Mike Woods' wonderful way of storing a drogue on deck! (Pic: Mike Woods)
Sea kayaks are highly original things - they come from the mould as standard craft, yet nearly every paddler likes to adapt or improve the original design in some way - perhaps by the simple addition of extra bungee cord or something more complex such as a specialised pump installation.
Arguably it's one of the joys of sea kayaking, the ability to personalise your craft to your own needs, to create something unique, to experiment.
Many of the modifications or adaptations outlined here are available as "off the shelf" items but many are the product of the individual's own ingenuity or the need to devise something to fulfill a specific functional or safety need.
Adapting a fibreglass or kevlar craft may be easier than working on a plastic one, but it is possible to make additions to them, as these articles show.
Cockpit Outfitting
Deck Outfitting
Pump installation
Thanks & acknowledgements
The contributors as named in the articles - many thanks for allowing the use of your pictures and for the original input.
All pictures are best regarded as © their owners (as noted below each set) - un-named pics are © Mike Buckley.
Additional resources
Chris Bolton's article on working with composite materials would be helpful to anyone planning serious modifications to a glass boat.
The DIY. Repairs, Maintenance & Modifications page of the Almanac has links to several discussions and articles on boat modification.
Hutchinson, D (1997) - The Complete Book of Sea Kayaking - A & C Black (London) offers further ideas and suggestions.
Kayak Fit offer some useful ideas and suggestions. Check the articles on their site.
Accessories - discussion on inexpensive accessories, includes a wonderful description of the many uses of a GPS (General Purpose Stick).
Suppliers / retailers
Henderson / Whale pumps - makers of the Compac 50 pumps - most parts can be obtained from A.S.A.P Supplies Ltd.
The majority of mainstream retailers will sell foam - see also this discussion with suggested suppliers.
I'd welcome any thoughts, input, ideas or suggestions either on the concepts here, or on any other ideas you use yourself or have seen someone else using, so please feel free to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you can add to this in any way.
Mike Buckley - October, 2004 (Page last updated 13-Mar-2013 )