Setting up my new Kayak

I just got a Ocean Kayak Trident 11 and want to use it for abs and spearfishing. Am curious about setting it up and how people stow their gear, use it while diving. Have been using a customized boogie board that doubles as backpack and usually have a game bag, ab guage, iron, floatline, flashlight, float line. All of them secured to a few clips off the boogie board bow.  Was hoping to get some thoughts on what else I need, where you stow gear, etc.

* Should I get an anchor for ab/spearfishing? If so what's best
* I use a Riffe Euro 75 and pole spear, stow them in the bow hatch?
*Should I just attach hang my game bag, floatline, iron, stringer in the live well area behind the seat?
* Without the boogie board do folks stow a separate float to run a line to or use the kayak? Use my pfd?
*Do you have to have a pfd on board if you are in a wetsuit? If yes just cram it in the bow hatch?
*Where do you stow your fins/gloves while rowing out,

If there is an old thread that covers all this maybe someone can point me to it. Looking forward to venturing farther with my kayak. Maybe outfitting it for some line fishing too at some point.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

Sean Browne
La Honda, CA

Hey, Sean,

Welcome to the world of kayak diving.  I am no expert but I've done a fair bit so here are some comments you might find worth thinking about.

I started out using an anchor but now I prefer to use my kelp clip.  Less weight, easier to stow, no having to get back into my dive gear to retrieve the anchor when it gets stuck, etc.  I have it on a line looped to the bow (do not use the cheesy rope handle for this) and clip it to one of the hatch straps when I paddle over to a new spot.

For the northcoast, a 75cm gun is about perfect.  Consider using a float line when going after fish or abs and you then will have the option of leaving your hunting tool on the bottom to mark a spot.  I often drop my gun to the bottom so that I can pull my way down a kelp stalk using both hands (hint: increases bottom time).

Yes, you are required to have a PFD even if you are in your dive gear.  CG can hassle you if it is not immediately available and I have been yelled at that inside a hatch does not meet this.  I always stuff mine inside the hatch anyway. I figure I can only do so much while complying with a silly reg...

Launching or coming back to the beach, you want to stow as much gear as you can to minimize the yard sale if you get tossed in the surf.

Go for it!

John

Thanks John,

A kelp clip seems easier for sure, that's what I use with the boogie board.

When I use the float line I just have it attached to my boogie board not hooked to kelp. Do you use yours connected to the Kayak? I range around and am wondering if people use a separate float or just to their kayak.

I guess I'll just stuff the pfd in my bow hatch too.

My Riffe Euro is the '75 model', it's actually bigger than 75cm and I find it is often too long to use in the average conditions. On a clear day the Euro is awesome, most the time with my arm extended I'm already running out of vis. The barrel is actually 40" or 102cm and to tip of the shaft more like 50" or 127cm.

Have been thinking about getting the shortest Rob Allen, now that I have a kayak i could put both in there.

thanks,

Sean

I just got a Ocean Kayak Trident 11 and want to use it for abs and spearfishing. Am curious about setting it up and how people stow their gear, use it while diving. Have been using a customized boogie board that doubles as backpack and usually have a game bag, ab guage, iron, floatline, flashlight, float line. All of them secured to a few clips off the boogie board bow.  Was hoping to get some thoughts on what else I need, where you stow gear, etc.

* Should I get an anchor for ab/spearfishing? If so what's best
* I use a Riffe Euro 75 and pole spear, stow them in the bow hatch?
*Should I just attach hang my game bag, floatline, iron, stringer in the live well area behind the seat?
* Without the boogie board do folks stow a separate float to run a line to or use the kayak? Use my pfd?
*Do you have to have a pfd on board if you are in a wetsuit? If yes just cram it in the bow hatch?
*Where do you stow your fins/gloves while rowing out,

If there is an old thread that covers all this maybe someone can point me to it. Looking forward to venturing farther with my kayak. Maybe outfitting it for some line fishing too at some point.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

Sean Browne
La Honda, CA

All my gear goes inside the kayak, except for my stringer, and maybe my dry bag. My stringer goes in the tank well so I can pull it in/out if the water easily.

I just made an anchor recently, and have only used it once. Abs and fish like kelp! You may want to make a loop from your bowline to somewhere near your seat, and put the kelp clip on that, like an anchor trolley. Paddling upwind/upswell works for me though when unclipping.

Depending on how lazy I am or how soon I'll be back in the water, I'll tow my float line behind me so it's ready to go.

Belt, mask, snorkel, etc go in the hatch between my legs. When putting on my belt I lift my butt off the seat and slide the weights under me, and adjust the belt once I'm in the water.

No separate float, but you may want to use a  belt stringer if you stray far from your kayak. Lugging around five fish on a gun gets annoying. Float line isn't attached to anything on the back end.

My first choice is always to tie up to the kelp. Second choice is to use a small mushroom anchor and 100 feet of line. A grapnel type I try to avoid as they get caught in the rocks too easily.

A kayak has very little surface area exposed to the wind and that is what is going to move it around. Very little is needed to hold it in place.

When I have used a grapnel is where there is a heavy swell running and then I use it with 4 feet of chain. The chain increases the holding power by 5x and usually the chain is doing 100% of the holding. I found this to be the case even with a 17 foot Boston Whaler.