Mounting a U bolt or D ring to kayak

I want to make a couple large attachment points right behind my seat, but haven't found what I'm looking for. In my mind, I'd screw or rivet on a plate with a U on top of it. I fumbled around West Marine trying to look for something like that, but only came across these. At $25 each, I'd rather come up with something else. Any ideas?

Thanks!

http://www.westmarine.com/wichard--watertight-u-bolts--P002_060_008_006

i bought a kayak once that had u bolts installed on it.  I removed them but I don't think the previous owner had any leakage problems with it.  just goop up the holes after installing.  (I mean buy the cheap ubolts from like Home depot or something)

Just be aware they may be ugly and hurt resale value.  But you can always patch them afterwards.  I patched the ubolt holes on the one i bought, nice and clean and later sold it.

Jeremy,

What are you looking to clip off dude?

 

Sincerely,

Jim

You might find a u-bolt that would match up with a mighty mount.
http://kayakfishinggear.com/comingsoon-weareaddingnewproducts-1-1-2-1.aspx

Just the stuff I leave in my tank well. Stringer, hawg trough, gun, float line, water jug. I'm clipping them all to carabiners I have on the brass rigs on my seat clips, but I want something that's more stable.

Looking at the way I load my kayak on my truck, i think I'd like to place them inside the tank well, kinda like the D loops in a pickup bed.

Just the stuff I leave in my tank well. Stringer, hawg trough, gun, float line, water jug. I'm clipping them all to carabiners I have on the brass rigs on my seat clips, but I want something that's more stable.

Looking at the way I load my kayak on my truck, i think I'd like to place them inside the tank well, kinda like the D loops in a pickup bed.

Do you have bungie or straps across your tank well?

I have two stringers on tuna clips that I clip off to the bungie...the stringers can also be strung through foot pockets off fins for launching to secure them...

Gun with float line clips off to bungie...

All tucked and secure back in there...

Few clips on my seat straps for mask and light that I take on and off throughout the day...

I have straps on my OK tankwell and those are also great for clipping stuff off to....

I dunno...I personally would go with clipping off to the bungie/straps on tank well rather than installing big d rings or u bolts to the yak...

Post some pics and lets see what you got!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Have you thought of attaching a welded "O" or "D" ring with a short piece of webbing - bolting the doubled-over webbing with a single bolt and some big washers to the yak?  That way, it'll be less likely to get in your way when you transport your yak, and you'll only have to drill one hole.
    West probably has a stainless ring for not more than 5 times the cost of an OSH one.
   

any hardware store has EYE bolts.  I have a couple mounted behing my seat, (spare game clip on one and the net on the other) use large washers inside to help spread the load.  I used silicone inside and out when it was put together, no leaks.  When they get rusty beyond use it is easy to replace them.

Just the stuff I leave in my tank well. Stringer, hawg trough, gun, float line, water jug. I'm clipping them all to carabiners I have on the brass rigs on my seat clips, but I want something that's more stable.

Looking at the way I load my kayak on my truck, i think I'd like to place them inside the tank well, kinda like the D loops in a pickup bed.

Do you have bungie or straps across your tank well?

I have two stringers on tuna clips that I clip off to the bungie...the stringers can also be strung through foot pockets off fins for launching to secure them...

Gun with float line clips off to bungie...

All tucked and secure back in there...

Few clips on my seat straps for mask and light that I take on and off throughout the day...

I have straps on my OK tankwell and those are also great for clipping stuff off to....

I dunno...I personally would go with clipping off to the bungie/straps on tank well rather than installing big d rings or u bolts to the yak...

Post some pics and lets see what you got!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

You and Harold trying to talk sense into me! I just don't trust the bungees. But something he said really resonated with me. When push comes to shove, you want the anchor point to fail, rather than it ripping a huge hole in the kayak.

Thanks for all he suggestions. I'll be swinging by the hardware stores this weekend for more brainstorming.

You can use an Oblong lifting eye (or regular) sandwiched between two fender washers providing you can get a bolt underneath.  They're cheap from Amazon.

Put stainless steel pad eyes on the perimeter of the tank well.
Use kayak rivets to hold them in place.
Attach stainless anchor shackles to the pad eyes as needed.
They give me more room to clip things than do the pad eyes and they can be attached or  removed as needed. Plus the kayak looks clean for resale value.