Posted By: RealBigReel
Fixing stuff - 11/17/20 10:40 PM
Went fishing yesterday in my kayak STRIPER3.
http://www.texaskayakfisherman.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=250493&p=2312314#p2312314
Broke the rudder clean off before I ever got on the water. Fished any way using the paddle to steer with. Then when I was putting the kayak in the trailer I broke one of the rod holders off. The rod leash is attached to the rod holder base. So if a fish had done that, I would have lost and entire rig, rod, reel and the rod holder and the base. I was surprised at how easy it popped off.
So I glued the rod hold base back down and ran 2 screw up through the tumblehome into the base. Secured the other rod holder also.
Rudder was not quite so easy. The old rudder was 3/4" plywood and took a bit of carving to get the shape right and it was heavy. Had an idea in my head to make a new rudder out of aluminum. Was thinking I was going to have to make a trip to McKinleys for stock, but checked my stock first and found just what I needed to make it work. The main rudder is .090 thick aluminum with a couple of shims bonded to the sides to fill the gap in the Lexan rudder root. My new Dewalt saber saw cuts aluminum nicely with the right blade. Found just the right CSK screws to screw it together. And it went together rather nicely.
The weak point is no longer the rudder itself
![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/IT5EG4c.jpg)
![[Linked Image]](https://i.imgur.com/YLebn8U.jpg)
http:/
Broke the rudder clean off before I ever got on the water. Fished any way using the paddle to steer with. Then when I was putting the kayak in the trailer I broke one of the rod holders off. The rod leash is attached to the rod holder base. So if a fish had done that, I would have lost and entire rig, rod, reel and the rod holder and the base. I was surprised at how easy it popped off.
So I glued the rod hold base back down and ran 2 screw up through the tumblehome into the base. Secured the other rod holder also.
Rudder was not quite so easy. The old rudder was 3/4" plywood and took a bit of carving to get the shape right and it was heavy. Had an idea in my head to make a new rudder out of aluminum. Was thinking I was going to have to make a trip to McKinleys for stock, but checked my stock first and found just what I needed to make it work. The main rudder is .090 thick aluminum with a couple of shims bonded to the sides to fill the gap in the Lexan rudder root. My new Dewalt saber saw cuts aluminum nicely with the right blade. Found just the right CSK screws to screw it together. And it went together rather nicely.
The weak point is no longer the rudder itself
