Outfitting

So, now I have my own Yak to play with and I've been reading all these great posts about outfitting them.

The Rod Pod reinforcement ones are good and that will be a winter project I think. I'm wondering right now if I should replace the factory rod holders with Scotty's No. 344 Round Flush Deck Mount.

I'm going to Home Depot and getting PVC and wheels to make a cart.....that should get me at least on the water to play around a bit with it.

I should replace the factory rod holders with Scotty's No. 344 Round Flush Deck Mount.

I'm guessing you don't mean to replace the factory rod holders.  They tend to be of the flush mounted tube type.  Removing them would create a very large hole in your kayak that I'm not sure a 344 would fill.  If you really want/need a scotty rod holder mount (for say a Scotty Power lock (#230)) behind you, you could use a scotty gimbal mount (#253) adapter and use those flush mounted tubes.

Most folks install the 344s you mention up near their feet and they're designed to hold.

Brian

But since you are thinking about it, check the tightness of the well nuts on those rear flush mounts.  They are sometimes loose.

-Allen

My first priority (after the cart) when I started rigging (not finished) my T13 was a milk crate with PVC rod/net holders.  With a cart, milk crate, and the T13 rod holders I was able to fish, get some experience, then decide on my followup priorities.  After fishing a few times I decided to rig in this order:

1. Cart - purchased with kayak - poor first choice.
2. Anchor trolley and anchor system.
3. Fish finder choice and transducer installation.
4. Temporary Fish finder mounting.
5. Scotty compact deck mounts.
6. Downrigger
7. Rear hatch installation.

To date, with the recent replacement of the first cart which I destroyed, I have completed 1-4, and gotten one deck mount installed with a rod holder.

My first temporary FF/GPS mounting was tie-wrapped to an upside down milk crate which was then lashed to the rod pod with the rod pod straps.  This was fine for dropping crab traps, but would have gotten in the way of fishing.  The current temporary mount is on a short section of 5-1/2" wide outdoor composite decking to which the FF/GPS mount is screwed.  The board is lashed to the rod pod using the rod pod straps.  I drilled 2 sets of pilot holes for the mounting screws, one behind and one in front of the forward strap.  This will allow a quick (on shore) switch if I find my first choice was incorrect.  Also this will allow me to determine how far forward I want the permanent mount.  

It does render the rod pod useless on the water, but I have found I do not use it often given where I have launched.  The only thing I may need in the RP is a bilge pump, and if I truely need the bilge pump, putting the FF/GPS at risk by unlashing it will be the least of my worries.  

This may seem weird, but in retrospect I should have installed the rear hatch first, then installed the anchor trolley.  This would have allowed me to use breadboard backing, stainless screws, fenders, and nylocks, to secure the rear pulley on the trolley.  Instead I used wide-flair pop rivets.  On the front pulley and the tie-off cleat I was able to use backing and stainless hardware.