# canoing and outrigger / ama / float setups



## kinggargantuan (Sep 3, 2006)

so does anyone here have any experience making homemade outrigger / ama / floats to stabilize a canoe or kayak?

I think I want to put one or two on my canoe, mainly to stabilize it for the kids.

I'm thinking something that I can retract easily if we get to a part of the creek/river that requires less width.

I've seen them online for sale but dont have the $$ to go that route. Something cheap and easy would be best.

Any ideas? Anybody have any broken surfboards laying around?


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## notso (Jul 18, 2005)

Most of the home grown ones I've seen for yaks have been made up from pvc & pool noodles or boat fenders (I think that's what they're called). Several folks have incorporated Ram mounts to provide adjustability. w/o the retractability part, you could fix something up for <$10, pretty easily. Check out KFS for some ideas, there's tons of setups on there.


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## ccc6588 (Jun 20, 2003)

kinggargantuan said:


> so does anyone here have any experience making homemade outrigger / ama / floats to stabilize a canoe or kayak?
> 
> I think I want to put one or two on my canoe, mainly to stabilize it for the kids.
> 
> ...


Try the following web sites below. Note that KFS sell just the Ram Mounts (just search ram mounts) which is much less than their kit. The buoys can be bought from Boaters World. 

Measure twice and cut once. I made one recently and mine did not stabilize like I thought it would. I need to strengthen it more with the kit I got from KFS. Also, it can get in the way while fishing.


http://www.kayakfishingstuff.com/Me...reen=PROD&Product_Code=ORK&Category_Code=misc

http://kfs.infopop.cc/groupee/forums?a=tpc&s=418607442&f=220603834&m=732109715


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## kinggargantuan (Sep 3, 2006)

ccc6588 said:


> Try the following web sites below. Note that KFS sell just the Ram Mounts (just search ram mounts) which is much less than their kit. The buoys can be bought from Boaters World.
> 
> Measure twice and cut once. I made one recently and mine did not stabilize like I thought it would. I need to strengthen it more with the kit I got from KFS. Also, it can get in the way while fishing.
> 
> ...



yea I did some digging and found that a shop up the road has some of those 11" long lobster bouys shaped like a bullet head. I'll pick up some of those and some pvc and see what I can make.

the arms look like they might give a little so I might try some aluminum from home depot for the arms. I'm not 100% sold on the setup they have for kayaks and it working great on a canoe.

we'll see!


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## SeaSalt (Apr 29, 2002)

check out www.paddling.net.


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## BlaineO (Jan 22, 2001)

kinggargantuan

These are secured wtih C-clamps to the canoe rails.

They are not pretty, but work well.

The assembly the boat fenders are attached to allow height adjustments. Friction holds them in place.

I have about $40 in these.



















Good luck,

Blaine


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## kinggargantuan (Sep 3, 2006)

BlaineO said:


> kinggargantuan
> 
> These are secured wtih C-clamps to the canoe rails.
> 
> ...


sweet, i saw some of those flots at walmart. i might take a closer look at them.


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## bbcroaker (Jan 6, 2005)

Go to the Marketplace board and click down to page 2 and find this post
"Hobie Sport For Sale $1200 ready to fish"
by/ villagerecorder
It's about halfe way down on the page 
No you don't have to buy the yak but look at his pictures of his Yak with the outriggers made of PVC pipe and those Oyster or Crab pot floats 
His look good on that Yak.
If I ever make some for my yak that's what I'll make.He said in a past post they work really good
You can PM him and ask him.


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## kinggargantuan (Sep 3, 2006)

bbcroaker said:


> Go to the Marketplace board and click down to page 2 and find this post
> "Hobie Sport For Sale $1200 ready to fish"
> by/ villagerecorder
> It's about halfe way down on the page
> ...



thanks, i've seen those in a few places on the web and so far that's the best idea i've seen.

i'm just not 100% sold on sticking those on a canoe. I was thinking a canoe's outrigger should be a bit longer. i maybe could modify it a bit.


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## bbcroaker (Jan 6, 2005)

Yeah like maybe using 10' aluminum piece of electical conduit with plastic fittings T's and smaller pipe on the end for the floats and using 3 floats on each side if thats's not to expensive.(try 2 first)


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## BlaineO (Jan 22, 2001)

Guys,

Be careful not to make the float sections too long, or you lose the ability to store it in the canoe as a unit, and it may need to come apart to transport.

The boat bumpers wear really well for me, I don't know how the other floats hold up over time being banged and dragged around. 

Good luck,

Blaine


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## BlaineO (Jan 22, 2001)

Oh, a few more things.....

The wood cross beam is really convenient to clamp rod holders onto, for trolling or drifting. Or for a trolling motor. The cross beam can be located almost anywhere along the lenght of the canoe. It is 8' long, BTW. 

Most of the wood is 1 1/2" X 3", and offers a fair amount of additional flotation, if needed.

The outriggers allow you to get back into the canoe in deep water, if needed, stuff happens. Tough to do without them.

And be safe, whatever it takes.

Blaine


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## villagerecorder (Dec 31, 2005)

I made mine for about $60 bucks and they only weigh about 8lbs, I got beatin down pretty bad by a place online, they sold me $120 worth of [email protected], I called the guy and said you must be joking!, needless to say I ate it,, and pitched them in the dumpster the next day it wasnt worth paying to ship them back to him..

these are 7 ft wide and are attached thru the scupper holes with 2 eye bolts screwed into the cross bar (#80 electrical conduit) and two bungie cords woven thru the scuppers with the ends topside.
No holes need to be drilled and they have enough give so they flow naturally with the waves...
What ever you do, do not build them in two peices, I store and transport them tied down on top of my kayak just fine, the minute you start adding peices that can come apart, trust me they will! And when your coming in on a 4 ft breaker, and youll lose all your gear If thats if your lucky!, 
I mainly shark fish in that kayak, and have landed a lot of them over 100 plus the biggest was a lemon at pawleys island 165 lbs 6' 6" in a 9 ft kayak
it would be next to impossible to do that with out out riggers, not to mention throwing a cast net 2 miles offshore.
I have a better design, I was going to change it, but I bought a boat and havent gottin around to it, 

I can give you the idea, just email me @ [email protected]

STAY AWAY FROM THIS DUDE!
http://www.keywestpaddlesports.com/


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## kinggargantuan (Sep 3, 2006)

villagerecorder said:


> I made mine for about $60 bucks and they only weigh about 8lbs, I got beatin down pretty bad by a place online, they sold me $120 worth of [email protected], I called the guy and said you must be joking!, needless to say I ate it,, and pitched them in the dumpster the next day it wasnt worth paying to ship them back to him..
> 
> these are 7 ft wide and are attached thru the scupper holes with 2 eye bolts screwed into the cross bar (#80 electrical conduit) and two bungie cords woven thru the scuppers with the ends topside.
> No holes need to be drilled and they have enough give so they flow naturally with the waves...
> ...


thanks

yea, i saw that keywestpaddlesports site before. the only thing that site is good for is getting an idea how to build your own kayak/canoe accessories out of PVC. all those things he has there can be built at home for much less than he's charging.


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## bbcroaker (Jan 6, 2005)

You can't beat $45 for a kayak cart though .Can't see where he's making any thing on them?


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

I built my cart got about $15. Got the wheels at harbor freight on sale for $4 each. The rest went for pvc elbows and the axle was an old curtain rod I found in the trash. it is still rolling smooth and it can break down and fit in my kayak.

John


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