review
6th post: The Ultimate DIY Kayak Crate - Part 1



In part 1 of making this crate I showed how to make a two tiered crate with hinged lids that can be secured. In part 2 (this part) I'll quickly go over accessory attachments, how I like to secure it to my kayak, and then go over the pro's and con's of this design.

On one side of the crate I have zip tied PVC pipe for my safety flag, camera pole, and net. I have rod holders on my Plano box, so they are not needed here. You could just as easily add rod holders to the side.



Zip ties work well, but be sure to use at least three times more than you think you need. I personally prefer to use pipe clamps where I can. They rust quickly, but hold much better.

These PVC holders are fairly standard. The only improvement I made was adding a little silent traction material to the inside of the tubes.



On the other side I added a bungee and foam ball to hold my Hawg Trough. The Hawg Trough is probably the best fish measuring device available right now. It is also ungainly and difficult to store. This is the best method I have found.

As for securing it to my kayak, the best way I have found is to use Nite Ize Gear Ties. They are easy to attach and undo, but are remarkably secure. Just twist one end though a hole in your crate and twist the other end through a pad eye. Super easy!


The Pro's of a crate like this are obvious. It can hold a lot of junk and will stay closed if you flip your kayak.

It is not without fault, however.

This type of crate is very tall. Not only is it difficult to grab stuff out of it, it catches wind like a sail.   In even moderate wind, it makes positioning you kayak very difficult. Also, it is heavy, especially when fully loaded.

I use this crate on calm days when I know there is a good possibility that I might get wet. What do I use most of the time? Stay tuned for my simple, every day crate.

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