Looking good. There are several options for mounting your Garmin. Per your question on the tramps (too short on one side)...check your Akas and brace bar for symmetry (no bends) and correct deploy position. See my TI videos to compare. Keep the videos coming. Enjoy you sailing.
Thanks James! I ordered a mount for the Garmin. The AKAs and brace LOOk straight but I never really inspected them. Will take a closer look. Maybe even flip the front bars around to see if it changes to the other side. I tell ya, it is REALLY tight. Checked out your channel and subbed! You’re almost monetized man! Keep pushing. It isn’t easy for us small channels but it’ll come. Thanks for watching the vids! I’ll keep sailing for ya!
Hello from a first-time viewer, new subscriber, and A-I sailor on the West Coast! Have to admit that for years I've just been jumping on and going sailing. Only recently (now that I'm into my 70s) have I started to wake up and get safety conscious. Going to follow along as you accessorize. By the way -- re paddling with your tramps on: you really can't do it effectively. I just use my paddle for things like reversing off the beach in a flat calm. Auxiliary power is the Mirage Drive (a fantastic invention!), and IT works GREAT! I have peddled for literally hours. Much prefer it to paddling! Hope you're enjoying your boat! Will check out the rest of your vids now.
Thanks Ken! I have figured out paddling is a no-go with trampolines on. But I am much more skilled in using the AI now and have quite a few mods and adventures in my video list for you to enjoy too! I’m uploading a few more this week and hope you enjoy watching them as well. Thanks for the support and advice! Fair winds and following seas my friend!
Not sure but I have a hand held GPS... I think it has a ¼/20 camera mount on the bottom or you can just use a phone clamp mount on it also. BTW... I may have you beat on the "Cheapest AI on the internet" I found one for $1200 and already bought a Jetski/trailer for $200, sold the jetski for $350. Fingers 🤞 crossed the deal goes through!
Man, you have no idea how giddy I get when I have a pile of parts collected and the day comes where I get to toss my kayak up on a table in the driveway and start installing stuff. I've rigged out 5 of my own kayaks, and roughly another 10 more of my buddies. They were skiddish of drilling holes in their hulls, not me!
When it comes to keeping things dry in the hull, I have switched over to the various clear plastic storage containers that have the silicon oring seal. Flambeau, Pelican, etc brands come to mind. Very little chance of ever wearing a hole in them, you can see what is inside, they float when dropped in the water (accidental kayak flip).
@@FloridaManTV I have a few of those deep well tubs and although they work, they are flimsy and begin to crack after multiple times a trip lifting them in and out to get to other things in the hull. I added a few pad eyes under the deck to tie 1/4" bungee between. Then, I just use various sealed plastic boxes with 6"-8" tethers with plastic key chain clips to attach to the bungee with. This keeps them from getting away and sliding out of reach when I need to get one. I normally carry truck keys, and wallet in one. Saltwater fishing lures, lead heads and other tackle in few others. This also spreads the weight around under deck.
On frog water the bilge pump is fine up front. On the salt or in more serious waters you will want to keep it topside. The tank well is where I would suggest. You also should pick up a throw rope in a bag. Don't go cheap either, they can be upwards of $50-$70 bucks. They pack down small and can save you or someone elses life. Can also be used in a pinch as a tow line.
Anything that has a camera on it, can and will break at some point. A nice blast of spray, or a rogue wave will be enough. If you like your cameras, be sure to leash them to the kayak, preferably in a different spot than the camera mount itself. I leash everything that is topside.
My tramp straps where the older 1" units and I didn't trust the strength of the plastic buckle, so I sewed up complete set of 1.5" straps and 1.5" buckles. I made the straps extra long so I can get a good solid grip on them to tighten things up. They are easy enough to swap out, as all you need to do is slip the carbon shaft out of the back of the tramp and slide it out releasing the webbing. You might want to pull both sides apart and lay out your straps and see which ones are the longest and which are the shortest. Put the longest ones on the AMA side of the tramp, and the shorter ones on the hulll side. Or just do as I did and sew up a longer set all together.
Actually, in the Jeep, only my windows rattle a little if halfway down. It’s pretty solid. A bump, yeah it shakes a bit. But nothing a loud rock song can’t fix! 🤣 And on that note, on the Hobie, I didn’t hear the bilge pump at all over the slapping of the waves so I think I am good for now. It was peaceful. 🙂 Thanks for checking out the vid! 🤘
If you haven’t figured it out yet, when you’re in shallow water and can’t take full peddle strokes, just use the flutter kick method. It’s easier than trying to use the paddle especially if the tramps are out. Check out this video at time mark 1:40 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Dsyh_xF6Ays.html. Also concerning your tramp straps, measure the square opening between your akas. The distance between them should be the same from inboard to outboard. My thought is maybe the aka braces mounted to the hull are not parallel to each other this would create your problem. If that’s the case, you may be able to loosen them at their hull mount, attach your tramps to pull them parallel, then re-tighten the braces. Or they aka may be bent…previous owner could have hit something with the ama causing a slight bend in the aka. Either way, the braces should be parallel to each other and the opening covered by the tramp should be square (not necessarily “a square”, just square to each other)
