How much weight do you carry??

Kayak too heavy? Get a bigger kart!

Karts are great...but unfortunately, they don't do much good when you have to carry your yak over big boulders like the ones at Big Sur's Mill Creek.

To me, one of the great things about kayak fishing is the ability to put in at remote places.  If you can roll a cart from the parking lot to water's edge then it might not be remote enough.

I've seen guys carry a 25 lb surfskis with one arm and I can only wish I can do the same.

Karts are great...but unfortunately, they don't do much good when you have to carry your yak over big boulders like the ones at Big Sur's Mill Creek.

 Good point, thats what buddies are for!

For other reasons but the thought process is worth considering. Most of the experts recommend minimizing the gear on the deck to keep the decks clear for re-entering after a failed roll and rescues. But tangling with a big fish is a challenge that requires a sparse deck. We also can face surf and rough water conditions even if by accident, and rescuing someone or towing someone is easier and less entangling with a clear deck.

if the manufacturers were smart they'd be looking at these sites and making the milk crates obsolete

Indeed. I got a waterproof box at West Marine like Mooch has on his, but intend to leave the rest of the tank well open. Still not the best, but the traditional open-deck boats haven't been designed for people who need access to a lot of gear while on the water. Cobra seems to be getting on the right track--I hope the other manufacturers take notice and we get the benefit of a little innovative competition.

Bluekayak-

Another former boat builder and exotics user here.

Sean (scwafish) is right about kevlar being tough, and a pain to use. Not only does it make shears useless very quickly, it's almost impossible to grind (to make a smooth or fair surface)- it just makes a big fuzzy mess.

And what is 'vacuum bagged' about? Is it something that would apply in building an 18-20ft kayak?

Vacuum bagging involves using a compressor (inlet side) to pull a vacuum in a bag that contains your composite layup. In essence, your using atmospheric pressure for your clamping. The negative pressure in the bag also squeezes any excess resin out of the layup. (Sean is right about excess resin creating excess weight, too.)

Vacuum bagging is very applicable to kayaks!

It's not all that hard for do-it-yourselfers, either.

In our shop we just used a salvaged refrigerator compressor for our vacuum, and plastic sheeting sealed with the window caulking that comes in rolls at the hardware. (Dum-dum, we called it.) A bunch  of fiber-reinforced nylon tubing is all you need to hook it up. Size and shape of the layup determine some of the details for getting the best vacuum.

BTW- Getting a custom kevlar kayak produced is likely to be extremely expensive, unless the builder thinks he can spread the mold development costs out over a production run. Making a mold may cost 20K-50K!

Personally, I think wood/composite construction makes the most sense for  custom designs.

Wood/composite structures:

-have very high strength/weight ratios  (beating fiberglass, and approaching kevlar and the other exotics);
-are resilient, surviving more bending cycles than the exotics;
-simpler and faster than building a female mold (typical production technique);
-can float.

Here's some examples:

Plywood cored wood/composite:
http://www.pygmyboats.com/
I have the 14' rowboat (Wineglass Wherry)- it weighs ~80#

Strip-built boats:
http://www.laughingloon.com/index.html

And skin-on-frame, which I don't have experience with, but I know some fanatic adherents:

http://www.by-the-sea.com/stimsonmarine/smskin.html

My dad has built wood strip boats with redwood strips.  Very handsome craft, but it costs over $100 just in the long #1 redwood boards - half of which end up as curf.  

As far as the weight of junk, I probably have 30# of stuff on my kayak.  I bring minimal tackle due to corrosion, and generally minimal other stuff as well.

I'm with Travis on having the TW open...i'm down to a tiny little cut-up milk crate, and will probably ditch that next season.  

My typical gear:
one rod
net (skip the net if its rockfish or stripers)
one tray of lures,etc
finder, battery
vhf
gps
pliers

10-12 lbs max

aferwork striper gear:
rod
three lures (x-rap, hairraiser, yozuri
pliers

I'm with Travis on having the TW open...i'm down to a tiny little cut-up milk crate, and will probably ditch that next season.

Steve - I'm thinking of dumping the milk crate next year as well - I'm already working on an idea.....will post pics soon.

I carry:

 - FF + battery
- 2 rods (one for back-up = especially when I'm fishing for rockfish. I   usually snag and loose a lot of line)
- pliers / wire cutter
- VHF radio
- dry box = for storing FF,reel,pliers,VHF radio and tackle when surf landing
- net
- dive knife
- whistle
- compass
- hand held flares (2)
- tackle box

AND....my lucky green hat  

Bluekayak:

You are heading in the direct of a Kaz Dorado or something similar.  There are also Kevlar and glass Seda boats made in Mex that are similar to what your leaning towards, but the weights I have seen aren't really all that impressive.  I think about this alot, I have some ideas, but no time.

Sean,

You stocking those Kaskazi's yet?  Know anywhere I can test drive one.  Any idea on costs?

-Allen

I'm with Travis on having the TW open...i'm down to a tiny little cut-up milk crate, and will probably ditch that next season.

Steve - I'm thinking of dumping the milk crate next year as well - I'm already working on an idea.....will post pics soon.

Me three.  So much wasted space with a crate, the back of my tankwell is completely inaccessible and useless right now.  I'm thinking of switching to a seat with built in rod holders and the pouch then running a soft cooler in the tankwell for fish storage.  Let me know what you guys come up with.

And I usually have about 30 lbs worth of crap.....I operate under the better to have and not need than need and not have philosophy.....although that is changing slightly.

Allen:

Not yet, still in the scheming phase.  They are around 2K with shipping.  The only stocking dealer is in Fla., I would love to try one myself.

My haul usually consists of:

Two poles
Fanny pack filled with - small Plano box for terminal tackle, any artificials I'm using that day, pliers, and toenail clippers, + scent if I'm using it on that trip.
At least two bottled waters (maybe some beer if I'm on a lake)
Lip Gripper
Paddle with leash
Seat + foam insert underneath
Small handheld GPS
Small handheld radio
Large drybag if I think I might want to keep a fish or two on that trip.
And if fishing live bait, one of those small Plano bait buckets.

I have to wander, when you guys have your milk crates and dry boxes and all your gear up high on your deck doesn't that raise your center of gravity and compromise your stability some?

You're required to carry a 18" min diameter net when fishing so that you can release short or silver salmon and other fish.

You're required to carry a 18" min diameter net when fishing so that you can release short or silver salmon and other fish.

True... and a lot of guys aren't aware of this DFG reg.

If I don't actually plan to use a landing net, I carry a homemade collapsible net game bag with 18" diameter rim.  It doubles as a fish bag and a legal landing net.  It's basically the same as a typical diver's game bag.  I've check numerous dive shops and still haven't been able to find one with an opening that wide.

If you know where I can buy one, please let me know.