Be in to win a $500.00 gift VouCher - Canoe & Kayak

Kitting out my Cobra Marauderby Bruce HowsonPeter van Lith asked me to put something together about howI have set my Cobra Marauder for fishing. I wondered whatwas special about what I had done when each of us sets upour kayaks according to situations and mistakes that wehave made and seen. We have all had close calls and foundourselves in silly situations. One of mine was fishing 200 ftbehind some breakers when a huge rogue wave frightenedthe burley out of me because, while tied to an anchor, Icouldn’t get out of the way!The solution proved to be simple. I attached a buoy (the bladder from awine cask) to the anchor warp, ran the warp through an adjustable ring, andmoved it along the boat to change the boat’s attitude to the current or wind.The warp was then attached to a quick release yachting type fitting. Nowwhen I need to get free from the anchor a good tug on the rope releases it tobe retrieved later.While upgrading my kayak to increase deck space and storage, I upgradedthe electronics with a colour sounder. Screwing a sounder to the deck crampsthe usable working area and in the unfortunate event of a rollover, which willhappen to the most experienced of us, (just ask Naki Man) anything projectingfrom the deck is likely to be wiped out. I set the screen into a dash board. Thisalso gave me room to mount a VHF radio. Apart from the extra space, I nowhave some rollover protection and the electronics are not exposed to theelements. However when tying the kayak upside down on the roof rack thedash was in the way. I made it removable, easy with a couple of left over dutzclips. So now two half turns on these screw heads and the whole unit can bechucked in the back of the Anglia.Ideas I have adopted have come from listening to other yaker’s problems andtheir solutions which are shared in a Yak fishing club. The first of many suchclubs was formed when members of Taranaki’s Oakura casting club realizedthe club events coincided with days when we wanted to fish from kayaks. Nowover half the club’s membership is made up of yak fishos.Earlier this year the club ran its inaugural Taranaki Kayak Fishing Classic.Over 60 fishermen, (Oops must be PC about it) “fisher people” competedfrom all around the country. Copious fishy tales were exchanged, somebizarre and many downright hilarious. Just check out the website; www.kayakfishingclassic.co.nz. Planning is now well underway for the 2008 event,on March the 8th & 9th. Sponsors are in place and entertainment has beenconfirmed at the Butlers Reef in Oakura. Canoe & Kayak has once again comeon-board with a fully kitted Marauder as the major spot prize and the CobraExplorer as an early bird prize. Discounted accommodation can be arrangedfor competitors through the Oakura Beach holiday Park.34 ISSUE FORTYthree • 2 0 0 7