Tweet
I installed the $35 YAK GEAR DELUX ANCHOR TROLLEY KIT on the starboard side of my ‘canyak’, and the $30 SEA-LECT DESIGNS ANCHOR TROLLEY KIT on the port side of my ‘canyak.’ My ‘canyak’ is the name I have given my Mad River Adventure 14 foot canoe.
Both systems consisted of high quality parts, easy installs and reasonably priced. But that’s where the similarity ends.
The $35 YAK GEAR DELUX ANCHOR TROLLEY KIT, imo, is a better system. The nylon Harken Pulleys are smooth, free running, non-binding, self-contained pulleys in one compact unit. The ‘unit’ is secured to the hull fore and aft with self-sealing ‘well-nuts.’ No need for messy sealant around the holes. No additional snap hooks with separate pulleys to fool with. Plus this kit comes with 2 Pad Eyes to serve as guides to keep the trolley line from sliding up and over the hull.
Additionally Yak Gear uses a triangle shaped anchor tether that serves to keep the anchor line centered on the tether. Two Pad Eyes are included in the Kit as guides to keep the trolley line from riding up the side of the hull over top of the yak. A Zig-Zag Cleat completes the kit to lock the trolley line positioning the anchor, wind chute or stake out pole exactly where you want it. All kit hardware is stainless steel.
On a trial run the Yak Gears System ran smooth with all three drift control devices. I use a 3.5 pound folding fluke anchor, a 30” diameter wind chute and a homemade 6 foot stake out pole.
The SEA-LECT DESIGNS ANCHOR TROLLEY KIT was also comprised of high quality parts and materials. The difference between the two kits lies in the design and parts. SEA-LECT pulleys were high quality stainless steel that were secured to fore and aft stainless steel Pad Eyes.
There were no Pad Eyes provided to be used as trolley line guides to keep the line from sliding up and over the gunwale. The anchor was a round nylon ring lacking the obvious advantages of the triangle shaped tether. All fasteners were stainless steel nuts and bolts.
No well-nuts were provided in this kit. Sealant was required for all fasteners.
I tested the SEA-LECT ANCHOR TROLLEY SYSTEM in water, first using my folding fluke anchor, then using the wind chute and finally the stake out pole. With all three drift control devices the trolley line rode up and over the gunwale, interfering with my casting and tackle rigging.
I corrected the problem by purchasing and installing two additional Pad Eyes between the fore and aft pulleys to contain the trolley line and keep it from riding up the side of the hull.
My next project was a new stake out pole. My old SOP was a six foot length of 1 ½ inch PVC pipe with a hole drilled near the top for the line to attach to my ‘canyak.’
Home Depot was my source for materials to make a cheap but functional SOP. I used a six foot length of 5/8” galvanized electric conduit cut from a ten foot length, costing me less than three dollars.
While I was in the electrical department I accidentally found a semi-pointed copper grounding stake that fit snugly inside the bottom end of the conduit, cost less than four dollars. This semi-pointed stake would make it easy to securely sink the SOP in a mud or sand bottom.
In the plumbing department I found a “T” fitting to go over the top end of the conduit for a handle, cost less than a buck.
In the hardware department I picked up a ¼” diameter stainless steel threaded eye bolt, lock washer and nut, cost less than a buck fifty. I also purchased a 2 inch diameter stainless steel ring, costing around two and a half bucks.
Finally in the paint department I picked up a can of cheap white spray can pain for less than two bucks.
At home I installed the PVC ‘T’ over the top end of the 6’ conduit using some on hand GOOP Sealant Adhesive.
I drilled a ¼” hole in the conduit 6 inches down from the ‘T” handle, and installed the ¼ inch SS eye bolt secured through the conduit with a nylon lock nut.
The semi-round capped end of copper fit snugly inside the bottom end of the conduit.
I drilled a 3/16” hole thru the conduit and copper and anchored them together with a snug fitting, fine threaded, stainless steel bolt and nylon lock nut.
After the three coats of white spray paint dried overnight, I tied a 6 foot length of ¼ inch yellow braided poly pro floating line to the top end eye bolt.
Then I put the tag end of the rope through the stainless steel ring, which had been placed over the bottom end of the pole.
I tied a old stainless steel snap hook to the bottom of the poly pro line, which kept the ring from sliding off the end of the pole.
The sliding ring over the SOP and rope moves up and down with the rise and fall of the tide, keeping the line positioned near the center of the pole instead of pulling against the top of the pole.
To store the SOP in the boat, I purchased a four pack of spring clip pole hangers for less than four bucks at WalleyMarts. The hangers were attached inside my paddle boat, and positioned to hold the SOP securely out of the way until its needed.
In-water test run, home made SOP worked great, and looked store bought.
When rigged to the anchor trolleys on either side of my ‘canyak,’ I was able to change the direction of my boat without moving the SOP.
All said and done, I had less than twenty bucks invested in my homemade SOP.
I will take some pics and post them showing both anchor trolley installs and my homemade SOP.
Joe
Both systems consisted of high quality parts, easy installs and reasonably priced. But that’s where the similarity ends.
The $35 YAK GEAR DELUX ANCHOR TROLLEY KIT, imo, is a better system. The nylon Harken Pulleys are smooth, free running, non-binding, self-contained pulleys in one compact unit. The ‘unit’ is secured to the hull fore and aft with self-sealing ‘well-nuts.’ No need for messy sealant around the holes. No additional snap hooks with separate pulleys to fool with. Plus this kit comes with 2 Pad Eyes to serve as guides to keep the trolley line from sliding up and over the hull.
Additionally Yak Gear uses a triangle shaped anchor tether that serves to keep the anchor line centered on the tether. Two Pad Eyes are included in the Kit as guides to keep the trolley line from riding up the side of the hull over top of the yak. A Zig-Zag Cleat completes the kit to lock the trolley line positioning the anchor, wind chute or stake out pole exactly where you want it. All kit hardware is stainless steel.
On a trial run the Yak Gears System ran smooth with all three drift control devices. I use a 3.5 pound folding fluke anchor, a 30” diameter wind chute and a homemade 6 foot stake out pole.
The SEA-LECT DESIGNS ANCHOR TROLLEY KIT was also comprised of high quality parts and materials. The difference between the two kits lies in the design and parts. SEA-LECT pulleys were high quality stainless steel that were secured to fore and aft stainless steel Pad Eyes.
There were no Pad Eyes provided to be used as trolley line guides to keep the line from sliding up and over the gunwale. The anchor was a round nylon ring lacking the obvious advantages of the triangle shaped tether. All fasteners were stainless steel nuts and bolts.
No well-nuts were provided in this kit. Sealant was required for all fasteners.
I tested the SEA-LECT ANCHOR TROLLEY SYSTEM in water, first using my folding fluke anchor, then using the wind chute and finally the stake out pole. With all three drift control devices the trolley line rode up and over the gunwale, interfering with my casting and tackle rigging.
I corrected the problem by purchasing and installing two additional Pad Eyes between the fore and aft pulleys to contain the trolley line and keep it from riding up the side of the hull.
My next project was a new stake out pole. My old SOP was a six foot length of 1 ½ inch PVC pipe with a hole drilled near the top for the line to attach to my ‘canyak.’
Home Depot was my source for materials to make a cheap but functional SOP. I used a six foot length of 5/8” galvanized electric conduit cut from a ten foot length, costing me less than three dollars.
While I was in the electrical department I accidentally found a semi-pointed copper grounding stake that fit snugly inside the bottom end of the conduit, cost less than four dollars. This semi-pointed stake would make it easy to securely sink the SOP in a mud or sand bottom.
In the plumbing department I found a “T” fitting to go over the top end of the conduit for a handle, cost less than a buck.
In the hardware department I picked up a ¼” diameter stainless steel threaded eye bolt, lock washer and nut, cost less than a buck fifty. I also purchased a 2 inch diameter stainless steel ring, costing around two and a half bucks.
Finally in the paint department I picked up a can of cheap white spray can pain for less than two bucks.
At home I installed the PVC ‘T’ over the top end of the 6’ conduit using some on hand GOOP Sealant Adhesive.
I drilled a ¼” hole in the conduit 6 inches down from the ‘T” handle, and installed the ¼ inch SS eye bolt secured through the conduit with a nylon lock nut.
The semi-round capped end of copper fit snugly inside the bottom end of the conduit.
I drilled a 3/16” hole thru the conduit and copper and anchored them together with a snug fitting, fine threaded, stainless steel bolt and nylon lock nut.
After the three coats of white spray paint dried overnight, I tied a 6 foot length of ¼ inch yellow braided poly pro floating line to the top end eye bolt.
Then I put the tag end of the rope through the stainless steel ring, which had been placed over the bottom end of the pole.
I tied a old stainless steel snap hook to the bottom of the poly pro line, which kept the ring from sliding off the end of the pole.
The sliding ring over the SOP and rope moves up and down with the rise and fall of the tide, keeping the line positioned near the center of the pole instead of pulling against the top of the pole.
To store the SOP in the boat, I purchased a four pack of spring clip pole hangers for less than four bucks at WalleyMarts. The hangers were attached inside my paddle boat, and positioned to hold the SOP securely out of the way until its needed.
In-water test run, home made SOP worked great, and looked store bought.
When rigged to the anchor trolleys on either side of my ‘canyak,’ I was able to change the direction of my boat without moving the SOP.
All said and done, I had less than twenty bucks invested in my homemade SOP.
I will take some pics and post them showing both anchor trolley installs and my homemade SOP.
Joe
Comment