Plans For The Kayak.

I have been thinking, which is a dangerous thing for me to do. And while engaged in a bout of thinking, my thoughts drifted to my kayak. Maybe it was because I was looking at it while drinking beer and hanging out on the porch. We shall never know the reason, but it is safe to assume that the beer had something to do with it.

Anyway, here are a list of projects that I have decided the kayak needs to be the most ass kicking kayak in the history of the entire universe. I already built the beach umbrella holder - but that is not enough.

1. Outriggers. I need outriggers. For those who do not know, outriggers are these things that stick out from a boat. On powerboats outriggers are used for fishing, but on a canoe or kayak outriggers add stability. Ever see a movie set in the South Pacific? You know those funky looking canoes the natives are always rowing out in? Well, the thing that looks like a second hull with nobody in it attached to the canoe is an outrigger. They make the canoe a hell of a lot harder to tip over. I need the outriggers to use my sail kit. I think I can make some ugly ones out of large PVC pipe.

2. Anchor pulley system. I will put some stainless steel eye loops on the bow and stern of the boat. To these eyes I will run a line and attach a stainless steel clip. The line will allow me to move the clip up and down the hull. I then attach the anchor to the clip, and BAM! Instant anchor pulley system. I will be able to set the anchor off either the bow or stern, or anywhere in between. Cool huh?

3. Satellite radio. The boat needs tunes! So I get a 12 to 15 amp hour gel cell battery and find a place for it inside the hull, out of my way. Then I get a Pelican Box. Pelican Boxes are awesome, they are super strong and totally waterproof. I glue a satellite raido antenna to the top of the box, put the reciever in the box, drill a few small holes for wires and stuff, then goop the holes shut with some stuff that will keep out the water. Add some waterproof box speakers and there we go!

4. Floating cooler. I need some sort of cooler. I can get a cooler that fits into the cargo area behind where I sit, but then I have to stretch and bend to get to it. It would be much better to get one of those blow up floating coolers, attach a line to it and to the boat, and tow my cooler behind me. Then all I have to do is grab the line and pull it, get the beer, and let the line go.

5. More cleats. I need some more cleats so I can have more points to attach lines to.

6. Navigation lights. Night fishing in the kayak might be cool. I could get in the shallow waters of the mangrove swamps in search of a snook or somethng. To be legal, and for safety, I would need AT LEAST one all around white light. Paddle craft do not need the red and green running bow lights, but I could use them if I want to. And I could also use the battery powered nav lights on my 18 footer if for some reason the ones on the big boat quit working. I can not really build these, I have to buy em.

Once I have the outriggers, and the anchor pulley, and satellite radio, a floating cooler, more cleats, navigation lights, and add to that my beach umbrella shade device, I will be done. The kayak will have everything a much larger boat would have. Then I can just anchor beyond the sandbar off Sanibel Island, kick back, have some beer, and be so lazy that everyone will look at me and say "look at that lazy S.O.B. out there with his beer and outriggers and beach umbrella. Is he even still alive? There has been no movement since that last swig off the beer".

Tomorrow on my first of two days off, I am going to draw up some plans and research material options. And look for a blow up floating cooler. Hell, I might even drive out to Key Biscayne and launch the little boat from the causeway beach.