Does anyone have any experience with the YAK GEAR stablizers on a canoe?
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Does anyone have any experience with the YAK GEAR stablizers on a canoe?
Just my thoughts on stabilizers (in general). If you boat can't do what you want it to do, then it is time to get a different boat. There are plenty of very stable canoes out there.
Met a man in Port St. John, Fla. that had designed his own. The nice thing about his is he had it with pins that would allow him to lock them in down position and the up, for travel. The bracket was attached mid-canoe on cross-members of aluminum angle, allowing access to store gear below. The floats were 2' long and 6" to 8" in diameter glassed over foam on aluminum tubes. Him and his wife fish a lot of skinny water for redfish and they liked this because they could fish standing up, easily, and carry more gear than on a yak. Not exactly an answer to you question but I hope it helps.
Speckledslab , it would be nice if you got pictures of it . Just a thought [emoji4]
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He was having a yard sale when I noticed it in his garage. I don’t get up his way often but if I do I’ll try to locate his place and see if he would mind some pics.
SpeckledSlab I also hope you get the chance to take some pics of the stablizers. Sounds like something I would be interested in.
I'll most likely make outriggers for my kayak. It will be made with pvc and floats, no adjustments. A pair of floats are about $20, free pvc compared to a fancy $175 rig.
I do pretty good watching boats and waves to ride them out. It's when those come along and I'm doing something else that bother me.
canebreaker I understand what you are saying about the unexpected waves,etc. When I had my big boat I would sometime run it at high speed in the river back home but I never forgot to watch ahead for smaller or slower craft. I can not say that for a lot of the speed demons in their high dollar bass boats. These people have no consideration for others on the water.
Go to Youtube. There are dozens of videos on how to build your own from simple fixed ones to fully adjustable. I built a set years ago when I was taking kids out to learn how to fish in New England where you don't want to be in the water at all (cold!).
Cheap DIY kayak outriggers that work : Kayak Rigging This not exactly like the one I spoke of earlier, but the design has merit. Mounting a cross member, on the canoe, in which to mount the flag holders to would appear to be the only difference. The one that I saw at the yard sale also used lobster floats but he had fiberglassed over them to make them more durable. He made his entirely out of aluminum angle, channel, and tubing, in which he welded all stationary pieces with a lower priced mig from Harbor Frieght. Using hitch pins and arced slot to adjust the angle of the floats. Another similar design Build These DIY Kayak Outriggers for Under $60 - Gear Cloud
The main place I fish is on a lake below the spillway, Sardis lake in N MS if you want to pull it up on google earth. The water can be calm, but then waves move in from the spillway. I like to head into the waves so it gives the jigs more action when they are there. Messing with a fish or a line, getting turned side ways when a big wave moves in can get hairy.
I made some outriggers a few years back to convince my wife our kids wouldn't flip the canoe. I looked at the YAK ones but couldn't justify the price. Ended up using some crab pot floats, PVC I had in the garage and two Scotty rod holders. The canoe became more stable than I thought it would. Both kids could sit on the same gunwale and it easily stayed above the waterline.
I saw a picture of one made with dock bumpers and 3/4" PVC.
I saw one on a canoe that used two adjustable flag pole brackets to hold the outrigger arms. They could be used a what angle he wished or up for travel.
The Grumman canoe is about 36 inches wide, it should be pretty stable. Got my eyes on one if the price is right. Could use aluminum tubing from a folding lawn chair and a large diameter pool noodle. I saw one that used flagpole mounting bases so it would retract for storage.