Just a quick follow-up to my last blog report, for anyone interested, showing 2 of the Red Ryder umbrellas deployed on my Wavewalk fishing kayak. The space between them can be adjusted to improve visibility. For now, I’ll keep using one until I see what it can do.
It will only scare the flying fish, after I take off.
I took my W out today and gave the umbrella (just one) a good test in an 8-10 mph wind. The good news is it stays in place just fine and it just takes a second or two to deploy it, stow it out of the way or reposition it from right to left. It’s easy to see around and easy to fish around.
It was hard to tell how much benefit the umbrella provided when deployed compared to just drifting without it. Maybe not that much, but at least a little. With the wind and tidal current at my back or at an angle behind and to the side of me, I was able to reposition the umbrella so that I could make a nice drift in the direction I wanted to go while casting without too much paddling.
There will be a learning curve in using the umbrella, but it seems like it will provide enough of a benefit to keep playing with it. Even a little boost in a 4-5 mile paddle can help.
How firmly does that clamp hold onto the kayak? I think there might be other ways to use that clamp(without the umbrella) if it holds very well. Maybe attach a rod holder to it, so that it could be easily moved around, or a cup holder, or a gps, or fishfinder mount.
Tom……..The clamp is super secure – no worries having it come off even in a big wind. The clamp is physically attached to the umbrella, and the slots in it are what fastens onto the cockpit rim and makes it secure. Don’t see how it could be used for another purpose.
Good to know it’s a tight clamp.
I’ve butchered many items to create another use for them. Don’t know if it would be worth $23 for just a clamp though. I thought about reengineering that flexible part to perhaps hold a camera mount……removing the umbrella of course. Do you think that flexible shaft part would be stiff enough to support a gopro without any jiggle?
If it might work for that, then it would definitely be worth the cost.