SOLO SKIFF PROGRESS THREAD - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

FISH11 · 01-21-2021, 09:12 AM

I will, sorry for the delay. I was going to go today and do that but this crazy weather made me change plans. Were I live we've had those 40-60mph winds for multiple days, hail, snow Tuesday and strong winds and rain yesterday. Tomorrow looked like another window and now it's rain part of the day in SD. This weekend and next week looks like rain and snow at home. Next change in weather I'll film some of unloading and loading using the ramp I made with ABS drain pipe and the removable hand winch set up. I'm hatting having to stay at home and not be out at LJ.

AlwaysFishing · 01-21-2021, 10:32 AM

Thanks in advance Mark. I will be picking up a used Solo next week! Can't wait to get it all together and get it in the water. It's going to be a learning curve coming from an OldTown Topwater 120 PDL but I think it will be a lot of fun.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FISH11

I will, sorry for the delay. I was going to go today and do that but this crazy weather made me change plans. Were I live we've had those 40-60mph winds for multiple days, hail, snow Tuesday and strong winds and rain yesterday. Tomorrow looked like another window and now it's rain part of the day in SD. This weekend and next week looks like rain and snow at home. Next change in weather I'll film some of unloading and loading using the ramp I made with ABS drain pipe and the removable hand winch set up. I'm hatting having to stay at home and not be out at LJ.

ctfphoto · 01-21-2021, 01:04 PM

Mark while you are at it please show the wench set up as well.

And video all the accessories you have put on your solo.

I want to deck mine out when I get it and use your ramp method.

Hoping for February delivery.

FISH11 · 01-21-2021, 08:43 PM

Tomorrow I'll see if the weather holds off a little, I'll try to film some of it at home although it won't be like when loading at the beach. At least I can show the winch set up and how I put it on the top edge of the truck bed and what the ramp looks like. If you are setting up the Solo make sure the you install some H rail or other grab bar on the right side gunnel for holding on. At the speed the Solo can move, it is real important to be able to stay on the Solo when it changes direction or to keep balance when hitting chop. It doesn't have to be the long one, unless you prefer using that as a mounting platform for rod holders. Personally I'm not fond of the Hobie H rail rod holders (mostly due to the cost of each holder and each base). I installed two 9" H rails that I bought new on EBay for like $23 each with free shipping and purchased longer stainless steel bolts for through mounting on the gunnel at Ace hardware. It works awesome for holding on. One I put on the right for holding on and the other is on the front of the hatch base. The left gunnel has my paddle mounted so it would have been in the way and on the front of the hatch base it still works for holding on and protects the live well switch from accidently getting turned off. I personally didn't want the long H rails because I wanted the gunnels to be clean and unobstructed on the front part of the cabin deck, for landing fish and ease in getting in or out of the Solo Skiff.

FISH11 · 01-22-2021, 07:51 PM

FINALLY! After a few months since I told some people I know that I would film how I use the system I designed to unload and load my Solo Skiff, I did that today. I had to film it at home since conditions have kept me from being able to launch at La Jolla and film the process. It was a little harder at home because my driveway has this stupid slant that the construction company that built the house and poured the driveway thought that it needed much more slope than I think should have been needed, even with the extra rain and snow we get up in the mountains. I do believe that I covered most of what was important and if there is any additional information or more specific question, just post what those concerns are. I did forget to mention that all the Scotty bases and all the eyelets and hooks are installed using tri-fold aluminum 3/16" pop rivets. Those work great and I have always used them on my kayaks also. They allow you to mount things were there might not be a way to use pass through stainless steel bolts. The short Hobie H Rails and the swivel seat base are mounted with 1/4" through stainless steel bolts, large washers and nylock nuts. The Yakattack Mighty Mount XL gear track bases are of different lengths and all come with stainless steel screws that just screw into the polypropylene hull of the Solo Skiff. The triple rod holders on the rear are Blacktip triple nylon rod holders and I made a bracket that supports the upper section and are mounted to the Yakattack Mighty Mount XL bases using stainless steel carriage bolts that I ground two sides of the head slightly so they would slide in the gear tracks and also not rotate. They are easily removable by just loosening the nylock nuts and sliding the bolts out of the tracks, if I decide I don't want them on. The use of the ramp system is alot easier on the sand. Using it on boat ramps is also easy when you don't have to deal with boat wakes, no different then when using a boat trailer. Hope this helps all you guys that have one or are waiting for a Solo Skiff' Tight Lines.

ctfphoto · 01-23-2021, 08:04 AM

Mark, thank you very much for the very informative video.

I can hardly wait until this spring when I can fish alongside of you and Mikey

AlwaysFishing · 01-23-2021, 10:12 AM

Mark thank you for taking the time to do the video. Lots of useful information in the video. Thank you.

01-21-2021, 09:12 AM	#1
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,639	I will, sorry for the delay. I was going to go today and do that but this crazy weather made me change plans. Were I live we've had those 40-60mph winds for multiple days, hail, snow Tuesday and strong winds and rain yesterday. Tomorrow looked like another window and now it's rain part of the day in SD. This weekend and next week looks like rain and snow at home. Next change in weather I'll film some of unloading and loading using the ramp I made with ABS drain pipe and the removable hand winch set up. I'm hatting having to stay at home and not be out at LJ. __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )

01-21-2021, 08:43 PM	#4
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,639	Tomorrow I'll see if the weather holds off a little, I'll try to film some of it at home although it won't be like when loading at the beach. At least I can show the winch set up and how I put it on the top edge of the truck bed and what the ramp looks like. If you are setting up the Solo make sure the you install some H rail or other grab bar on the right side gunnel for holding on. At the speed the Solo can move, it is real important to be able to stay on the Solo when it changes direction or to keep balance when hitting chop. It doesn't have to be the long one, unless you prefer using that as a mounting platform for rod holders. Personally I'm not fond of the Hobie H rail rod holders (mostly due to the cost of each holder and each base). I installed two 9" H rails that I bought new on EBay for like $23 each with free shipping and purchased longer stainless steel bolts for through mounting on the gunnel at Ace hardware. It works awesome for holding on. One I put on the right for holding on and the other is on the front of the hatch base. The left gunnel has my paddle mounted so it would have been in the way and on the front of the hatch base it still works for holding on and protects the live well switch from accidently getting turned off. I personally didn't want the long H rails because I wanted the gunnels to be clean and unobstructed on the front part of the cabin deck, for landing fish and ease in getting in or out of the Solo Skiff. __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )

01-22-2021, 07:51 PM	#5
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,639	SOLO SKIFF My Designed unloading and loading system. FINALLY! After a few months since I told some people I know that I would film how I use the system I designed to unload and load my Solo Skiff, I did that today. I had to film it at home since conditions have kept me from being able to launch at La Jolla and film the process. It was a little harder at home because my driveway has this stupid slant that the construction company that built the house and poured the driveway thought that it needed much more slope than I think should have been needed, even with the extra rain and snow we get up in the mountains. I do believe that I covered most of what was important and if there is any additional information or more specific question, just post what those concerns are. I did forget to mention that all the Scotty bases and all the eyelets and hooks are installed using tri-fold aluminum 3/16" pop rivets. Those work great and I have always used them on my kayaks also. They allow you to mount things were there might not be a way to use pass through stainless steel bolts. The short Hobie H Rails and the swivel seat base are mounted with 1/4" through stainless steel bolts, large washers and nylock nuts. The Yakattack Mighty Mount XL gear track bases are of different lengths and all come with stainless steel screws that just screw into the polypropylene hull of the Solo Skiff. The triple rod holders on the rear are Blacktip triple nylon rod holders and I made a bracket that supports the upper section and are mounted to the Yakattack Mighty Mount XL bases using stainless steel carriage bolts that I ground two sides of the head slightly so they would slide in the gear tracks and also not rotate. They are easily removable by just loosening the nylock nuts and sliding the bolts out of the tracks, if I decide I don't want them on. The use of the ramp system is alot easier on the sand. Using it on boat ramps is also easy when you don't have to deal with boat wakes, no different then when using a boat trailer. Hope this helps all you guys that have one or are waiting for a Solo Skiff' Tight Lines. __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )

01-21-2021, 01:04 PM	#3
ctfphoto Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 901	Mark while you are at it please show the wench set up as well. And video all the accessories you have put on your solo. I want to deck mine out when I get it and use your ramp method. Hoping for February delivery.

01-23-2021, 08:04 AM	#6
ctfphoto Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 901	Mark, thank you very much for the very informative video. I can hardly wait until this spring when I can fish alongside of you and Mikey

01-23-2021, 10:12 AM	#7
AlwaysFishing Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2019 Location: On the water Posts: 198	Mark thank you for taking the time to do the video. Lots of useful information in the video. Thank you.