New Hobie ride

Striped slayer has an on and may be able to give you tips. Most of us use a game clip for the fish with a lanyard and a carabiner. I don't leash my rods any more. I have tried several float ideas and thanks to salty dog I now use small pipe insulation secured with black tape. Put it between the handle and the first eye. I've tested it and it works great. For the GPS I would get an ff with one built in. Less stuff on the yak is a good thing.

Excellent - thanks - do those fisherman PFD's or PFD with no back floats still give you the buoyancy in case of a tip?  Or do you sink faster?

I am kind of a clutter wh*% and I like to have some stuff up near me, especially my phone in a plano waterbox.  I also find that stock OB doesn't seem to have enough places for me to "leash" things or make tie-ons.  The built in rod holders seem useful for basic stuff, but I really don't feel they are solid enough to fish from and can see already wanting more sophisticated options in rod mounts. 

Less is more.  Keep it clean and simple.  And Gabe is right, go with rod floats like these instead of leashes.

I am still puzzled by the rear hatch, as it is too far back to get to from the water, and anything I put in it will fall around the hull, so I am trying to find a solution for making it useful.  I also need a more versatile tackle solution within arms reach, than just the little tackle box built into the OB hatch in front of the seat.

Yeah, the rear hatch is useless on the water.  If you are rigging and need rear access, then it comes in handy.

Lots of guys have these.  With the OB, you can go with the largest version.