Personal gear Choices, what do you use?

Kayak:             Ocean Kayak Trident 15 -yellow/ Hobie Pro Angler -yellow
Paddle:            Werner Kalliste 240cm
Rudder:            Ocean Kayak with Sea Dog foot controls
PFD:                Mustang Dlx Inflatable PFD/ Mustang mv 5801 paddling vest/ NRS Chinook (depends on  my mood and where I  am going)
Drysuit/waders:  NRS Gore-tex Rogue dry top, NRS Black Rock pants or Simms G4 waders
Footwear:         Simms Flats booties, Hydroskin socks, Tevas
Gloves:             Nitrile when handling bait, NRS Hydroskins, or Simms Windstoppers, mostly no gloves
Hat:                 baseball, watch cap over top when cold
Fishfinder:         Humminbird 798csi in T-15, Lowrance HDS-5 in PA
Transducer:       both on custom SS bracket on stern because of side imaging
Battery:            12volt, 7amp SLA
VHF:                 Lowrance LHR-80
Knife:                Ocean Master 5 Inch Beta Titanium double sided blunt tip & Benchmade Salmon River                 Folding Fillet Knife
Pliers:               Abel #4 & 6" curved hemostats
Fish holding devices:  Boga Grip, Frabill folding net, 2' custom carbon fiber gaff (even the hook- a friend made it for me)
Rod Holders:      4 flush mounts in the aft, 2 Scotty Compact flush mounts aft, 4 Scotty compact flush mounts up front with #280 Powerlock, #244 flyrod, Pro Angler has 2 Flush mounts
Downrigger:       Scotty Laketroller with 3lb ball
Anchor:            3 pound folding claw, 50 feet of floating rope and crab float on end.
drift chute:        Clavey 24"
Seat:                Surf to Summit Expedition, with water bottle bag for lunch and beers
Cart:                Wheeleez canoe/kayak
Gear Storage:    Plano 1612 behind seat/ orange 3 rocket launchers mounted to back.
Bilge Pump:       Scotty #545
glasses:           Costa Del Mar #580 deep mirror blue
others:            LED Bow and running lights, 2 red led lights mounted in cockpit for night fishing, Orion AIR HORN, Ritchie Compass

The basics:

Kayaks: SOT: Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro TW. Sea Kayak:NDK Explorer HV fiberglass.

Clothes: Kokatat GoreTex Meridian Dry Suit. Kokatat T-3 Angler Suit. Kokatat Outercore layers, Kokatat booties. Kokatat Msfit tour PFD.

Gloves: Glacier Glove

Paddle: Werner Ikelos Carbon 210 straight shaft. Werner Coryvreckin 215 Fiberglass bent shaft.

Northwater tow belt, NRS Pilot knife, Olympus 850sw camera, Scotty rod holders, Gloomis rods & shimano reels. Sage fly rods & reels. Waaycool handline.

Julbo sunglasses......the rest is just little stuff.

Troutnut:
Regarding "LED Bow and running lights, 2 red led lights mounted in cockpit for night fishing, Orion AIR HORN"

Sure would like to hear the make, modle etc of the 2 red cockpit lights, installation location, seperate on off switch (if so type, model #) etc..
This idea makes sense to me.
Thank you,
Holt

Troutnut:
Regarding "LED Bow and running lights, 2 red led lights mounted in cockpit for night fishing, Orion AIR HORN"

Sure would like to hear the make, modle etc of the 2 red cockpit lights, installation location, seperate on off switch (if so type, model #) etc..
This idea makes sense to me.
Thank you,
Holt

Please make sure if you are running red lights, that you are following proper/legal red/green running light configurations.  I think it is illegal (at the very least dangerous) to have misleading lighting.

-Allen

In Oregon at least we're only required to display one visible white light. A kayak's profile is to low for real deciphering of direction from red & green lights.

I've put lights at bow and stern before, but I get night blindness from the light in front. Now I just rely on reflective perimeter line and a sea-light attached to the back shoulder of my pfd, whistle, and fog horn.

In Oregon at least we're only required to display one visible white light. A kayak's profile is to low for real deciphering of direction from red & green lights.

I've put lights at bow and stern before, but I get night blindness from the light in front. Now I just rely on reflective perimeter line and a sea-light attached to the back shoulder of my pfd, whistle, and fog horn.

Yes, we (kayakers) are NOT required to have red/green.  My point is that if you are going to use red or green, that you should do it in an unambiguous manner.

-Allen

Sure understand regarding running lights. Am thinking that inside the cockpit small red lights that allow easy reading, working with fish rod etc would be very handy and not directly visible from outside the yak. I think I recall from many years ago that dim red lights to read by or work with hands are helpful in a boat cockpit.  I do have the white light on back of Kayak on a 2 foot long pole for safety along with the NWKA flag.  Any thoughts on the red dim cockpit lighting idea?
holt

Dim red lights would help you maintain better night vision than regular white lights so have at it.  I sort of recall red lights, early 80s USN, 30 minutes prior to taking weather observations.

1st off, i'm not a scientist, but here's my opinion based on experience;

dim red, blue or even green lights ( as evidenced by the number of green LED arrays for sale that you can attach to the bill of a baseball hat) all work great for keeping your night vision from getting totally damaged when fishing during hours of darkness. for our purposes, i'd think green would work best, because many of us tend to have clear or blue colored lines spooled on our reels, and neither red or blue will show up under their respective colored lights. green would turn the lines and things of darker colors, well, dark, almost black, so you could see  the tag end of the 20lb flouro you have to retie while floating in the middle of that kelp bed at night after mama ling broke you off.   

working with armored vehicles all these years, i've seen them go thru all 3 colors on their interior lights and they ( US Mil.)  keep going back to both blue and red. green, at least for them, was too bright, especially after they started using a ton of night vision and night vision capable devices.

KFS and Hook1 both sell cockpit light kits with your choice of color options. i think i'd turn at least one into a below deck light so if i opened the rod pod i could see whats down there.

those of us who have the older model HydroStars are lucky in that we have the red/green bow light option in a supposedly "spit and stick" mount.. for some reason, mine never would stick to my T15 no matter where i'd put it. so will be looking to pick up the navigation light set you see on TopKayaker.net. at least that one i can velcro and lash to my boats nose.

the new HydroStars eliminated the bow light function and now just offer a solid red light. they still retain the other functions they are famous for.

being prudent, in no way shape or form would i advocate paddling at night without the red/green bow and stern white lights. it's just plain safety sense. and looking at troutnuts post, it seems he feels the same way.

i do admire the fact that he has a lot of high end, high dollar gear listed. looks like money well spent, after lots of research, for longevity and quality.
[WR]

Troutnut:
Regarding "LED Bow and running lights, 2 red led lights mounted in cockpit for night fishing, Orion AIR HORN"

Sure would like to hear the make, modle etc of the 2 red cockpit lights, installation location, seperate on off switch (if so type, model #) etc..
This idea makes sense to me.
Thank you,
Holt

I live down here along the California delta in Fairfield, regularly fish the delta for Stripers, Sturgeon and LMB. Much of my fishing is last 2 hours of daylight until midnite. The PB freakshow that think 500 hp motors and cabin cruisers must be ran at all times wide open , makes crossing the sloughs dangerous. I can hear/see them coming they can't see me. Most don't even slow down. The Contra Costa County Sheriff Patrol boat stops me regularly when I night fish by Discovery Bay, some of the deputies know I don't "need" red/green lights, some don't. It is then an argument over my boat length and propulsion. With rudder, my T-15 is tip to tip 16' 1/2" which puts me in the mandatory safety equipment clause, powered or not, according to them, and according to them,  my Pro Angler is not "oar powered". Friggin' technicallities just so they can make a buck for the county/state/court system.  Yes, I've gotten a ticket. Taking a day off work for court to show the judge the USCG. regs cost more than 4 sets of lights. I beat the rap, but like one USCG patrol boat guy said, they are cheap insurance and me VS. propeller, I lose everytime. The word you need to show the over-zealous LEO's is "may" display navigation lights, not "shall" or "must". I could get away with a "electric torch", but it must be "ready at hand"at all times. Same goes for your horn, so that sits in my cup holder. But one deputy told me once I put the rear white "all-around" light, I was required to have red/green also and keep them in "good working order", which means he needs to see them operating. This all takes valuable fishing time, and ruins my mood. ( this is 15 air miles from where that kidnapped girl was kept for 18 years, don't they have BETTER things to do than hassle me?) I found it is easier to just appease them then fight them all the time, and then I don't get to endure the "full body cavity search" either. I even have a 12Volt 6 foot string of LED lights I plug in to my cigar lighter plug and put in the hull to illuminate my entire yak. It glows bright YELLOW for holiday weekends!

Some jerk stole my digital camera from my Suburban, or I would attach photos too. Maybe this weekend when I get done quail hunting(opening weekend) I will get a camera and post up some pics.


As for the parts info, I got all of it either from stuff I already had or from iBoats.com:

red Cockpit LED's, mounted inside just behind Sea Dog foot pedal brackets, one on each side, basically under my knees, dead center of the side carrying handles,(but on the inside of the cockpit) right next to where my pliers mount to the hull, so I can see to tie knots, inside the Rod Pod,etc. but I can completely block them out if I want with my legs. Those 2 lights fill the cockpit with a light red glow so you can see everything you want, and nothing you don't. I leave them on all night. They draw practically no juice, maybe 1/2 watt between them. I like them so much I was going to rig up another one INSIDE the lid of my Plano box, with a tilt-switch circuit board ( eBay already rigged for ~$4) and then I don't have to dig around for a flashlight and ruin my nightvision. Attwood makes this one http://www.attwoodmarine.com/store/product/Livewell---Bulkhead-LED-Light that will run on 9V-16V, so it would be easy to rig up lights in tackle boxes/coolers...   Just a little more solder and shrink tubing!
 

These guys have them: http://www.iboats.com/

Seasense Red Led Livewell Lights

http://www.iboats.com/LED_Boat_Livewell_Light_Red_Seasense/dm/cart_id.263812030--session_id.114623464--view_id.237150




Red/Green Bow lights
Attwood Red/Green Pole Mounted LED Bow Light 14" pole  Attwood part# 3592-14-7 ~$30
(stolen off my Whaler) almost any marine shop can order these





White All-Round Folding LED Pole Light with Articulating Anti-Glare Head 54" pole ~$90 (stolen from my Whaler too) and works on both kayaks so it doesn't hurt $$$$ so bad. Attwood part #5540-54-7



you need 2 Attwood light bases 2 pin for both Attwood part #91020-7 (Perko will work too)



I have 3 Ancor Illuminated rocker switches like the one below that were lying around in the garage from another project, I mounted them on that flat spot between the Sonar Shield hinge and the front hatch where most people mount their GPS puck (mine's internal). I can switch them with my toes, or reach up there and click them with my hand. I mounted them first to a piece of black cutting board, then mounted that to the kayak (because I screwed up cutting the switch holes, measure twice-cut once). They light up when on, there are several brands out there and prices vary from ~$8 to ~$25, depending on if you show them your wallet first. The nav lights are a SPDT on/off/on, (anchor/off/nav), the middle switch is for future use, it controls a cigar lighter outlet below deck and a 12V plug I put in the sternwell incase I wanted to power a pump for a bait bucket, and the left switch controls the cockpit lights.


My best friend...




My next project is wiring up 7 Ultra Violet LED's, (1.3V each= 9V) sealing them in about 12" of clear plastic tubing, and clipping to the outside of the hull. It would make most monofilaments like Stren GLOW in the dark. You could fish Senko's with your back to the dock lights and see your line "tick" before you feel them swim away with it and no fish would spook from the light..


Disclaimer: I spent many hours surfing websites like this before buying a kayak or cutting any holes in them. I stole "almost" every idea from somone else, I owe a lot of fellow kayak anglers a beer!

I am also a self -confessed gear junkie.

Please make sure if you are running red lights, that you are following proper/legal red/green running light configurations.  I think it is illegal (at the very least dangerous) to have misleading lighting.

-Allen

I only run the red/green when paddling. Boaters can't see the 2 red cockpit lights unless they are on top of me, and then it is too late for me anyway.

Sure understand regarding running lights. Am thinking that inside the cockpit small red lights that allow easy reading, working with fish rod etc would be very handy and not directly visible from outside the yak. I think I recall from many years ago that dim red lights to read by or work with hands are helpful in a boat cockpit.  I do have the white light on back of Kayak on a 2 foot long pole for safety along with the NWKA flag.  Any thoughts on the red dim cockpit lighting idea?
holt

Yes I use a small red LED for reading charts at night etc.

I would stay away from red and green running lights on the kayak, nobody will see them anyways, your too small, you don't have too, they're not really going to help anything but rather confuse other boaters.

We're too nimble as kayaks. A boat in the shipping lane wouldn't know which direction you were going, because most kayakers don't go straight the whole time.

Not sure why you want to mess your boat up with all that wiring etc anyways. That's one of the great things about kayaks, they're not power boats!

That's great stuff troutnut!
That sure would be a nice write-up to put in the Drillin' & Cuttin' thread as a sticky once you get a camera to take some pics. I know from experience that rigging a kayak with wiring for running/stowage lights can be pretty complicated so I'm sure there are a lot of people on this forum that would love to see that, including myself as a fellow gear-junkie!

I don't want to jack this thread, but I'm not the only one with LEO's who are wrong about nav lights and kayaks.
It must be a California Sheriff patrol boat problem. It sucks to live here, but I gotta make a living.


read this:
http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,20586.0.html

That's great stuff troutnut!
That sure would be a nice write-up to put in the Drillin' & Cuttin' thread as a sticky once you get a camera to take some pics. I know from experience that rigging a kayak with wiring for running/stowage lights can be pretty complicated so I'm sure there are a lot of people on this forum that would love to see that, including myself as a fellow gear-junkie!

What he said except I'm not a gear junkie. It's great to see what can be done - especially where safety is involved.