GPS mount on a kayak?

[cshontz]

I'm getting my kayak soon, a sit-in, and I'd really like to set it up so my Garmin 276C is staring me in the face, but I'm not sure how to go about it. If I mount it to the boat in front of the cockpit, I think it'd be too far away.

Suggestions?

[Speaker]

Are those water-proof, as in submersible? If not, I think placing it in a pelican case and keeping it under your stern would be better..

Even if it was submersible, I haven't seen a method for mounting it on your kayak. You'll need to wear a spray skirt, which will go around the lip of your cockpit, so that removes the possibility of clamping it there. The only other way I can think of would be to modify the hull somehow to accept something like a ram mount. I can't reccoment drilling holes in your boat, for obvious reasons. Maybe super-glue a ram base onto your bow.

[greenhorn]

You, my good sir, have just opened Pandora's box. Rigging up a kayak can be just as addictive as rigging an expo rig. Go to Kayakfishingstuff.com and click on rigged fishing kayaks for hundreds of ideas. It can range from simple Ram mounts screwed to the deck, to custom trays accross the deck. They also have a great forum. Here's some pics to get you started. I have a sit in, a Wilderness Systems Pamlico 135T, and my 4 y/o daughter loves to go for rides! Enjoy!

[DavidEllzey]

Pics:

(1) Boring...
(2) Cluttered but looks very functional
(3) Very clean layout, having a camera mounted and ready for the big fish is getting cocky, I love it!
(4) This one wins. Any rig sporting a "gator gun" mount tops the list with me!

Dave

[Nullifier]

Rigging a gps is not an issue. Order a ram mount specific to fit the unit you have. Install it using either aluminum pop rivets it S.S. bolt with nyloc nut. If you are concerned about protecting the unit from excessive water then get some 3mil plastic and cut it so you can wrap it over the gps unit and secure it to the ram post using rubber bands or some other equal band

[Flounder]

First off...why do you need access to a GPS and how often do you need to see it? Perhaps Jonathan Hansen will chime in since he's the authority on skinny boats.

Personally, I have used a GPS unit on my kayaks off and on. In Alaska it was helpful for longer crossings in foggy weather or on days with aggressive tide flows. I would use it to gauge speed and possible drift on those days. In Baja, I used it to help locate pre-selected beach sites. Outside of that? It was just another widget to keep me occupied.

For me, I usually just kept my GPS in my PFD pocket on a lanyard. I could pull it out, set in on my spray skirt and get a brief reading of speed and direction. On days navigating in thick fog in Alaska, my unit was attached to my deck bag with a peice of waterproof velcro. I even tried a similar approach with mounting my unit to my paddle. That actually worked pretty well when on approach to beach targets.

If this is for a true sea kayak, be cautious of extra deck mounted do-dads. I wouldn't put a Ram mount on a sea kayak. Just one more thing to get snagged.

For 75% off all kayaking scenarios, navigating by visual landmarks and a simple map is easiest.

[Nullifier]

I have a ram mount ball on all my cnaoes and kayaks. It is a great tool for cataloging and interresting point of interest and what not.

[corbin8or]

you can drill and screw things to your most Kayaks. I have modified a couple boats with no problems at all. first I mounted a street pilotIII (yes it was a long time ago!) on a touring spectrum S big enough screen to see and I could reach it easily from my seated position. I also outfitted my perception whip-it with a modified C-1 style seating system (stability reasons cause I'm paralyzed) and added a seatbelt drilling and bolting trough hull on both boats! if you drill slightly smaller than bolt it almoust seals without help just like tapping a new set of threads. when you bottom out only tighten the nut from underside. I used some epoxy on the threads as I installed it. after 10 years being stored outside in Phoenix neither boat leaks at all!!

[kerry]

you can drill and screw things to your most Kayaks. I have modified a couple boats with no problems at all. first I mounted a street pilotIII (yes it was a long time ago!) on a touring spectrum S big enough screen to see and I could reach it easily from my seated position. I also outfitted my perception whip-it with a modified C-1 style seating system (stability reasons cause I'm paralyzed) and added a seatbelt drilling and bolting trough hull on both boats! if you drill slightly smaller than bolt it almoust seals without help just like tapping a new set of threads. when you bottom out only tighten the nut from underside. I used some epoxy on the threads as I installed it. after 10 years being stored outside in Phoenix neither boat leaks at all!!

X2. I've drilled lots of holes in plastic kayaks and C-1's with no problems.

[rctr03]

scotty mounts are nice too chris.

jimmy