Why kayak mods?
Why change the kayak you found, liked, and chose to purchase with your hard-earned money? Every kayak is great for something. It could be an entry-level kayak intended to get you on the water and teach you the basics of paddling and maneuvering in the water. It could be a Sit-On-Top kayak designed for rivers and creeks with some faster-moving water but not large bodies of water inundated with rolling waves shifting the stern between paddles. Then again, it could be an offshore ocean kayak meant for charging into the depths of shark-infested waters that rarely, if ever, see the currents formed by rivers filled with eddies and shallow debris.
When you choose your kayak, you see its potential and hope for it to carry you through the terrain of a very unique exploration. As you voyage out on the waters and experience the kayak “as is” you find things you’d like to be a bit different. Those things can be easy, simple modifications that take little to no effort while improving your kayaking experience 10 fold. Other ideas can be a bit more involved and require a few tools to make the idea become a reality. Then, there’s the ultimate ideas, the concepts that maybe (at first) seem unobtainable yet the nagging urge to try just won’t let go. This is when you know the kayak mods bug has bit.
The Kayaking World has an Entire Culture around Kayak Modifications
As a community, we in the kayaking modifications world probably aren’t a lot of help to the conscientious or penny pinchers. There’s a certain degree of competitiveness in the kayaking world. As a whole, our community is very supportive of each other. We want to teach newcomers. We encourage growth and exploration. And most importantly, when we stumble, we help each other recover. Through all this comradery and support, we tend to lighten the mood with the occasional jab and the one-uping quips. That competitive streak has spearheaded the kayaking modification growth. The DIY projects kayakers have invented have led to industry giants like YakAttack and YakGear.
Even with the industrial growth kayaking has experienced, there are still projects waiting to be discovered and perfected. Some of the projects suggested here are on the market. A few are going to be more expensive than a new kayak modifier wants to invest. Most of these ideas are products that can be completely homemade if you’re willing to collect the parts and build out the project one experiment at a time.
1. Hull access plates
Most kayak manufacturers have realized that kayaks are inevitably going to be modified. It’s not a question of if but a question of when. Because of this, they’ve begun forming the molds for their kayaks with designated modification segments. As one example, Perception Kayaks has circular depressions designating the ideal location for access ports.
The access ports come in a variety of sizes from 2”-8” diameters. You can get round, oval, or square hatches depending on the location and project you’re undertaking.
The key factors you must think about when planning these projects are:
Structural stability. Ensure you are cutting holes in locations that will not cause the hull to collapse or prevent the standing platform from remaining solid under your feet.
Sealability. Limit cutting holes in your kayak below the water line as much as possible. While a tight fit and proper sealant can prevent a good portion of leakage, no opening can be 100% leakproof.
2.Charging ports
Electronics are a part of today’s life. We use cell phones, radios, and GPS regularly when in the outdoors. Like it or not, those electronics have to be recharged from time to time and, usually, that will be at the most inopportune time. A charging port on your kayak accompanied with a few of the most important charging cables for the electronics you carry with you will save you countless headaches.
3. Hull lights
If you tend to fish in the dark (sunrise, sunset, night fishing), duck hunt from your kayak, hunt at first light or last light after traveling by kayak, or any number of other nighttime transports you’ll discover having access to lights inside your cockpit are invaluable. Flashlights are a common solution with many hunters. Headlamps are frequently chosen also. You’re not always going to remember to pack a flashlight. There is a risk that you’ll knock the flashlight overboard. Installed lights are stationary, secured, and always available when on the water in the dark.
4. Outriggers
Not all kayaks are built the same. Stability, while a key component to building out the best kayak possible, varies drastically by use, location, load distribution, and user. With so many factors involved, many kayakers (especially new kayakers) opt to install outriggers for added stability.
5. Bilge Pumps
Kayaks have countless leakage points. Seams, hatches, attachments, and more all create weak points that can leak over time. Sit-inside kayaks and kayaks that do not have water-tight seals on hatches quickly fill with water when they capsize or rock drastically. Most kayaks have a drain plug that is frequently below the water line. When the kayak takes on water it becomes heavy, difficult to move, and can sink relatively quickly. A bilge pump can help mitigate the onslaught of water giving you a better chance at returning to shore.
6. Scupper holes
Some vessels, like the Bass Raider, don’t come with Scupper holes. While the Bass Raider and Pond Prowler are not, technically, kayaks they do serve a similar purpose and offer a resource for practicing modification techniques that can be used on other kayaks. You’ll find these vessels fill with water occasionally and, unless you have a bilge pump in the cockpit, the best way to remove the water quickly is a scupper plug.
7. Plug-in ice chest
You will find that being out on the water is much more enjoyable when you have snacks and cold drinks to accompany your activities. Rather than the weight of ice taking up valuable space on your kayak, a plug-in ice chest will allow you to keep things cold without needing the weight of ice and melting water.
8. Bait tanks and Livewells
Some kayaks come with livewell compartments. Others have hatches that allow for conversion into livewells and bait tanks. There are numerous options on the market of livewells and bait tanks that can be secured into your kayak and even powered by the same batteries powering your other kayak mods. Yet another option is to get a floating livewell or bait tank that can be secured to the side of your kayak.
9. Seat replacements
Some seats are simply not the style or comfort you want. Perhaps you want to lift the seat a couple of inches to give you more storage space. Maybe you want to tilt the seat to accommodate spinal or mobility complications. Various brackets can be built, purchased, or modified to install different seats of various styles.
10. Casting Deck
Kayaks are designed to accommodate kayakers while sitting. Some of these kayaks are given added design features that increase stability allowing the kayaker to stand while in the water. While no manufacturer will agree that you should be lifting your center of gravity above the level they designed into the kayak, reality dictates that we must accept the reality that some people will still choose to push their limits. Bowfishing and sight casting are especially common with people looking to add a casting deck.
The Choices are Yours. Modifications are Limitless.
This is where multiple mods become a necessity for many kayakers. The outriggers could give you added stability to help compensate for the altered center of gravity should you choose to add a casting deck or raised seat.
This is simply a launching pad for your kayak modification adventures. You will have to choose for yourself what risks you are willing to take. It will be up to you to decide what mods are going to be beneficial for your kayak uses. Only you can decide what your kayaking adventures will look like.