Ocean Kayak Trident Ultra 4.3: Update

I've added the following since my last blog entry:

-Cutting board and scotty powerlock rod holder on the hatch
-Anchor trolley with zig zag cleat
-Rudder
-4" hatch inside the center console for hull access
-Rod holder with PVC bracket, molded in rod holders were too small and shallow for my net

Hi, my name is Jason and I'm a yakaholic...

I should've known. I go through the same cycle with every new activity I find interest in. Let me rephrase that, it's the same cycle when I try a new activity and become addicted. First it was with mountain bikes, then surfing, and now kayaking/kayak fishing.

Step 1: Introduction to activity.
Step 2: Fall in love with activity - addiction begins.
Step 3: Dive head first and buy all the equipment to get me going within said activity while staying under a pre-determined budget that will only get me an entry level setup.
Step 4: Realize I should have just spent the extra money up front for the equipment that I really wanted.
Step 5: Find a great deal on the equipment upgrade.
Step 6: Sell entry level setup at a loss, thereby losing any savings gained from entry level setup and the great deal found on the upgrade.

With that said, here she is!

My new to me Ocean Kayak Trident Ultra 4.3 with upgraded seat and Lowrance Mark 4 fishfinder/gps combo.

Rigging plans were already in motion before I even picked it up and paid the man.

First thing was to clean up the yak. It had been stored outdoors for a few months and needed some TLC. Gave it a good scrub down, let it dry, then applied some 303 UV protectant. That stuff took away most of the sun fading that was present on the rotating hatch.

Next I took a small cutting board and bolted it to the center hatch utilizing the numerous threaded inserts (One of the best features of this kayak!)

Finally, I swapped the fish finders. I had a Mark 4 DSI is now on the Ultra 4.3 and the standard Mark 4 is on the Pescador 12 (which is for sale on sfbay.craigslist.org by the way).

Future plans include the install of a custom anchor trolley (parts are in the mail!) and eventually to install the rudder kit.

I can't wait to take this thing into the salt!!!

A day of firsts. 5.3.14 - Santa Cruz Harbor

My cousin and I arrived at the Santa Cruz Harbor at 5:30AM. We unloaded at the launch just below Aldo's and were on the water by 6AM. We met up with a few other NCKA'ers and headed towards the harbor mouth by 6:45AM. It was an extremely foggy day, but the winds were calm and swell was only 2-3 ft as we paddled towards the Mile Buoy.

Being my first time out in salt water, the heavy fog made me extremely cautious as we headed out into the bay. Being with a handful of others AND knowing I had the proper safety equipment put my mind at ease as we approached Mile Buoy. Being out in the bay in the fog was a very calming experience. The sound of the whistle buoy and the seals combined with the low visibility made for a serene environment that put a huge smile on my face. It was the same feeling I get when paddling out to a break on my surfboard at first light and seeing the sun begin to rise above the horizon as the sets begin to roll in.

Having never fished the area I was very surprised to see a lack of structure on the sea floor. I had always assumed that the sea floor was covered in rock/reef and would be easy to locate structure with my fish finder. Paddling around the Mile Buoy for a couple of hours I did not mark any structure, so jigging was unproductive. Time to move on...

As we headed toward Steamer Lane, structure became more frequent. I stopped just outside of the kelp bed and decided to wet a line. I skipped the shrimp fly setup and started jigging a 3oz lead head with a 6.5" Halloween Big Hammer. I immediately felt a bite as I lifted the pole from the first bounce off the bottom. I set the hook and felt a few head shakes. As I reeled in and start to see color, I could tell it was an undersized Ling Cod. The first of three. I paddled a little further from the kelp bed and notice a large area of structure and drop my line again. I feel a bite, this time the rod goes bendo and I immediately knew this was a larger fish. It put up much more of a fight than the first three. I pulled the fish next to my kayak and grabbed my fish grips. As I lift the fish onto my lap I knew it was a keeper. The Lingcod measured 24" and was the first fish I've landed on my kayak. What a great experience!

Rigging

After my maiden voyage at Quarry Lakes on March 9, 2014 I came to the realization that I needed to customize the Pescador a little to better suit my needs. The single Scotty rod holder up front was okay, but I wanted the ability to troll with two rods. The kayak does have two rear flush mounts, but I want to be able to see the rod tips and grab the poles easier when they go bend-o.

My solution:
-(2) 4" lengths of YakAttack GT90 gear trac
-(2) 4" lengths GT90 full back
-(2) Scotty 426 Side Slide Track Adapters
-(1) additional Scotty Baitcaster rod holder

I decided to cut the a small section of the foot peg rails to install the gear trac in the optimal position. The Scotty 426 side slide strack adapters allowed me to have a vertical Scotty base to mount the rod holders to. With the backing the setup feels solid.



With the two rod holders in place, next up was a depth finder. After a ton of research I decided on the Lowrance Mark 4 DSI unit. I wanted a unit with GPS and down scann imaging, for the price and features this unit cannot be beat. $150 shipped to my door! Finding a spot to mount the unit was easy. I used the existing Scotty base, used a RAM ball wedge adapter, and installed the RAM mount for Lowrance fish finders. This placed the unit at a nice height while still allowing use of the cup holder.

Trying to figure out the transducer was a little more difficult. I originally planned to do a DIY scupper mount using 3/4" aluminum flat bar. I had it rigged up, but could not get the transducer to stay in place. I then decided to fabricate an arm mount using the same 3/4" aluminum flat bar and attached it to the gear track.





I ran the cabling up the arm, laid it on top of the foot peg rails, and zip tied it in place. For cabling thru hull I used the Hobie thru hull wiring kit. I am extremely happy with the way it turned out. I can remove the transducer/mount and throw it in the yak during transport.



Other modifications:
-Velcro to attach my watertight plano box to the center console in the foot well.
-GT175 gear trac at the stern for a future GoPro mount and Scotty Sea-Light with flag and pole.

My first sit-on-top fishing kayak!

The Perception Sport Pescador 12.0 Angler. After looking at my budget and comparing all the kayaks within the price range, this was a no brainer. Using the pre-2009 Wilderness Systems Tarpon 120 mold, the Pescador 12 is based on a proven mold. The kayak has two flush mount rod holders, Scotty rod holder up front, a decent seat, and a 3lb. anchor. For $600 shipped from Amazon.com I would still have plenty of money to rig before I even get to the cost of similarly outfitted name brand models.

FEBRUARY 18, 2014 - DELIVERY DAY!
I hear the rumbling of the freight truck pull up in front of my house. Excitement rushes over me just like a kid on Christmas morning. I go outside to greet the delivery man. I see that the kayak is wrapped very loosely in plastic, not a good sign I thought. I have the delivery guy help me lift the kayak and place it onto my DIY PVC kayak stand to inspect the kayak and didn't let him leave until everything checked out.

-Checked the hull for any cracking or deep gouges = checks out fine
-Checked the scupper holes for any signs of cracks/damage = checks out fine
-Checked the inside for any signs of cracks/damage = checks out fine
-Tugged firmly on all handles bungees to ensure all hardware was secured tightly = checks out fine
-Checked all accessories for damage = checks out fine
-Checked to make sure all included accessories were present = DOH!

The Scotty Rod holder was missing the screw that holds the rod holder to the base!!!

It wasn't a huge deal, so I signed the paperwork and accepted the package. I immediately called Amazon and let them know the situation. The attempted to contact the kayak manufacturer, but could not get through. Amazon customer service was extremely pleasant to work with and resolved this matter beyond expectation. I received a $54 credit for the missing screw. The missing screw was a $4 item, so with the $54 credit the cost of my kayak shipped to my door was now...drum roll please...$550. Not bad considering the cheapest boutique brand 12-foot kayak was starting in the $700 + tax range.

Pipe

Pipe. Photos and videos do not do this place justice. Prior to visiting the North Shore of Hawaii last week I already had a huge amount of respect to the surfers that venture out at this world famous break. When I stepped on to the beach during last weeks large swell and looked out into the break, my jaw just dropped. 15-20ft faces, huge amounts of water moving, the waves crashing on the reef, my respect to those surfers just shot up to a whole new level.

944 days

It has been exactly 944 days since the 1st time I paddled into a wave and stood up on top of a 12 foot piece of foam and rode a wave. 2 years, 7 months, and 1 day since that life changing event. I've always been intrigued by the ocean and surfing has always been something that I wanted to try. A long time friend of mine has been pushing me to get into the water since high school. "It'll change your life. Trust me you will love it. You are missing out." Nothing he said could change my mind. The "land lord", "men in grey suits", "whitey", BIG FREAKING FISH WITH BIG FREAKING TEETH kept me out of the ocean. No way was I going to step foot into the realm of nature's apex predator. I happen to live near the coastal area also known as "The Red Triangle". This nickname, this region, this fear kept me from one of life's most simple yet satisfying experiences, gliding down the face of a wave. It took 15 years and Hawaii's warm, crystal clear, water to entice me into the ocean. I don't know exactly what clicked in my head and made me bite the bullet, but I'm glad I did. Upon returning to California I immediately ordered a wetsuit and picked up a board off craigslist. I hit the ground running, surfing 2-3 times a week since then and now owning 4 surfboards to cover most conditions, surfing has been one of the few things I've tried that actually live up to it's cliches. It is difficult to explain the feeling to someone that doesn't surf. As Dave "Rasta" Rastovich put it "It's like trying to explain color to a blind man".