Crate or No Crate for the Ocean

I still use a Crate for just about everything.  It's my vertical rod holders, my side mounted rod holders, Donwrigger mount and stores all my tackle, ditch bag, and paddle float. On the side of it I stow a net and a Hawg Trough. It's the same old crate (broken and repaired a few times) that I started with, and  have yet to find a replacement for it.   

Is this the box you use?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001ECQPUW/ref=pd_aw_sims_4?pi=SS115&simLd=1

Yep, that's the one. I got a new one for Christmas, too. I retired the crate some time ago as well.

John

I still use a Crate for just about everything.  It's my vertical rod holders, my side mounted rod holders, Donwrigger mount and stores all my tackle, ditch bag, and paddle float. On the side of it I stow a net and a Hawg Trough. It's the same old crate (broken and repaired a few times) that I started with, and  have yet to find a replacement for it.   

I'm with you on this one. A crate makes me feel more organized even though I'm carrying a little bit more. The only drawback is, at least in my revo, it takes up almost all of the tank well and makes keeping fish a little difficult. I was thinking of buying a fish bag to put in the bow hatch.

I ditched the crate for the most part .... my sand dabs kept finding their way out of the crate holes 

The biggest reason I switched to the plano box is I've seen quite a few surf launches gone bad which resulted in yard sales.  The gear inside the crate goes all over.

I can secure the plano tackle box to my kayak and all my gear stays inside. 

I retired my milk crate years ago.  I only use a water tight orange Plano tackle box for all fishing trips and attached 3 rod holders on the back.

+1

+2

love my plano box!!

+3.

I now just use the Flambeau box Bushy gave me years ago.  It's just like the Plano box, but I think it might have been sold by K-Mart or Wal-Mart.  I made rod holders (5- 3 for poles, 1 each for gaff and net) out of thin plastic downspout (2" pvc is overly heavy) and fastened them with a bunch of velcro ties (did you know that gardening stores sell that double sided velcro stuff in big rolls for tying up plants? It's pretty strong. ) to some backing strips and fastened it to the box. The box is attached to the yak with double-ended snap shackles.
   But, if you decide to go for a crate, consider the light-weight file crates sold by the office supply stores, I think some of the ones at Office Max are the right dimensions.  I even stitched parts of two together with 50 lb test mono to make one long crate to fill the entire well.  Don't be afraid to take a saw and rasp to them to make them fit.   But I don't think they'd be strong enough to attach a downrigger to, though.
     

But, if you decide to go for a crate, consider the light-weight file crates sold by the office supply stores, I think some of the ones at Office Max are the right dimensions.

That is EXACTLY where I got my crate from    But mine is over 10 years old now (previously it actually held files) and the ones that I found were not quite exactly the same. 

Ah, found pics in the ol' Gallery 

I found mine at Wal-Mart.  Seems like the best selection comes right before school starts AND right now (new year cleaning).

No crate for me.
I also got rid of the Plano Box.
Dry bag with the few items I need.
Going lighter and lighter (getting smarter and smarter) every time. 

No crate for me.
I also got rid of the Plano Box.

+1

I got the deeper tray that fits inside the hatch on a Hobie (Adventure). Anything that won't fit in there, can't come along for the ride...

I bring as little as possible.  No crate and no Plano box.  I put any tackle I expect to use in the hatch in front of my seat in the Revo.  I leash a Lip Gripper and a game clip behind me and I'm good to go.  I have a horizontal Hobie rod holder that I can put my rod in if I anticipate a rough landing.  I use one of the upright rod holders for the rod and the other for a net.  I have found over the years that more gear doesn't seem to have any relationship with more fish.  Keeping it simple also makes packing and clean-up much easier.  I do carry a knife, attached to my PFD and a combo VHS/GPS attached to the PDF too.