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 Post subject: Protecting Mirage Fins
PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 1:37 pm 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 12:41 pm
Posts: 16
Location: Clermont, FL
Since I live in central Florida I spend a lot of time in "skinny" water. After bending a couple of fin posts on oyster beds, logs, and possibly an alligator I am looking for a device or system to warn me about obstructions before my turbo fins connect with them. Has anyone had any great (simple, cheap) ideas along this line?

Clermont7
Mirage Outback


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 8:18 pm 
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Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:28 pm
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Location: Oceanside CA
I would certainly recommend a good pair of polarized sunglasses.

They will help with spotting the 'gators and other submerged things....yikes.
Good Luck


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Sep 20, 2008 8:37 pm 
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Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2005 10:46 pm
Posts: 3017
Location: Escondido
Clermont, welcome to the forum.

About 50 years ago, cars used to have "curb feelers" to detect proximity to the curb for parking. You might be able to work up a similar arrangement by using a small diameter stainless "U" shaped rod that hangs off your bow padeye and inserts at launch, long enough to reach the max. depth of your fins. You would custom bend it around the the bow so that the two ends hang more or less straight down like a couple of whiskers. You should hear or see it as the bow passes over the obstruction, giving you time to retract the fins if you are going cautiously slow.

To test the concept, try it with an old wire hanger to see if it hangs right ( I know it's not really long enough).

If you so this, be sure and post the results! 8)


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 Post subject: Protecting Fins
PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 5:45 pm 
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Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 12:41 pm
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Location: Clermont, FL
Polarized sunglasses - good idea but most of the water here is so stained with tannin it has about the visibility of 30 weight motor oil. The curb feeler idea is something I have been toying with. If I can make it work, I'll let you know.
Clermont 7


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Sep 21, 2008 7:08 pm 
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Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 8:28 pm
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Location: Oceanside CA
Clermont,
It sounds like Roadrunner is onto something then.
Cat Fish whiskers!

Post the pics when you come up with something.
Good luck,
Ben


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Sep 22, 2008 5:14 am 
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Joined: Fri Aug 12, 2005 8:12 am
Posts: 53
Location: Northern Neck, VA
When you are in known skinny water flutter pedal all the time. Wons slow you up much and will protect the fins and masts. Also. if that's all you fish then the standard fins are bore duragle and their masts art shorter and less apt to bend.

I have fished in skinny FL water some over the past three years and using the flutter method of protection have avoided bent masts.

Good luck on the wiskers.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 5:16 am 
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Location: Nassau County, Long Island
Getting a solution to this problem is going to be difficult. The curb feeler is a good idea, but it's like when I was a kid and gonna get hit with the handle end of the feather duster... I would hear the whoosh before it smacks against my butt making the hit even worse... same thing for the curb feeler idea... you would hear it tickling the oyster beds before the bump and crunch, because you can't stop or slow down in time because you don't pedal with a set of paddles in your hands.

Maybe a skeg in front of the Mirage drive the same length of the blades so it would take the hit before your Mirage drive?

Like I said, really difficult problem to solve.

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mrsinbad :)


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 8:34 am 
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Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2007 4:06 pm
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Location: Los Angeles
You will take a performance hit, but what about something like the semi-weedless trolling motors and put a wire cage around the front. Affixing it to the hull or the drive would be the next logical question, but nothing I have an answer for. I have enough trouble doing the pedal, paddle, sail, rudder (PPSR) dance when I am just beaching at the local lake, and I know that's coming.

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Isaac


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Sep 23, 2008 4:18 pm 
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Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:51 am
Posts: 23
Location: Pensacola FL
You wouldn't need a wire cage, just a single bar of SS wire, probably from Gunnel to Gunnel--you could make this "U" shaped--the U down, the top weld "T" braces which go fore and aft--attatch this just foreward of the drive. It would stop the boat, or at least allow it to ride up and protect the flippers.

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Bob Austin
Pensacola, FL


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 7:07 am 
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Joined: Fri Jun 06, 2008 1:53 pm
Posts: 395
Location: S.E. Florida
I would like to offer a suggestion. I too live in Florida and fish my backyard lake as well as canals. I have not been in skinny water yet but there are some tape weed beds I pedal over which are very dense and entangle the mirage drive during the full stroke. I use the flutter method and find it works just perfectly and it is amazing that you can still maintain a good speed with just short quick pedal strokes (1/4 to 1/2 stroke). Now that works if you can see what is coming and in many S. Florida waterways visibily is zero.

The wire feeler idea could be a good warning system if not traveling too fast. A "U" of heavy gauge galvanized or S.S. wire bent to drop each side of the bow and a length to just below extended fins is a great idea and worth exploring. I suggest adding a small amount of weight ie: D.O.A. pinch weights to keep the wire as vertical as possible since the foward motion will sweep the wire back. Weight will help minimize the back sweep. I would add a verticle loop bent tightly together at midpoint to form a post for a small orange warning flag. I would put a padeye each side of hull to pass wire down through so the midspan & post rock on the bow. When the feeler hits a submerged object the flag will drop forward quickly giving you the warning you need to get the pedals up. This has not been tested but may be worth trial and experimentation.

Of course speed is the critical issue ... when in unknown skinny waters proceed slowly with caution and flutter the pedals.

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I would rather be kayaking and think about work than to be at work thinking about kayaking.
A Thrill Ride is being dragged around in your kayak for 40 minutes by an extremely large fish.


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 9:18 am 
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Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2007 4:06 pm
Posts: 42
Location: Los Angeles
I was playing around with my fish finder and I believe it has a depth alarm on it. Why not just mount your transducer at the bow, and set an alarm for say 1 or 2 feet. I don't know the exact specs for my FF, but will play with it more this weekend and see if that's viable.

I was thinking more of an electronic curb feeler.

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Isaac


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:21 pm 
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Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:07 am
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Location: Sacramento, CA
Agree with Revo on the design of the wire and flag. A light spring should reset the wire after contact.

Clermont keep us posted with your design and progress. I am sure the speedometer started the same as this depth gauge.

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Tim
'09 Adventure, Golden Papaya, Turbo Fins, Large Sailing Rudder, Turquoise Sail, Grey Haired Kayaker, ...


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:21 pm 
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Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2008 11:51 am
Posts: 23
Location: Pensacola FL
Most depth finders do not do well below 2 feet. Also you would want the transducer well in the bow, maybe you could see the profile of the bottom decreasing and then let the flippers come up against the hull. I am going to experiment with placement of the transducer, by putting it in a baggie of water and move it around the bottom of the hull to see where I get the best readings. Then I will glue it in place.

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Bob Austin
Pensacola, FL


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 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Sep 26, 2008 8:31 am 
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Joined: Fri Jun 06, 2008 1:53 pm
Posts: 395
Location: S.E. Florida
just an added note ... One major drawback of any wire whisker trailing in the water is it would be a "catchall" .. weeds, debris etc. etc. etc. and then how would you get the stuff off once it got hung up? end of the paddle perhaps? Anyway, could lead to many false alarms especially in Florida waters with all the garbage people toss overboard. Still may be worth experimenting.

I had a manatee come up under me while passing under a bridge. The pedals stopped cold and lifted my revo a few inches. No bent stems luckily and hope did not leave any turbo marks on it. BIG Manatee fan here.

Depth finder, Polarized Glasses (a good pair not cheapies) and caution probably is the best defense.

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I would rather be kayaking and think about work than to be at work thinking about kayaking.
A Thrill Ride is being dragged around in your kayak for 40 minutes by an extremely large fish.


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