1.) Life Vest
First, and foremost, make sure you have a quality life vest. I wear a life vest made by Stohlquist, which I paid around $135. I've had it since 2010, and is a bright yellow. The Stohlquist life vest is made for kayak anglers. I have the freedom to move my arms in any direction, and there are plenty of straps to adjust the fit of any person. It also has reflective striping on the front & the back of the vest, along with two large pockets on either side of the zipper.
There are several kinds on the market (Stohlquist, Coleman, Ascend, etc.), so be prepared to pay between $80 - $150). Check out sites like Bass Pro Shops (BassPro.com), Cabela's (Cabelas.com) and Austin Canoe & Kayak (AustinKayak.com)
Be sure to try on different life vests when choosing a vest that suits your seat style so that it's compatible with your seat's back cushion.
My life vest has a small flotation cushion that sits on the back of my shoulders. The bottom of the cushion is perfectly aligned with the top of my seat's back rest. Something to keep in mind.
I don't believe in those "inflatable" life preservers. Though the inflatable vest maybe somewhat cheaper, the floating cushion is more durable than its "airy" relatives. Here are some key things to consider when choosing the right vest:
* The air chamber on an inflatable vest could become dry rotted over time, causing the vest to explode, or it may develop a pinhole leak when you least expect it.
* The small CO2 cartridge may have a slow leak and may not deploy upon hitting the water, or at all, when pulling on the emergency cord.
There are 2 types of inflatable life preservers on the market today:
A.) Auto-Inflate - The air chamber inflates as soon as you come in contact with the water via small CO2 cartridge. *Note: Don't forget to change out the CO2 cartridge if it was used that day. Always carry spare CO2 cartridges.
B.) Self-Inflate - Same as above, except you pull on a small red (or, yellow) cord, and your vest inflates in a matter of seconds.
2.) Marine Radio (Floating)
Depending on where you're fishing, always carry a Marine Radio with you at all times. Even if you're not fishing saltwater. Most marine radios will float, has an emergency number (channel 16) that's monitored by the US Coast Guard, a small clip on the back of the radio to clip onto your vest, and has at least 10 WX (weather) channels. Nobody likes having "mother nature" turn ugly, so it's best to stay on top of things on a moments notice. I fish mostly saltwater these days, so the marine radio, made by Standard Horizon, comes in handy in letting me know when it's high tide/low tide, swell level info, wind speed, and other info that could decide whether or not you have a good day of fishing, or a lousy day of fishing. It's also a great way to maintain communication between you & your fishing buddies should something go awry.
3.) Lighted Mast with Safety Flag
"Why a safety flag???" And, "what's with the light???" "Do I really need these???" In response to these questions, the answer is "Yes!"
The main purpose of the flag is to provide greater visibility on the open water - especially during deep swells. When you, and your kayak, drop to the deepest part of the swell, you literally become "invisible" to other oncoming boaters, which could result in a head-on collision, or worse, a fatality on the water.
The white light is instrumental when you're using your kayak in heavy fog, or fishing at night to avoid being hit by other boaters.
On 12/15/2012, I wrote 2 articles on "How to make a lighted mast", and "How to add a orange safety flag". Clicking on these 2 topics will open up new windows to the previously written blogs.
* Note: The light kit I used in my lighted mast blog is made by Attwood Marine - a leader in the field of marine accessories boat both large & small boats. I chose the LED light kit because the light produces the brightest and whitest light possible that's visible up to 2 miles away.
* * Note: While the flag I used came from Cabela's, it's not listed in their catalog. You can try Home Depot. They sell one 18" x 18" flag that costs around $5.00. I would trim the flag down to 12" H x 18" L
4.) Safety Whistle (aka "Sound Producing Device")
The US Coast Guard's Navigation Rules state you must have some type of sound producing device at the ready to avoid a collision on the water. While the US Coast Guard seldom does these types of inspections, your state's Game Wardens, or Conservation Enforcement officers, will sometimes do a random check at the local boat launch parking area to see if you have the necessary equipment on your person.
I chose a pea-less safety whistle as my sound producing device. To have it "at the ready", as instructed, I chose to attach it to my life vest's zipper (as shown in the pic above), because it's there when I need it. I got mine at Cabela's in a 2-pack for $6.00.
5.) Navigation Lights (Red/Green Light and 360º White Light)
This is one topic that is always a concern for those of us who fish in a kayak. At the New England Saltwater Show 2016 at the Providence Convention Center in Providence,RI, my kayak was featured in our "Kayak Committee" show booth. Early Saturday morning, the Coast Guard Auxiliary men and women, as well as the Rhode Island Conservation Enforcement Officers, decided to stop by and check out the "kayak with the nav lights" on display. Apparently, a "overly concerned" patron at the show, alerted the USCG staff that my kayak was "illegally" displaying navigation lights that are "meant for motorized vessels". After a thorough inspection of the navigation lights in question, all the USCG members present agreed, that I DID NOT violate any rules of the road, since my Hobie Outback kayak is Pedal Driven, I am ALWAYS "under power" when I stated that I mostly troll - meaning that I am in constant motion - without the use of a motor!
A lot of people are installing the navigation lights because more kayak manufacturers are making kayaks with electric motors already in them, and the kayaks without motors, are being converted to a electric trolling motor assistance.
So, what does this mean for you? Well, the USCG rules state that all you need at night is "a White Light that's visible 360º in all directions."
From my point of view, you will need to get that white light up pretty high. High enough to clear the top of your head. If any part of your body is in the way forward of the light, you run the risk of blocking the white light's functional duties of doing its job, and keeping you safe at night from other boaters.
YakAttack makes a lighted safety mast for around $85-$90, but in my blog above, I show you how to make a better (and brighter) lighted safety mast for roughly around $45.
Taken from the USCG's "Rules of the Road - A Boater's Guide to the Federal Requirements for Recreational Boats"
Vessel Under Oars - A vessel under oars may exhibit the lights for a sailboat . If it does not, it shall have ready at hand an electric torch (flashlight) or lighted lantern showing a white light that shall be exhibited in sufficient time to prevent collision .
Anchored Vessels At night: All vessels at anchor must display anchor lights . If your vessel is less than 164 feet (50 meters) in length, then its anchor light is an all-round (360º) white light visible where it can best be seen from all directions.
Reminder: If you are operating your sailing vessel or kayak at night using machinery, or sail and machinery, then your vessel or kayak must display the lights required for a power-driven vessel.
* Note that a sail vessel or kayak under machine propulsion is considered a power-driven vessel.
Power-Driven Vessels - If your power-driven vessel is less than 39 .4 feet (12 meters) in length, then it may display navigation lights.
6.) What to wear (as far as clothing goes)
I like to wear bright clothing. In the early Spring, I have a blaze orange hoodie that I wear over an Under Armor base layer system. For pants, I wear my hip waders, or sometimes, I'll wear my Frogg Toggs rain suit bottoms. They're water repellent, and windproof as well.
* If your budget isn't a problem, then a dry suit maybe for you. but be warned as the dry suits aren't cheap. Be prepared to shell out $900- $1200 for a good quality dry suit.
In the Summer, I love wearing the long sleeved fishing shirts. I have many colors. Most are rated at 50 SPF which is nice for those of us that can't apply sunblock on our own backs. Sometimes, I'll wear a neck gaiter made by Buff Wear, and pull it up to cover my face from sunburn.
For pants, I wear expedition pants from Eastern Mountain Sports. They're lightweight, dry extremely quick, and zip off part of the pants at the thighs that turn them into shorts pretty quickly.
I wear glasses, so I wear Wiley-X sunglasses with bifocals, anti-glare, shatterproof lenses, and most of all - polarized to cut down on the glare from the water.
I like to wear a wide brimmed fedora-style Aussie hat with a mesh top that allows the sea breeze to cool off my head.
I also wear a good quality pair of neoprene ankle boots with zip up sides from LL Bean to keep the sunburn at bay, and the sand out of my shoes.
Not shown - I wear Buff Wear kayak gloves, also rated at 50 SPF. They are padded and reinforced around the palm and finger areas for durability. I like the fact that my fingertips are exposed, making it easy to pick up small items.
7.) Self Rescue Kayak Ladder
Though we often take our "sit-on-top" kayaks for granted at how stable they are on the water, we often overlook the possibility of tipping over, or worse, on saltwater being "caught off guard" by a potential rogue wave.
Have you ever thought about how you're going to get back into your "SOT" kayak after such an event happens? Some of us practice getting back into our kayaks on a small pond or lake, but most of us don't.
Fortunately, for you, there are a few solutions to remedy this problem:
* Please keep in mind that these 2 ideas are meant for "Sit-On-Top" kayaks only.
First, you can make your own side stirrup, or have one custom made using paracord. Paracord is extremely strong, durable, and comes in a variety of colors to match your kayak. If you're not handy enough to make your own, my kayak angler friend Mona Rodriguez (of Mo's Designs) can make you a custom paracord stirrup. She's also very good at making custom made paracord rod leashes too. Most orders will take about a day to complete. She can be reached via email here: SmidgensPride@yahoo.com
Second, you can buy an already made one online. Although, they are a bit more expensive than the previous version, you can see in action here at: http://www.kayakselfrescueladder.com/ . There is a short video on the page that gives you a demo on how it works, and how it's used. For purchase info, go here: http://shop.kayakselfrescueladder.com/
8.) Rod Leashes
Imagine the scenario where you're out on the water, your rod is laid out across the top of the hull, and you turn around to reach for some bait, then you turn back and find your rod missing! If you've never had that happen, then consider yourself very fortunate. It's only a matter of time......
Here's a scenario I witnessed while fishing off Block Island,RI in 2012. A small group us were highly experienced kayak anglers were fishing off the island's southeast corner in an area known for heavy Striped Bass activity, but also known for its deep swells from shifting tidal currents. Dennis Carusoe decides to head out farther from the group, approximately a mile offshore, to chase some fluke. At some point around noontime, he opened up his center hatch to reach for a sandwich. When, all of a sudden, a huge swell came up from behind him, (a feeling he later described as "having a chair yanked out from underneath you") followed by a second swell that eventually flipped him and his gear overboard. One minute his safety flag was visible, the next time, it wasn't.
Bob Oberg, who was nearby, saw that Dennis was having difficulty in righting his kayak, as well as getting back in, lost most of his gear - three $500 rod/reels and several hundred dollars worth of gear from his gear basket.
My case in point? Secure everything with a leash if you don't want to lose it. You attach your leash to your reel base (the part that's attached to the rod), and the other end can be clamped to a pad eye - you can purchase those here: Nylon Pad Eye .
9.) Gear Basket
This is my all-in-one lure holder. It carries everything I need - all in one place. I also have an additional 3-rod holder mounted on the back. I made a holster out of 2" pvc pipe for my Lip Grippers (a very useful tool to use while removing hooks from our toothy friends). I also have a Scotty Mount attached on the front/side of the crate. This is where I mount my lighted safety mast. In the last photo, I added an additional "mini" storage crate made from two other milk crates. To keep the cover, and the smaller storage crate sealed tightly, I added two small plastic kitchen knobs and some mini bungee cords. Everything attached to the crate is held in place with automotive zip ties (white).
To make your own custom gear basket, if you have the room to do so, you can go to my previous blog here: Adding a Custom Gear Basket to your Kayak
You can see it here:
Not shown: These pix were taken a few years ago. I have since then added a used phone cord to my Lip Grippers - they float, just not away from me.
10.) Personal Kayak Cart
Depending on the region where you live, at some point you will get tired of dragging your kayak across the dirt/gravel/sand, and will have to break down and get a personal cart for your kayak. This will save you wear & tear on your kayak's underside, as well as, save your back and your legs in the long run. While there are numerous ways to make a kayak cart out of pvc pipe, there are also several ways to attach the said cart to your kayak. I will admit that I've tried making one out of pvc piping with failed results. There are two very good approaches to this dilemma.
If you have a sit-inside kayak, with NO scupper drain holes, then this maybe the ticket for you:
http://www.basspro.com/Ascend-Canoe/Kayak-Cart/product/12092409343771/
For those of us that have a sit-on-top kayak, a cart that plugs into your kayak's scupper drain holes, this maybe the *solution for you:
http://www.basspro.com/Ascend-Sit-On-Top-Kayak-Cart/product/12092409343777/
* Note: Some people left negative reviews on this cart option due to the fact the top & bottom bars have locking clamps, but also have two small locking buttons that must be pressed in at the same time in order to shorten the width of the axle to avoid them locking in place at the factory-set width. Once you have set up the axle width you want, then press the locking clamps down to hold it in place.
I live on the east coast, near Rhode Island, so I frequently launch in some pretty sandy spots. My kayak of choice is a 2009 Hobie Outback Mirage. When it's fully rigged up, it weighs around 120 pounds. My standard kayak cart broke a weld at the bottom, so I spent the extra money ($365), and got myself a wider kayak cart with Wheeleez beach wheels. They are overly wide at 12" and 10" tall, but they make dragging my kayak across deep sand a breeze. They also make it easier to transport over uneven terrain.
So, that's what I carry, and wear, when I'm out on the water. I like wearing the full coverage clothing in the summer to prevent sunburn, and to prevent that burning sensation you get from applying sunblock to sensitive areas (ankles, toes, nose, face, ears, etc.) that cause your eyes to tear up and burn for hours.
You can get away with making most of the items on this list yourself. Others will require you to get the real thing. Either way, you will have fun doing the little projects because it's something you took pride in doing yourself. Who knows? Maybe your friends will want you to make one for them as well!
I hope this helps you in the future, if you decide try fishing at night, bring a friend, and make sure your have a dry bag for your cell phone. Your GPS isn't just for the road!
As usual, keep those lines wet & tight!
