Water, salt, dirt, and corrosion are the worst components for damaging your cable connectors.

Unlike a motor boat where the cable connectors are typically protected from most of the harsh weather conditions kayaks are completely exposed. Were out there taking waves over our bows landing on sandy beaches and constantly getting rained on.

For a small cost you can protect your cable connectors to obtain the maximum lifespan out of these expensive cables.

The  solution is simple.  Dielectric Grease and Caps that are designed to protect the patruding end of  a nut and bolt.

The result is a water tight protected Cable plug. To should still be careful  takes it from getting sand or other debris. The grease it will stick and make  a pretty big mess.

You can find these screw protectors at your local hardware store. They come in different sizes so measure the cable end you would like to protect prior to purchasing them.

I put the dielectric grease on the female plug then place the cap over it. This added protection should prevent corrosion and extend the life of your electronics cables.

A few new modifications to the Torqeedo steering system.  First of all I purchased an aftermarket anodized aluminum steering bracket which is sold by The Kayak Fishing Store. It was fabricated to replace the stock plastic bracket. There has been issues with the stock bracket breaking when under stress of steering and torque from the motor. The aluminum bracket is much more rigid being made out of metal and most likely will last a life time if properly cared for.

The next upgrade is a stainless steel quick release 3/16″ closed eye spring clip for the steering cables that connect to the steering bracket. This clip enables the attach and detaching of the steering bracket in seconds instead of the previous setup using the pin and split ring.

This modification was easy. Simply take the existing cable ends off by removing the cotter pin and slide the cable out. You will now clamp down the foot brace track so it is aligned with the track (centered). Clip the new spring clip to the steering bracket on the Torqeedo. Slide a 3 inch piece of 1/4″ heat shrink tubing on the cable. Then feed the end of the cable through one side of the cable crimp. You will now feed the cable through the eye on the clip and back through the other side of the crimp. Center the motor and slide the crimp up so there is around 3/8″ – 1/2″ diameter loop. make sure the cable is tight going to the foot brace. Crimp with a pair of heavy duty pliers and repeat the same steps for the opposite side.

Once this step is completed it should look like Figure A below.

Figure B above illustrates the completed modification with the heat shrink tubing.

The links below will direct you to the parts.

Steering Bracket

Spring Clips

Quick Link

There will be other modifications in the future. Please check back to The Plastic Hull for mods and subscribe for instant emails on new posts.

This new Electronics Battery Box will accommodate a large 12v 12Ah sealed battery.  Before drilling holes in a dry box make sure your box will fit through the hatch on your kayak.

Dimensions of the battery

Length 5.94 inches

Width 3.86 inches

Height 3.74 inches

Weight 7.95 lbs

You can find these batteries new on ebay for $20 – $30. The higher amp hour is good for running fish finder chart plotter combos with color screens. These use a higher amount of amps than the black & white units the 7.5 Ah batteries just don’t perform as well for a full day of fishing.

List of Materials:

• 1 Battery as mentioned above $23.00 ebay
• 1 Dry box that will accommodate the size of the battery $23.00 ebay
• 1 Small Cable Gland $1.00
• 1  Wire with inline waterproof connector (4 wire 4 pin) Possible future lighting or other accessories $4.80 Amazon
• 2 inline heat shrink inline wire crimp connectors
• 1 3″ piece of adhesive 1/2″ heat shrink tubing

Tools:

• Drill
• Heat Gun
• Wire Crimps/Strippers
• Drill bits/ Step Drill Bit

Install: 

Using pipe insulation fit the battery to the box. This will hold the battery in place so it doesn’t bounce around. Next drill a pilot hole using a 1/8″ drill bit. This will be the location of the cable penetration. You can pick pretty much any side. I would say avoid the top the bottom and the back. In this install I opted for the front under the handle. Once the pilot hole is drilled use the step drill bit to ream out the hole until the cable gland will thread in.

Once the cable gland is installed slide the cable with the connector through from the exterior. You will now pick 2 wires from the 4 to pair.  Use the two inline heat shrink connectors Crimp and heat the one side to seal. Now slide over the 3 inch piece of adhesive heat shrink tube. Connect the inline fuse wire and the ground wire. Attach the terminal ends and your DIY waterproof electronics battery box is complete.

Waterproof Battery Box Modifications & Upgrades <— Click for updated post!!!!