hobie outback comming along!

hey folks
thought id post a couple of pictures of my yak. Its coming along but there are still a few things i want to do to it. Including finding a good kayak friendly cooler and a adding a ram fishing rod mount on the stbd side.
I have the downrigger on a gimbal mount system. It is very easy to use and I actually put it on the aft stbd molded in rod holder now. When it was up front and my rod was in the boom rod holder on the downrigger it was way to far to grab when a fish hit. Now rod is in the molded in holder forward of me. I have a 4 pound ball but will def get a new one. I put the humminbird 385ci gps depthsounder by the handle and it works well there. Its a very good system and would recommend it!
anyone have any thoughts on coolers or ram mounts that they find work well?
Also any blackmouth spots that anyone wants to share around Seattle area???

Your Outback is looking real good.

One of the greatest things I like on my Outback (besides being a stable enough platform to kneel and pee through the mirage drive well in 3 foot wind waves) is the front hatch deck.  It is concave so I am able to place my soft-sided cooler on the deck.  It is easy to get to it when I need to, and I have yet to have it fall off.  Even in the large wind waves and cargo ship wakes of the Big C. I run my mirage drive leash through the shoulder strap of the cooler so I can still grab it and bring it into the cockpit if necessary.  Here is a short video clip of my trusty cooler in action in some sloppy Tillamook Bay conditions.  Oh, and Ndogg is battling a Chinook in the background.  I will let him post the full video of that epic battle. 

Click to view:

Looks good!  Let me know how that gimble mount works for your downrigger after a few fish.  I bought a mount and then decided that I was going to be using the downrigger a LOT so I mounted a 360 swiveling base behind me.  I can still reach the downrigger and crank and deploy while facing forward.  You give up flat space but the tackle and other stuff I carry on my yak are typically in soft sided cases so it doesn't really matter when I'm not using the downrigger except a few pounds.  It's centered so zero tippiness factor.  The boom reaches to the perfect spot next to the yak.  I thought a 6 pound ball was light using my biggest gear which usually consist of an 11 inch flasher and a large herring.  It'll work but had some decent angle to the downrigger line.

I have yet to catch anything on it yet.  I added it after the normal salmon season.  Hopefully I am going to target feeder kings this winter.  But I think I will be using for 90% of my salmon and I bet over 50% of halibut fishing since most often I am fishing halibut in under 100 ft of water.  Trolling is  SUPER effective way to catch halibut around here in some areas.

When I had it on my mini-x, I used it to crank up shrimp pots from 500 ft down and it worked great!

If anyone can come up with a nice quick release mount for the big 360 base, that would be ideal. 

Here's a vid of my mount and deployment on my outback.  No problems cranking it back in facing forwards either.

Cool idea for the cooler. I watched the video and it looked fairly steady even in the chop. I may pursue such an option... Btw did your busy have a fish and did he land it?

About the downrigger, I just mounted mine recently also and haven't had a chance to get really used to it. It's very easy to let out and when I mount a rod holder right next to me it should be fairly user friendly... Not going to lie though it is a bit cumbersome to reel it in but for fishing steering and being out of the way it's in a good spot.

Thanks for the replys guy

Cool idea for the cooler. I watched the video and it looked fairly steady even in the chop. I may pursue such an option... Btw did your busy have a fish and did he land it?

It is very steady in the chop and it frees up space in the tank well for caught fish.  Or it least it would if I could catch a fish I could keep.   Also, Ndogg was the one with the fish on and he did land a Chinook that he was able to keep.

Great looking setup Foul Hooked.  I have had my outback for about a month and a half and Have added some rod holders and made an anchor system but nothing nearly as fancy as your downriver!

Nice idea about the cooler Craig. I have been storing mine in the front hatch but I think I will give on the front hatch a try. You also answered my unasked peeing when out in the ocean question . So far I have just pulled up on shore.

I must say I love my outback and it sure looks like you are loving yours to Foul Hooked.

Nice idea about the cooler Craig. You also answered my unasked peeing when out in the ocean question . 

FYI.... The Ocean is a very different place then where Craig is referring too. In the Columbia River and Tillamook Bay its a little easier to piss in or out of a kayak. ALSO...pee within an ear shot of friends. This way if for some crazy reason you fall in and start taking on water thru your relief zipper you can call friends for help. Just my 2 cents.....

Nice idea about the cooler Craig. You also answered my unasked peeing when out in the ocean question . 

FYI.... The Ocean is a very different place then where Craig is referring too. In the Columbia River and Tillamook Bay its a little easier to piss in or out of a kayak. ALSO...pee within an ear shot of friends. This way if for some crazy reason you fall in and start taking on water thru your relief zipper you can call friends for help. Just my 2 cents.....

Thanks for adding that Jammer.  I should have been more clear on that.  I have yet to try it in the open ocean.  I don't think I have ever been out long enough I couldn't hold it.  Also, due to possible seasickness issues, I don't drink a lot of coffee/soda out on the open ocean.  Therefore, it hasn't been an issue. 

As for the cooler on the deck, another reason I do it, is because I usually have a jacket and other things (that I don't anticipate needing) tucked in the front hatch so they stay dry. 

FYI.... The Ocean is a very different place then where Craig is referring too. In the Columbia River and Tillamook Bay its a little easier to piss in or out of a kayak. ALSO...pee within an ear shot of friends. This way if for some crazy reason you fall in and start taking on water thru your relief zipper you can call friends for help. Just my 2 cents.....

You expecting help with your zipper?

On a calm day on the salt I have managed to kneel, relax enough, and let loose into the drive well on the Revo.  Tough though when the boat is rocking and you are trying to maintain balance, get enough leg spread, and relax to let it happen.  I wonder if laying face down toward the stern (your face in the seat), legs spread, crotch over the drive well and legs on either side of the drive dangling over the side, would work.  Will report back.

FYI.... The Ocean is a very different place then where Craig is referring too. In the Columbia River and Tillamook Bay its a little easier to piss in or out of a kayak. ALSO...pee within an ear shot of friends. This way if for some crazy reason you fall in and start taking on water thru your relief zipper you can call friends for help. Just my 2 cents.....

You expecting help with your zipper?

On a calm day on the salt I have managed to kneel, relax enough, and let loose into the drive well on the Revo.  Tough though when the boat is rocking and you are trying to maintain balance, get enough leg spread, and relax to let it happen.  I wonder if laying face down toward the stern (your face in the seat), legs spread, crotch over the drive well and legs on either side of the drive dangling over the side, would work.  Will report back.

Please do NOT provide action shots!  Your description above was more than enough to last a lifetime.
We don't want the imperial SINK paddlers to use a picture of you in that position to say we love our Mirage drives so much that we...........

................never mind, you get the idea.

FYI.... The Ocean is a very different place then where Craig is referring too. In the Columbia River and Tillamook Bay its a little easier to piss in or out of a kayak. ALSO...pee within an ear shot of friends. This way if for some crazy reason you fall in and start taking on water thru your relief zipper you can call friends for help. Just my 2 cents.....

You expecting help with your zipper?

On a calm day on the salt I have managed to kneel, relax enough, and let loose into the drive well on the Revo.  Tough though when the boat is rocking and you are trying to maintain balance, get enough leg spread, and relax to let it happen.  I wonder if laying face down toward the stern (your face in the seat), legs spread, crotch over the drive well and legs on either side of the drive dangling over the side, would work.  Will report back.

I disagree with Insayn.  We need photos for the How-to sticky.

It is great that the folks on NWKA are not afraid to tackle the hard hitting issues.  However, with the level of detail provided on the peeing question I am afraid to ask my other question ... 

Seriously, I have had a Coleman Crawdad (11' plastic jon boat) for about 15 years and a 7' home-built boat for the 10 years before that. I usually solved the peeing problem by keeping an old coffee can/plastic container on board. That way you had a lot of adjustability in the process when the water was bumpy. You can even kind of sit and lean forward. Now I was never out in anything close to ocean like conditions so I can not comment on this approach in those conditions.

Thanks for the informative, lively and entertaining discussion.