The main drawback most anglers accept when fishing from a kayak is reduced visibility, due to the need to sit rather than stand. Having the ability to stand and “sight fish” is important with certain species of fish, especially redfish. Various companies have produced aftermarket leaning post accessories which can be mounted to a kayak, but these can be very expensive, costing nearly as much as the kayak itself. The do-it-yourself kayak angler can use the Yakattack MightyMount and Sprout products as a basis for a stowable leaning post, which can be made for a small fraction of the cost of commercially available setups.

The target audience for this write-up is a typical do-it-yourselfer, with typical DIY levels of skills and tools. So, when the instructions say, “install MightyMounts”, every tiny step (marking holes, center punching holes, drilling holes, etc.) is not detailed. If you need instructions how to use a drill or a saw, this project is not for you.

Leaning Post

The leaning post is an inverted “U”, made of PVC pipe and fittings. MightyMounts are used to attach hinge pins to the rails of the kayak. When not in use, the leaning post folds down to lay on the nose of the kayak. When the fisherman wants to stand and fish, the leaning post is flipped up and secured in a vertical position by two lines clipped to the sides of the kayak, near the seat. The leaning post can be deployed and/or stowed in under a minute.





Leaning post raw materials list:

material item quantity cost, ea total 1/2″ PVC pipe, 10 foot piece 1 1.68 1.68 3/4″ PVC pipe, 10 foot piece 1 1.48 1.48 1″ PVC pipe, 10 foot piece 1 3.39 3.39 90 degree elbow, 1/2″ to 3/4″ 2 0.63 1.26 T fitting, 1″ to 1/2″ 1 0.94 0.94 45 degree elbow, 1″ 4 0.87 3.48

90 degree elbow, 1/2″ 1 0.51 0.51 aluminum carabiner 1 brass spring clip 2 2.16 4.32 parachute cord or anchor line AN total 17.06

The costs listed in the raw materials list, above, were for the parts I needed to purchase for this project. I already had an aluminum carabiner, PVC cement, and parachute cord that I use for anchor line. The pieces of raw stock listed should be more than enough to produce the parts in the bill of material below.

Leaning post Bill of Materials:

label description quantity A sprout 2 B PVC pipe, dia 3/4, Len 1″ 2 C 90 degree elbow, 1/2″ to 3/4″ 2 D PVC pipe, dia 1/2, Len 2 1/4″ 2 E PVC pipe, dia 1, Len 21 1/2″ 1 F T fitting, 1″ to 1/2″ 1 G PVC pipe, dia 1, Len 2″ 1 H 45 degree elbow, 1″ 4 I PVC pipe, dia 1, Len 6 1/2″ 2 J PVC pipe, dia 1, Len 11 3/4″ 1 K PVC pipe, dia 1, Len 24 1/2″ 1 L PVC pipe, dia 1/2, Len 1 1/2″ 1 M 90 degree elbow, 1/2″ 1 N PVC pipe, dia 1/2, Len 3″ 1 O aluminum carabiner 1 P brass spring clip 2 Q parachute cord or anchor line AN

Leaning post construction instructions:

The measurements of the parts listed in the BOM were used for a post to best fit me, fishing from a Hobie Revolution. The measurements may need to be adjusted to best fit other anglers in other kayaks. The general design and construction steps, however, should still be the same.

Mount the Yakattack MightyMounts to the rails of the kayak, near your feet. Use the supplied hardware, and use RTV silicone or your favorite marine sealant to seal the bolt holes. On newer Wilderness Systems brand kayaks, MightyMounts may not be necessary, as the T-bolts will work with the stock mounting tracks.

Cut parts B and D for the hinge pins, and glue them into elbow C with PVC cement.

Cut all parts for the leaning post EXCEPT E, J and K. With PVC cement, glue N into M onto L into F onto G into H onto I into H. After inserting each part, be sure the parts are co-planar, because the glue sets quickly and prevents the joints from easily rotating. Repeat for H onto I into H.

Thread a T-nut into the bottom of each hinge pin, slide the T-nut into the MightyMount (or T-track) and tighten the hinge pins to the kayak. The slip fit between parts A and B will allow the hinge pins to be rotated facing outboard once the sprout parts become tight to the kayak.

Measure across the outside shoulders of the elbows of the installed hinge pins. Call this measurement “W”. The length for J given in the BOM (11 ¾”) will result in a leaning post correctly sized for a W measurement of 21”. Adjust the length of your part J so your leaning post will be sized to fit the W measurement unique to your kayak. Drill a hole through the center of part J with a diameter such that your parachute cord can be threaded through the hole. This will be the attachment for the bow line. Glue J into the elbows H so the post lays flat, and the hole points upward about 45 degrees towards the front of the kayak. If the hole is horizontal, the knot on the end of the bow line will dig into you uncomfortably when you lean on the post.

Cut parts E and K a few inches longer than the length given in the BOM. This will allow adjustment of the height of the leaning post by trial and error to match the angler and kayak. The lengths given in the BOM allow me to stand in front of my seat and lean on the post so it hits me just below the belt line.

On one end of parts E and K, one inch from the end, drill a 7/8” diameter hole, which will fit over the hinge pin. TIP: To drill these holes, first drill straight through the pipe with a 1/16” or 3/32” diameter high speed twist drill bit. This establishes the final hole alignment. Using a 7/8” diameter forstner drill bit, drill through one wall, flip the pipe, and drill through the other wall.

Slip fit parts E and K into the leaning post. Spread the post slightly, so the post slips onto the hinge pins, and allow the post to spring back. The post should now pivot on the hinge pins so it lies forward on the nose of the kayak, and flips up into a vertical position. Tie a loop of parachute cord around parts E and K so it fits snugly, just above the hinge pins. This loop prevents the post from springing open, off the pins. To remove the post from the pins, slide the loop up until the post can spring open, off the pins, easily. Slide the loop back down towards the pins to retain the post on the hinge pins.

Thread an end of the parachute cord through the bow line hole from front to back, and tie a figure eight knot in the end. Clip the aluminum carabiner to the handle or eyelet at the nose of the kayak. Run the bow line through the carabiner and back to your anchor cleat, in the cockpit. You can now adjust the angle of the leaning post easily. Adjust the length of the line and the length of parts E and K so the leaning post sits at an angle and height which will be comfortable to lean against while fishing or stand-up paddling. When everything is set, tie the line and cut the tag end next to the knot.

Drill a parachute cord hole through part E, one inch below part F, aligned with the kayak centerline. Measure the distance from this hole to the hinge pin end, and use this measurement to place a matching hole in part K.

Choose spots where the aft lines will attach. The Hobie Revolution has eyelets set into the floor. You could also attach to the forward side of your side handles, or wherever your kayak seat attaches. Clip the brass snaps to these spots and run lines from the holes in parts E and K, down to the snaps. Tie the lines to the snaps so the tension in the three lines holds the leaning post securely in position. TIP: Use a marker to mark where the line folds around the snap eyelet. Then make several more marks in ½” increments past the “unknotted” fold line. Use these marks as a guide when tying and retying to the eyelets to get the line lengths correct. After the lines stretch out a bit, it will probably be necessary to re-tie at least once more.

Before gluing parts E and K, I would recommend a sea trial. If your kayak is ultra-stable, and you have good balance, the leaning post may be all you need to steady yourself for upright fishing and paddling. The Hobie Revolution, however, is not this stable. On my sea trial I found that the leaning post was perfectly positioned, but that the kayak would roll right over without augmented stability. If you find that you need more stability, proceed to the next section: Outriggers. TIP: Do your sea trial in ankle to knee deep water to keep from getting a dunking. Also, slip fit pieces tend to work loose when under load. Be careful the parts don’t come loose before they are glued.

Outriggers

One goal of this particular design was to be inexpensive. The outrigger design shown minimizes out of pocket expense at the cost of moderate complexity. This design uses pontoons made of foam crab pot buoys. When lowered, the pontoons make the kayak stable, so the leaning post can be used effectively to sight fish or the kayak can be paddled while the angler stands. When the pontoons are raised, they clear the water with plenty of clearance so the performance and feel of the kayak is not affected by moderate chop. If the angler has good enough balance, it is possible that the addition of pontoons may make sight fishing possible without the use of the leaning post. I have found that the combination of the post with the outriggers allows me to fish standing up without needing to even think about my balance.

Outriggers, raw materials list:

material item quantity cost, ea total 1/2″ PVC pipe, 10 foot piece 1 1.68 1.68 1″ PVC pipe, 10 foot piece 1 3.39 3.39 pipe cap, 1/2″ 4 0.27 1.08 T fitting, 1/2″ 2 0.28 0.56 90 degree elbow, 1/2″ 2 0.28 0.56 bushing reducer, 1″ to 1/2″ 2 0.75 1.5 coupling, 1″ 2 0.38 0.76 foam crab pot float, 5″ dia x 11″ long 4 3.45 13.8 pine 1x4x 8 ft 1 wood screws 8 eye bolt, 1/4-20 x 4″ 2 0.52 1.04 hex bolt, 3/8×3 1/2 2 0.52 1.04 nylon wing nut, 3/8-16 2 0.4 0.8 hex bolt, 1/4-20×1 3/4″ 6 hex nut, 1/4-20 6 washer, 1/4 6 total 26.21

The items with no costs listed were items I had around the house.

Outriggers, Bill of Materials:

label description quantity A pipe cap, 1/2″ 4 B PVC pipe, dia 1/2, Len 10 7/8″ 4 C T fitting, 1/2″ 2 D PVC pipe, dia 1/2, Len 3″ 2 E 90 degree elbow, 1/2″ 2 F PVC pipe, dia 1/2, Len 1 1/2″ 2 G bushing reducer, 1″ to 1/2″ 2 H foam crab pot float, 5″ dia x 11″ long 4 I base, pine 1x4x25 1/2″ 1 J short upright, pine 1x4x5″ 2 K tall upright, pine 1x4x9″ 2 L outrigger, PVC pipe, dia 1, Len 49″ 2 M hex bolt, 3/8×3 1/2 2 N nylon wing nut, 3/8-16 2 O hex bolt, 1/4-20×1 3/4″ 6 P hex nut, 1/4-20 6 Q washer, 1/4 6

Outriggers construction instructions:

– Using a 1 1/8” forstner drill bit or hole saw, enlarge the existing through hole in each of the four floats about 2 inches deep on the flat side of the float.

– Cut parts B, D, and F to length from ½” pipe.

– Assemble parts B and D into C, insert into the float, and trace around the parts with a fine point sharpie. Carve away the foam on the flat end so the two floats touch when assembled onto the PVC pipe and T fitting.

– Using PVC cement, glue parts A, B, C, and D together with floats H.

– Glue parts E, F, and G together. This completes the pontoons. Leave the elbow assembly unglued from the pontoons for now.

– Next, choose a method for mounting the length of pine 1×4 which forms the base of the assembly. On the Hobie Revolution, this is made easy by the existing eyelets set into the hull behind the seat. On kayaks with a track system, T-bolts in the tracks may be used. Alternatively, another pair of YakAttack MightyMounts can be attached behind the seat, and T-bolts inserted in the slots. These instructions will cover the attachment method used to attach to my Hobie Revolution.

– Set your kayak on a flat, level surface, like a paved driveway, or a deck. Set the pine 1×4 across the kayak aft of the seat, over the features you will use for mounting. Using a photo of yourself in the kayak on the water, establish how far up from the keel the waterline would rise. Also measure from the keel to the underside of the pine 1×4 and make yourself a sketch similar to that shown below. (WL 0 is the waterline) Determine the length of the base which best fits your kayak.

– The measurements of the five pine parts are designed so that the pontoons sit between ¼ and ½ submerged when they are in their lowered position. If your kayak is wider or taller than the Hobie Revolution, the measurement “H” will need to be increased somewhat so the pontoons reach the waterline. Leave the tall upright a little long, and the upper two bolt holes undrilled until you are sure they are correctly placed. Cut to length and drill the holes in parts I, J, and K.

– Attach the base part to your kayak using your chosen method. For the Revolution, I bent open two eyebolts (part R) to form hooks that engage the existing eyelets. I could have used ¼-20 wingnuts to tighten the hooks, but to save a trip to the hardware store, I used some threaded inserts and scraps of hardwood to make homemade wooden “wingnuts”. The hooks pass through the two holes drilled to match the spacing of the eyelets. Whatever method you use, the attachment of the base to the kayak must be quite secure.

– Make the outriggers (part L) by cutting two pieces of 1” PVC pipe 49” long. Drill a 3/8” diameter hole 24” from the pontoon end.

– Remove the base from the kayak and attach the short uprights (parts J) to the base (part I) with wood screws as shown in the photos.

– If no testing of the lower pontoon position is necessary, assemble all three of the ¼-20 bolts in the tall upright, with washers and nuts. If you plan to test the position of the upper two bolts, only install the lower one for now.

– Using the 1” PVC pipe to set the spacing, attach the tall upright to the base. I used a pocket hole jig to drill angled screw holes for attaching the upright, though this isn’t strictly necessary. A cleat may be used instead. Do not screw up through the base into the end grain of the tall upright. This will produce a weak joint, and the screws will eventually pull out of the end grain.

– Run a 3/8” high speed twist drill through the two hinge pin holes to be sure they are aligned, and the bolt can be inserted and removed without binding. Do not overdo it and wallow out this hole, as a nice tight hinge joint will allow the best operation of the outriggers. Assemble the outriggers to the base assembly with the 3/8” bolt and wingnut.

– Attach the pontoons to the outriggers with the pontoon elbows. Now is the time to locate and drill the upper two bolt holes on the tall upright so the pontoons sit in the water the desired depth. At this point, I recommend another sea trial, to be sure everything is sized properly.

– When everything looks good, glue the pontoon elbows to the pontoons, being sure the pontoons track parallel to the axis of the kayak hull. I have left the connection between the pontoon elbows and the outriggers as a slip fit joint, to make transportation a bit easier. This joint could also optionally be match drilled and a latch pin used to secure the pontoons.

– Here is how the leaning post and outriggers look all ready to hit the water.

– Bonus alternate configuration: Camera Mount

The leaning post and outriggers are most useful when sight fishing for redfish. If you are targeting other species and don’t have the leaning post installed, you can use the hinge pins for a nifty camera mount. Most of the other kayak camera mounts I’ve seen take nice pictures, but you need to be a gymnast to reach forward to work the camera controls. And how do you review your pictures to be sure you got a good shot? My design solves both these problems.

Camera mount raw materials list:

material item quantity cost, ea total 1/2″ PVC pipe, 10 foot piece 1 1.68 1.68 1″ PVC pipe, 10 foot piece 1 3.39 3.39 90 degree elbow, 1″ 2 0.96 1.92 T fitting, 1″ to 1/2″ 1 0.94 0.94 90 degree elbow, 1/2″ 1 0.51 0.51 pipe coupling, 1/2″ 1 0.25 0.25 pipe plug, 1/2 1 0.45 0.45 hex bolt, 1/4-20 x 1″ 1 hex nut, 1/4-20 1 parachute cord or anchor line AN total 9.14

The items with no costs listed were items I had around the house.

Camera mount Bill of Materials:

A PVC pipe, dia 1, Len 17″ 2 B 90 degree elbow, 1″ 2 C PVC pipe, dia 1, Len 10″ 2 D T fitting, 1″ to 1/2″ 1 E PVC pipe, dia 1/2, Len 13″ 1 F 90 degree elbow, 1/2″ 1 G PVC pipe, dia 1/2, Len 7 1/4″ 1 H pipe coupling, 1/2″ 1 I pipe plug, 1/2 1 J hex bolt, 1/4-20 x 1″ 1 K hex nut, 1/4-20 1 L orange tape from sprout kit M silver SOLAS tape from sprout kit N parachute cord or anchor line AN

Camera mount construction instructions:

Cut parts A and C to length.

On one end of parts A, one inch from the end, drill a 7/8” diameter hole, which will fit over the hinge pin. TIP: To drill these holes, first drill straight through the pipe with a 1/16” or 3/32” diameter high speed twist drill bit. This establishes the final hole alignment. Using a 7/8” diameter forstner drill bit, drill through one wall, flip the pipe, and drill through the other wall.

Glue parts A and C into part B with PVC cement. Be sure axes of holes in parts A are collinear. Slip fit parts C into part D and align holes in parts A with a longer piece of ½” dia pipe, if necessary.

Cut parts E and G to length. Assemble parts D, E, F, G, and H with PVC cement.

Drill ¼” hole through center of plug, I.

Assemble J and K to I to complete the camera adapter. Tighten nut on bolt as tight as possible. Use needlenose pliers to hold head of bolt if necessary. If, during use, you find the nut coming loose, it can be replaced with a nylon insert lock nut.

Screw the camera adapter into the base of your digital camera. Assemble the three mount subassemblies to the kayak, and insert the camera adapter in the top of the post subassembly.

– Sitting in your kayak, take test photos of yourself holding huge imaginary fish while tweaking the joint of the T to the side assemblies. Adjust this joint so the pictures are framed vertically how you like them. The side framing is adjusted when inserting the camera adapter into the post.

– Carefully glue the sides to the center T, keeping the angle you set in the previous step.

– Apply the orange and silver SOLAS tape from the sprout kit to the camera mount as desired to increase visibility of your kayak. The pictures show how I chose to apply my tape.

– Drill a parachute cord hole in part G, just below the coupling. Tie a short length of parachute cord through this hole in a loop. When your camera is mounted, clip the wrist strap to this loop as an added security measure, in case the camera would come loose somehow.

– To take a picture, reach forward and grab the mount by the hinge pin, and flip it up so the camera is in your face. In this position, on my kayak, the mount rests on the back of my fishfinder. Manipulate your power, flash, and timer settings as desired.

– Press the shutter button and quickly flip the mount forward into this position.

– Pick up your fish and smile.

– To review your photo, or take another, simply flip the camera back to you so the controls can be manipulated easily.

– This flippable mount can be customized in all sorts of ways:

My forward rod holder requires square corners on the camera mount so the mount clears the holder when it flips back. If this isn’t necessary, the square corners could be replaced with two 45 degree corners, for a more streamlined look, like on the leaning post.

On the Hobie, the pedals prevent me from laying my rod with the tip forward, between my knees. On my Tarpon 140, this was my preferred spot to stash my rod when unhooking a fish. If you lay your rod down like this, a hook could be added to the camera post, like the paddle hook on the leaning post, to hold the tip of your rod.

The camera mount post (G), and horizontal pipes (C) are ideal mounting points for forward looking “headlights” or boat running lights. Harbor Freight is a good source for inexpensive, spray resistant, bicycle headlights and tail lights which can be used for this purpose.

For taking digital video at night, mount rearward pointing lights rather than (or in addition to) forward pointing lights. Turn them on when shooting video, flip the mount to you and turn them back off when you want your night vision back.



