Best fabrication method for one off kayak catch bin

[IronPrice]

Of course micro-balloons.

You will probably find that a couple of areas can be made of up quite large flat sections of foam. It doesn't all have to be small bits.

Thanks that makes sense

 

[IronPrice]

Just glue ply blocks in where you need to screw; not the whole thing. Build it out of polystyrene n epoxy! I said long ago you don’t need to mould based on that picture.

You did say that. With the differing contributions and suggestions from various people I have gotten somewhat confused

 

[rwatson]

....

Foam sheeting is cheap enough so I can have a play with that first and see if I can build the base as simply as I think.

I'm still not sure how to make stronger areas for screwing in fastenings.

I'm puzzled. From the picture, it looks like you already have tie down points to hold that shock cord on the rear deck. Wouldny they do ?

 

[IronPrice]

I'm puzzled. From the picture, it looks like you already have tie down points to hold that shock cord on the rear deck. Wouldny they do ?

I took that photo the morning I bought the kayak. The shock cords over the rear well were gone by lunchtime

Shock cord is a magnet for fishhooks. If I get a dangling lure snagged in those rear shock cords reaching back to unhook it carries a significant risk of capsize. I've kept the shock cord paddle keeper as I can reach that easily.

I also don't trust shock cords if I roll the kayak when re-entering through the surf zone - which happens a few times every season.

The shock cord buckles on the side deck are mounted to brass threaded inserts. I could reuse them - depending how wide I make the upper half of the fish-case. I intend to have a flange coming out over the narrow side decks.

A tidy solution would be to have vertical grooves in the catch-bin at the locations of the threaded inserts. Then whatever I use to secure the catch-bin can sit down in those grooves out of the way. That would make the shape more complex and to maintain insulation thickness I would sacrifice internal width at those points. So there is a trade off to consider there

I hope to start on some cardboard templates this weekend, so I may get a better idea then of what could work.

 

[fallguy]

Cardboard schmardboard.

Get a piece of 2” pink polystyrene from home depot and a tape measure. It cuts with a utility knife or old fillet knife after utikity cut to depth. You can toothpick it together or hotglue in two spots.

You need the ply backer for lid hinges and mounting gear. Just determine where and hog out the foam there and glue it in with epoxy and any filler really. Just keep the ply a hair low so it can be faired outta sight.

Once you have the outline box; you can glue it up. I’d put factory edges up and align them first; then glue join to the base; that way the lid will fit nice. You can shoebox the lid. Do no glass until it is all formed up.

 

[fallguy]

By the way, I am building one of these as well in the next year. Some same, some diff

 

[IronPrice]

12 hour flight to the nearests home depot.

Cardboard schmardboard.

Get a piece of 2” pink polystyrene from home depot and a tape measure. It cuts with a utility knife or old fillet knife after utikity cut to depth. You can toothpick it together or hotglue in two spots.

You need the ply backer for lid hinges and mounting gear. Just determine where and hog out the foam there and glue it in with epoxy and any filler really. Just keep the ply a hair low so it can be faired outta sight.

Once you have the outline box; you can glue it up. I’d put factory edges up and align them first; then glue join to the base; that way the lid will fit nice. You can shoebox the lid. Do no glass until it is all formed up.

That's pretty much my plan. I have hot wire I can use for cutting the foam. Tooth picks and hot glue for the temporary assembly

The bottom half will be as easy as you suggest. The top half, which will angle up above the side decks will be more complex.

The reason for the cardboard is to try a few different ideas for the top half and see what works and how it looks. I have a large TV box I kept for this purpose.

What do you mean by "Shoe box the lid"?

 

[fallguy]

A shoe box has a classic cover, but hinging it is trickier unless you leave it a little big on the front. A shoe box cover is stable when thin because of the 90 degree bends around the edges. You could shoebox, or you could do a flat cover. Mine will be a hatch style opening. Buying a commercial one; so can’t help with compares.

I don’t like my shoebox idea because it’d be messy if there is fish blood, goo. I only offered it for the strength of it.

 

[IronPrice]

I understand what you mean by shoe box now. I'm not sure what I'll do for hatch yet.

I was looking at pre-made hatches yesterday and none of them were the right shape.

On the commercially made fish pod my previous kayak came with, the lid swivel back like the visor on a motorcycle helmet.

 

[rwatson]

I understand what you mean by shoe box now. I'm not sure what I'll do for hatch yet. .

If you cant find a suitable ready made, you can create "lips" for either the bin or the lid by temporarily hotgluing a series of wood or foam blocks around the edge, and embedding in fg.

An example here

 

[IronPrice]

If you cant find a suitable ready made, you can create "lips" for either the bin or the lid by temporarily hotgluing a series of wood or foam blocks around the edge, and embedding in fg.

Thanks. I'm leaning toward a soft hatch with a zipper around 80% of the perimeter. Once unzipped, it will largely stay in place and I can push fish through it one handed. I won't need to secure it in an open position.

A lip like you describe, would be perfect for mounting one half of the zipper.