crabs

Boy, this just keeps getting better and better.  First the crab rings I'm looking for and now just the kind of davit I was thinking about.  Now, I just need a kayak. 
Jim

This is why they call it the madness.. there's everything to make us happy.. and then there's people who have the ingenuity on the site to find ways to make what they need by themselves and post the how to's. Simply wonderful!! 

The MADNESS~!!

Z

Threeweight,
 I use the Danielson folding traps off of my yak. I am a small man at 5'-8" and around 140 soaking wet! I have no problem at all lifting the traps with bugs in 'em. My bitch is, I used a 1/4" nylon braid rope, too small and hurts my hands if not wearing gloves!
 I have found that two yaks make a much better crabbing experiance than going alone. We pull along side each other (69) and fetch gear from hatches of other boat. A little safer than trying to reach behind me to untie the traps after travel.
This is also a basic rule of mine, never paddle the ocean alone.

Crab season just opened in Area 13 (South Puget) and I already caught a huge fat 7'' Dungeness! Using the Folding traps, 4-point harness and 100' of leaded line. My husband and I each have 15' Prowlers and the trap balances nicely on the front hatch with a bungee. An added bonus, trailing 100' of line and a bouy to move the pot around is great resistance training!
Serioully- put some small pieces of brick in the bottom is you are crabbing in fast currents or on a shelf. They add a little weight, but not losing $150 of gear balances the extra work! Definetly don't go out alone- you need more than 2 hands usually and also mind the jelly fish- keep a little bottle of white vinegar on the boat.