Truly an ultimate mod! Great job!

Definitely looks like a great mod. My steering is still stock with the old style rudder and it took me a bit to get used to steering. This certainly looks like a great idea. Hope he is putting a patent on his idea. Looks like a million dollars idea. Thanks for sharing this. Been looking forward to seeing it.

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

Fred sent the details to JK. Let's see if they implement any improvements!

This would work great for a trolling motor as well. Thanks for sharing.

@allycat01134

3 жыл бұрын

Have you tried this yet with a trolling motor? I'm about to set my kayak up with a trolling motor, but don't want to do foot or pole/side steering. I'd prefer to have a handle next to the seat similar to this.

I made something similar but will definitely incorporate some of these ideas into mine thank! Have you ever used Zing it line? It may work for this as well.

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

No, we did not consider that. I just looked it up on Amazon and the breaking strength was much lower. That would probably be OK if it did not stretch, and, important, not bounce back. It would be worth a try for somebody else - but it is much more expensive than the line we used.

You could use 1/4" or 1/8" U-boat instead. That way they can be adjusted at will. I've used them to tie steel cable and they work!

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

Great tip! Thanks

I upgraded the steering in my coosa fd to the new style. I still notice it will jam if I go all the way forward or reverse. It literally takes both handles at once to unstick the steering. I would love to truly feel confident operating the kayak with one hand on the rod still. This steering mod looks absolutely fantastic. Nicely done thanks for the video!

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

So far so good. With the virus, I have only been able to exercise it twice. After tightening everything after the first run, the second was very nice.

@reelcapecodoutdoors5940

4 жыл бұрын

@@KayakhacksFishing awesome. Great to hear! I actually just completed a project raising the seat slider brackets 2" and still being functional. I managed to make a pretty cool setup out of plastic, under 2lb of extra weight and the low setting on the seat bracket sits the same level as the high setting on the bracket beforehand.

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

Wow! That sounds like a complex project. If you did a video on that, please post it!

To help with the cable jumping off the pulleys: It looks like you could easily attach belt guards to each. Just a piece of flat stock bent at 90 degrees sitting perpendicular to the pulley rims just clear of the rims themselves. The cables won't be in constant contact with the guards, but have no space to leave the pulleys. Your ride on mower or tractor will have them at the the drive belt pulleys. That should help if the cables continue to stretch. That's a great piece of engineering, Fred.....

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

I'll do that - thanks! I was out again yesterday after tightening everything up and no issues. But, why not complete the job!

Would a spring tensioned idler pulley be practical to help with slack? Cool idea. As was mentioned, would be good for trolling motor too. Not sure it would work as shown on Hobie PA, but might with a few mods.

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

No, I do not think that would work since the line needs to be very tight.I think it would just max out the idler.

I have been studying several methods for steering a trolling motor… one idea I like is not having to use a lever or anything. You attach cables on each side of motor shaft, like we see in most videos, and run both cables in each sides all the way up to the seat. Then, you complete the loop using a tensioner like ones used on clotheslines. To steer, you just reach to either side near your hips and grab the cable, pulling the cord forward to go right, or pulling it back to go left… doesn’t require any hardware other than eyelets to guide the cables where it’s the most convenient for you. One could even decide to close the loop in front of you, the cable sitting on your lap in front of your belly, and just grab the cable and push left or right… any thoughts?

@KayakhacksFishing

4 ай бұрын

I think that would work if you put some kind of a handle on the cable to make it easier to pull.

Nice!

What about heavy # test spectra fishing line. Very little stretch. Also kite shops carry Kevlar kite string. I don’t know if they have thick enough gauges but that also would stretch very little.

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

It would be worth a try for anyone who wants to follow down this path. Too complex for me to undo! 😀

Ya know jackson has a upgraded rudder and control system that's really good

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

Yes! I have the new rudder and love it. The control system was a fail in my mind. I did a video on how to install it, but it was still a marginal performer.

Do you have the misc hardware list? Looking for the well nut and aluminum spacer specs in particular.

@KayakhacksFishing

Жыл бұрын

I think I used size 10 or the metric equivalent for the well nuts. Hard to remember the spacers on the outside of the pulley. Rather than tell you the wrong size, take the pulley with you when you go to the hardware store and size it there. The system still works great!

At 13:30 to push rope/wire through crimps like that an easier way is to make a circle loop of dental floss, loop it in your hand 2-3x, then feed the thin floss loop through the crimp and put the bend of rope/wire through the exposed floss loop and using the floss pull it through the crimp, don't need push tools etc to feed it through which can possibly cut the rope/wire insulation. Old trick in automotive for feeding wires through tight spaces

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

Wonderful tip! Thanks

Would stainless cable work in this application, I'm just starting to build my kayak and will be using a watersnake electric motor

@KayakhacksFishing

2 жыл бұрын

It should. I liked the version I used since it was very flexible.

I know this is a off topic question but how do you like kayaking in greenfield lake? Is it worth trying to fish there or is it just a lake to kayak around?

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

I just go there for exercise before the inshore fishing starts up. Hurricane Florence killed off all the large bass. So, right now, there are smaller bass to catch. I saw guys out fishing the last time I was there.

If I don’t like mine I’d have to change the way I paddle. My boat had no rudder I built a fixed retractable rudder for it so I track straight . Set the hook brother

What did you use for the tubing for the line to go through, where you got it and price please?

@KayakhacksFishing

Ай бұрын

The tube was already there for the original steering mechanism. But, if you need more, you can get tubing by the foot from Lowes or Home Depot.

How about a spring ideal pulley in the hull that keeps the tension?

@KayakhacksFishing

2 жыл бұрын

Good idea! I need to look at that!

The rooe you are using for your control here, I was wondering what you thought about using 550 paracord? I'm starting to gather parts to do this mod. Last week, my rudder jammed to the left and I ended up climbing around to the rear hatch to find the rods were turned to the point where i couldn't move the rudder using both hands on the controls. I'm sorry to bother you with this. Feel like I'm being a pest. LOL

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

The paracord would have far to much stretch. The line must hold tension well. No bother!

@racerx12003r

4 жыл бұрын

@@KayakhacksFishing thank you so much. I don't know if you hear this much, but I definitely appreciate all you do. Always right there with great information.

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

@@racerx12003r I really appreciate that - thanks!

Can youuse a small turnbuckle somewhere to keep tension?

@KayakhacksFishing

3 жыл бұрын

I thought of that, but the line has to move to turn the rudder and there is no long stretch where I could put in a turnbuckle.

Here are a few additional tips from Fred who designed the system: Correction: when you talk about the hole on the aluminum stock handle, you say, "then you can make either a complete hole right here or just big enough for the bolt to your going to attach..." This is incorrect. This will not allow you to tighten the wheel to the track. If you do, the wheel will be frozen in place. The wheel turns around the bearing. The bearing is bolted tight against the track, so the wheel must rotate around the bearing. So the hole in the handle for the bearing bolt hole must be bigger than the nut that bolts the bearing tight to the track. Turn the handle back and forth, and you will notice how the handle rotates around the nut, but the nut is motionless. It has to be since it holds the bearing tight against the track, and the wheel rotates around the stationary bearing. Clarification: when you mention the small bolts I put in to terminate the line on the wheel, you should mention the aluminum spacers or sleeves I put over the bolt itself. This is to prevent the sharp edges of the threads from cutting or wearing down the lines. Correction: the third hole in the wheel that terminates the line is not to adjust tension but to allow the builder to make adjustments, so the two wheels are centered in the same position on each side of the kayak after termination and connection. It allows for adjustment if one line needs to be slightly longer or shorter to center the handle in the correct position. The two lines require different lengths to begin with, and it's challenging to determine and maintain that exact difference throughout the cutting and termination process at both ends. The result: a handle on one side at the center point will not be the same position as the other side. The three holes allow the builder to make an adjustment to the line length. Clarification: the two spacers on the wheel between the pulley wheel and bar stock is to keep the bar stock from touching the center bearing. This again points to the error above. The bearing must be utterly free of the pulley wheel and bar stock. Clarification: Near the end, when you go over how the line stretched, it may be helpful if you mention that the line stretch will stop after the first couple of trips and that to fix it is very easy and can be done on the water actually. Just carry a wrench with you. Mine hasn't budged since my initial fix the first time out.

Who makes the orange rudder? Is that aftermarket?

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

Jackson is shipping it now. store.jacksonadventures.com/fd-3d-rudder-kit/

What size is main pully

@KayakhacksFishing

2 жыл бұрын

It is 4 inches

So, why not just use coated wire?

@KayakhacksFishing

2 жыл бұрын

I did not investigate that. I wonder if it would not be flexible enough. This system is still working great several seasons later.

I know your video is >1 year old. But, I think it's worth mentioning that Fred's video links (above) do not work for subscribers in the UK. I don't know if this is the same for folks in the USA.

@KayakhacksFishing

3 жыл бұрын

Ouch. Thanks for pointing this out. Fred removed his videos from KZread

@tartanrambo

3 жыл бұрын

@@KayakhacksFishing Has Fred moved them somewhere we can still view them? I only ask, because it's sometimes worth getting a second view of a project prior to undertaking it. I'm currently fitting a trolling motor to my kayak. I have a series of questions that you may be willing to help me with: 1. I have the standard V shaped steering cable connector on the motor shaft. Would the steering mechanism you demonstrate still work without the rear cable wrap around fitting you have on the stern rudder shaft? 2. Does the 100mm pulley provide enough pull on the cable to turn a trolling motor 90deg or thereabout? Is it the diameter of the pulley that determines the length of draw when pushing or pulling on the handle? 3. what is the purpose of the two smaller pulleys? Do you actually need them? Much appreciated! I'm busy watching some of your other videos and I'm extremely grateful to have found your channel. Thank you for sharing.

@KayakhacksFishing

3 жыл бұрын

I'll send him a note with your questions

@KayakhacksFishing

3 жыл бұрын

@@tartanrambo I sent your questions to Fred and he has not replied. I hope he is not having an issue with COVID

So if you tell your wife you’re going to do spring cleaning but all you do is organize your fishing stuff…that counts, right?

@KayakhacksFishing

4 жыл бұрын

You bet!

Why dose he sound like Hank Hill

@KayakhacksFishing

3 жыл бұрын

lol... Hank Hill sounds like me... not the other way around!