10 Ideas For Kayak Modifications And Upgrades

10_Ideas_For_Kayak_Modifications_And_Upgrades

While modern kayaks are equipped with almost everything you need to get out into the water and reel in some big fish, there is always room for customizations and improvements. Irrespective of whether you own a basic fishing kayak or your kayak is more advanced, there are some features you may want that your kayak doesn’t have currently.

Whether your goal is to add convenient modifications to your new kayak or improve the functionality and usefulness of your old kayak, plenty of options are available. If you are just getting started with kayak fishing, knowing the best kayak modifications and upgrades might be tough. In this article, we will focus on the top kayak modifications and kayak upgrades you can implement on your vessel.

Top 10 Must-Have Kayak Upgrades and Kayak Modifications

1. The Milk Crate

The storage crate is one of the most useful fishing kayak accessories. This goes in the rear cargo area. It allows you to store and organize your lunch, anchoring kit, and other gear. When properly positioned, the storage crate should allow you to reach your gear pretty easily while still seated.

An ideal storage crate is supposed to be both strong and sturdy. You should look for a crate that features both clips and straps. These should help you attach it firmly to your kayak.

2. Rod Rest

When out fishing, most people will either bait the fish on the drift or at anchor. While your kayak may be already equipped with rod holders, it may not be in an ideal position for use during fishing.

One of the kayak modifications which can allow you to position your rod tips perfectly when fishing in shallow waters is a rod rest. A rod rest also allows you to rest your rods when tackling up, baiting up, or unhooking fish.

3. Foldable Anchor

When kayak fishing, it is often necessary to stay in place. For example, when you are trying to catch certain species that can’t be caught when drift fishing. Staying in place in the current or wind can be tough. One of the kayak upgrades which can help you remedy this is installing a kayak anchor.

While numerous types of anchors are available, a foldable anchor always stands out. This is simply because it allows you to save valuable space in the kayak.

4. Anchor Trolley System

Just dropping the kayak anchor when fishing does not keep you as stable as you would want. The wind and the current will keep spinning you in the direction that you don’t want to face. Unless you intend to go swimming, tying the anchor to the rear or front of the kayak is not an option.

One of the kayak upgrades which can help you remedy the above problem is an anchor trolley system. With the trolley system, all you will need to keep your kayak completely stable is to clip its anchor and use the pulley system to move the anchor to an ideal point.

5. Lithium Battery Box

5._Lithium_Battery_Box

If you do have a kayak fish finder on your vessel, you are already aware that it needs a power source. Lithium batteries are an excellent source of power.  When out fishing, waterproofing the batteries is necessary.

Adding a waterproof lithium Battery box/Marine battery box to your kayak is an ideal way to ensure that water does not come into contact with the battery. Depending on your preferences, you can build your own waterproof box or purchase one.

6. Drift Sock

When sitting in your kayak, you may find that a current or breeze is moving you along faster than you would want it to. You can fix this problem using one of the simplest kayak modifications.

To fix the issue, you will need to invest in a drift sock. When planning your next kayak adventure, you should have the drift sock in your kayak. To slow yourself down, you will only need to drop the drift sock behind you.

7. Seat Upgrade

Some kayaks do lack comfortable seats. If you intend to be in the water for an extended period of time, you need more than just a properly maintained kayak. You will also need a comfy kayak seat.

When doing your kayak upgrades, you should choose a seat that features a seatback. The seatback is a good idea for added comfort.

8. Interchangeable Base

This kayak modification is much better when added together with an adjustable pole holder. Adding the multi-use mount bases makes it possible for you to use a simple click and switch to change up what you want.

Numerous bases available in the market are interchangeable. Investing in this kayak upgrade will add a lot of versatility to your kayak when out fishing.

9. Extra Pad Eyes

This is one of the kayak modifications that you should not ignore. While most ocean fishing kayaks do have pad eyes, you can never have too many pad eyes on your kayak.

Pad eyes are extremely important rigging hardware pieces. Some of their uses include:

  • Clipping rod leashes
  • Attaching kayak seats
  • You can use them as running eyes for the anchor trolleys.

The more pad eyes you have on your kayak, the more items you can keep from sinking in the water while fishing.

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10. Outriggers

If you have used different types of kayaks, you have probably used a narrow vessel. In some water conditions, narrow kayaks tend to be very unstable. One of the kayak upgrades which can help you remedy this problem is adding outriggers to your kayak.

Kayak outriggers have a very simple operating principle. They help improve the kayak stability by simply transferring some of the weight out to the kayak sides. This means, even when you are kayaking with a narrow vessel, you could end up with a very stable platform. By reducing the chances of tipping over, outriggers help boost kayaking safety.

Putting Your Kayak Upgrades and Kayak Modifications Together

Before you move on to putting your kayak modifications together, you have to gather all the necessary items. Next, before you start drilling holes into the kayak, you will need to plan where you want each item to go. Keep in mind that the moment you drill a hole in your kayak, there is no going back.

Getting a sharpie and marking everything out will help you avoid making mistakes. To ensure that your paddles won’t bump into any of your kayak upgrades and you can access everything easily, sit inside the kayak and test everything out.

Globo Surf Overview

Kayak fishing is an extremely rewarding activity. To make the activity even more rewarding, kayak modifications and upgrades are often necessary.

Kayak upgrades will help you boost your vessel’s stability, improve comfort, and improve safety. Overall, kayak modifications will make your time in the water more enjoyable.

Figuring out the best kayak upgrades for your vessel can be tough, especially if you have never upgraded or modified a kayak before. This article shows you the best kayak modifications you can use to make your vessel much better. The kayak upgrades and modifications outlined above won’t take much of your time. Also, they are very affordable.

 More Kayak Accessories Guides:

Sources

  1. Kayak Modifications – How I Turned A Cheap Kayak into a Fishing Machine
  2. Rigging | Outfitting | Modifying | Accessorising | DIY