Fishing platform, testing continues

[Uncle Mur]

Testing continues on my little boat. Today I invited my son in law and hunting partner out to try my fishing outrigger. He was impressed with the stability and how comfortable the little canoe was. So much so I'm Thinking that a similar thing may be showing up in his garage soon, with a request to fab up an outrigger deck to fit a couple of coolers he has laying around

 

[Uncle Mur]

While he was casting around the pond catching salad, I brought out the beach toy. A 10.5' Sevylor k1 inflatable. It's a lot of fun and a fairly dry boat for a blowup ... lol, and its about 5lbs heavier than the little canoe

 

[Uncle Mur]

I'm liking the trim. We are both fairly light, with modest gear I'm figuring around 350lbs. The spray skirts I made for kayaking this thing look like they maybe handy in the stern. Free board is a little thin ... flatter water is definitely going to be the perfered water with two in the boat. I calculated that the hull was around the 300lb capacity range and the coolers add around 40lbs each with strategic placement. Won't be ideal, but certainly do-able. And the easy portability of the boat is a good trade off.
More testing is in order

 

[Guest]

I'm liking the trim. We are both fairly light, with modest gear I'm figuring around 350lbs.
I calculated that the hull was around the 300lb capacity range and the coolers add around 40lbs each with strategic placement. Won't be ideal, but certainly do-able.
More testing is in order

I don’t know what the weight capacity of a 10’ Mohawk Pack might be. Mohawk’s 13’ solos list 300 lb capacity.

In any case if your meaning was two adults in a 10’ pack canoe I’d try it first in warm, shallow water. Even if it floats successfully it seems mighty tight quarters for fishing.

 

[Uncle Mur]

Tis the plan Mike, and my Spidey senses indicate that whatever the activity, only one will be fishing or hunting with the other in constant control of the boat.
This should alleviate some awkwardness and space constraints. The skeeters were vicious on Sunday and they forced us off the water and back to the homestead before I got the chance to get both of us together in the boat to see how low it actually rides.
The pond is fairly shallow and warm, a perfect spot for an ooops.
Rest assured that I'm not attempting this feat on significant water until we try it out on the puddle.

 

[Odyssey]

My 2 cents isn't worth much but the wafer thin freeboard looks like you'd better pack a swimsuit.
The outriggers may be adding to the stability but aren't they also detracting from the weight capacity?
Just so you don't think I'm Mr Negativity, I think the outrigger coolers are a clever idea. Don't get the livewell mixed up with the beer. Oh oh, there's that negative thing again, sorry.
Keep up the good work. A DIY fishing platform is interesting.

ps I recently passed a fishing spot and saw a guy in a fully outfitted fishin' yak. He looked like he was stuffed into a fighter jet cockpit. And I thought "I know someone who's got a better idea for way less $$$."

 

[Uncle Mur]

Thanx Odyssey, yes looking at the pic of the son in law out there on the water freeboard in the stern is ... not very "free" is it
The outrigger kit adds a mere 5-6 lbs at most with empty coolers. My calculator is indicating that each cooler is providing 30-40lbs. of buoyancy. I'm itching to get the two of us in the boat to see if my idea will "float" at all.
... and yes some of those fishing yaks look like a floating sporting goods store dont they

 

[Odyssey]

Hey man, I was assuming those coolers were to fill up and not stay empty. No? Otherwise an empty livewell is dead space (get it?) and an empty beer cooler is, well, that's just too sad to bear thinking about. But okay, skip the double duty cooler thing and just stick to using them as floatation devices. Would stacked foamy pool noodles duct taped together be more buoyant than the coolers?
Here's to your continued success.

 

[Uncle Mur]

Hey man, I was assuming those coolers were to fill up and not stay empty. No? Otherwise an empty livewell is dead space (get it?) and an empty beer cooler is, well, that's just too sad to bear thinking about. But okay, skip the double duty cooler thing and just stick to using them as floatation devices. Would stacked foamy pool noodles duct taped together be more buoyant than the coolers?
Here's to your continued success.

For initial testing they'll remain empty, then I'll toy with some ballast. I thought of the noodles as I was using them for my kneeling saddle. They are much more buoyant than the coolers, but they are much less rugged as well. I had visions of chasing pool noodle floatsom down the river.
An empty beer cooler is less sad if you had a hand in making it empty