Jackson Kayak Kraken Sealect Designs Trucourse Rudder System Install

This article describes step by step how to installation for the Sealect Designs Tru Course rudder system and footbraces on the Jackson Kayak Kraken. The Sealect Designs Tru Course steering is an upgrade to the JK factory kit offered. The Gas Pedal style foot braces are much more comfortable to steer. This install is for both the Kraken 15.5 and the 13.5.

This install begins with a stock “Rudder Ready” Kraken kayak. The definition of “Rudder Ready” is all of the tubing for the control cables and trim line has been installed in the Jackson Kayak factory. Every Jackson Kayak fishing line boat is “Rudder Ready” from the factory. This saves a ton of time on the install not having to drill and run the tubing for the lines.

Materials and Products:

Sealect Designs Tru-Course Rudder K748150-3

Sealect Designs Tru Course Foot Braces w/ Rudder Control K747205-1

Sealect Designs Trucourse Grudgeon (Rudder Mount Bracket) K748280-1

(2) Sealect Designs Cable Adjusters K747260-1

(4) 1//4″ x 2″ long 7/8″ Hex Bolts

(4) 1/4″ Hole x 1/2″ OD x 5/8″ L Nylon Spacers

30′ Stainless 1/16″ cable rope (Local Kayak Shop)

(2) Swedges

3/8″ Heat Shrink Tubing

Nylon Stop Ball K655140-1

Bike Chain Lube

8″ Length 1/8″ Shock Chord

6 feet of 500 para-chord

Tools:

Drill

Diagonal Wire Cutters

Heavy duty pliers for crimping Swedges

Screw Drivers

3/8″ Wrench

7/8″ Wrench

Hex Keys (Some Included with kit)

Madd Skillz (Just Kidding) This is a pretty simple install/upgrade!

Install:

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Step 1: First you will need to remove the stock foot braces. With a Philips head screw driver and a 3/8″ wrench remove the bolts and the foot braces in their entirety.

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Step 2: The holes drilled for the stock foot braces are 14.5″ O.C. which is the same for the new Tru-Course Footbraces. You will need to drill out the existing 1/8″ holes to 1/4″ in the deck of the kayak to accept the new hardware.

Step 3: Pop out and remove the included Tru-Course footbrace hardware. Set aside the washers and nuts. You will reuse these with the new hardware.

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Step 4: Using 3/16″ Bungee tie a knot in one end. Feeding the un-knotted end through the hole in the back of the foot brace pedal then tying a knot in that end after passing it through the tie down point on the pedal. This will act as an auto rebound to the center position when not controlling the rudder.

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Step 5: Replace with (2) 1/4″ x 2″ long 7/8″ Hex Stainless Steel Bolts each footrace (4) total. The bolt head will counter sink with the outside of the foot brace U shaped poly brackets along with the new cable adjusters. The threaded portion will penetrate the kayak hull along with the 1/4″ Hole x 1/2″ OD x 5/8″ L Nylon Spacer on the exterior and a washer and the nylon lock nut on the inside of the hull.

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Step 6: Now to run the steering cable. Feed the cable from the foot brace side through the “rudder ready” tubing to the stern of the kayak. While feeding the cable use the bike chain oil on the cable as you pass it through the tubing. This will help keep salt water and dirt out while keeping the cable sliding freely. You can also feed from the stern if it is your preference.

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Step 7: At the stern of the kayak locate two 1/4 20 plastic screws in the molded inserts. Remove them. Using the Sealect Designs Tru-Course Bracket and the stainless 1/4-20 screws along with blue loctite fasten the bracket to the stern. The Bracket should be mounted as pictured with the longer end down.  Slide the rudder post through the horizontal holes in the bracket and secure using the split ring.

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Step 8: On the rudder remove both plastic covers (2 small hex screws) on the rudder exposing the cable tie down point. Loosen the hex screw on the metal cable stop. Slide the cable through the hole in front of the rudder and slide under the metal plate or cable stop at a 90 degree angle so the cable points towards the back. You only need a 1/2 inch of cable beyond the plate. Tighten down on both sides.

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Step 9: Back at the foot braces using the included hex key locate a small hole on the face of the foot pedal. Slide the hex key into the hole with the pedal in the upright position find where the key slides in holding the pedal in place. This will be the center position.

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Step 10: Loosen the grooved guide at the top of the pedal enough to accept the cable. From the stern run the cable through the guide counter clockwise front then to the back through the groove and under running the cable through the adjuster. Now tighten the top guide.

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Step 11:  Thread the cable adjuster almost all of the way in. Pulling the cable tight using a swedge make a loop and crimp. Cut the excess cable.

(Sealect Designs prefers to install with the cable swedged or terminated at the footbrace first at the cable adjuster then aligning the rudder and terminating the cable at the rudder.) This is your preference as i have found both ways are as good.

Step 12: Repeat steps 9-11 on the adjacent side.

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Step 13: Run the para-chord from the starboard trim control location. There is factory installed tubing that runs to the stern at the rudder. Tie the trim line to the hole at the top of the Tru-Course Rudder foil.

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Step 14: At the trim control location slide the trim stop ball onto the para-chord pull the rudder into the trip up position. You do not want the rudder to be parallel to the kayak let it be on a 30 degree angle. This will allow the rudder to trim down automatically. If tied down to tight the rudder may not deploy easily. Tie a loop in the end of the trim line around the J hook to secure.

This completes the Sealect Designs Tru-Course rudder install on the Jackson Kayak Kraken. Good luck, this was the best upgrade to the Kraken I have experienced! Much better turning of the boat keeping her straight in the wind top of the line rudder control and the most comfortable setup out there! The kayak was made for it!

Check out SealectDesigns.com for a local dealer with the dealer locator or call for availability! Phone Ryan at 425-252-2149 and let him know The Plastic Hull sent ya!!

How To: Upgrade Steering on the Big Rig

This particular install replaces the Jackson Factory installed Smart Track foot brace steering system. This article explains how to upgrade the steering on the Big Rig utilizing the Sea-lect Designs Toe Pilot foot braces. Using The Toe Pilot system you will simply angle the pedals like you would press a gas or brake pedal on a car to steer the rudder or electric motor. This eliminates the entire track sliding and one knee bent and one straight. Your entire day of fishing will be much more comfortable after this upgrade!

Illustrated in the video this upgrade is a semi advanced install but not an extremely difficult one. This upgrade will also work with the big rig stock Tru-Course rudder. This install conforms to the Torqeedo Ultralight 403 motor steering.

If your big rig does not have a steering kit factory installed Sea-lect Designs does manufacture a full Thru Hull Tru Course Rudder Kit which includes the toe pilot foot braces. The additional part if the install will be running the rudder cable tubing through the kayak.

Video of the install!

This article is the install breakdown and How To.

Tools Needed for full install:

• 3/8″ socket
• 1/4″ Ratchet
• 3/8″ Open end box wrench
• Short Philips head screwdriver
• Hex Key Set
• Pry Tool
• Drill
• Drill Bits
• Diagonal Wire Cutters
• Needle Nose Pliers
• Heat Gun
• Razor Blade

Parts & Materials Needed:

• Sea-Lect Designs Toe Pilot Foot Braces K747205-1
• Sea-Lect Designs Cable Adjusters K747260-1
• 30 feet of stainless steel rudder cable
• Heat Shrink Tubing
• 8 Swedges or Cable Crimps
• Lexel or Marine Goop
• 2 9″ Lengths of 3/16″ Bungee Chord
• #10 x 24 1 1/4″ Long Philips head bolt (Hardware Store)
• #10 Washer (Hardware Store)

For Torqeedo Setup:

• 3/16″ Carabeners with eye

Install Instructions:

Removing Existing Smart track System Foot Braces Start with the front bolt. Using a 3/8″ socket with a 1/4″ drive and a Short Philips head screw drive remove the thru hull nut and bolt . Slide the foot brace forward to reveal the rear screw. Now remove the it with a Philips head screw driver. Slide off the back plate and now remove the cable from the foot brace using the 3/8″ socket. Cut the terminal connector from the end of the cable and remove the cable from the stern leaving the tubing in place.

Now you will need to remove the rivet that holds the cable tubing in place as it is int he area of where the new track will be installed. Using a drill bit drill out the center of the rivet until the flange falls off. The back portion of the rivet will fall inside the hull. Patch this hole using a plastic weld or Lexel caulk adhesive.Now using the #10 X 24 – 1 1/4″ bolt and #10 washer dab a drop of thread lock then fasten the left track to the right side of the kayak to the threaded insert. This will allow you to align the track and drill the new front hole. Once the hole is drilled using the #10 x 24 – 1″ bolt washer and nut fasten securely to the kayak.  The tracks have to be installed upside down in order to reuse the threaded insert. If you would like to mount the tracks the intended way you will need a rigging bullet as it is impossible to reach the rear area of the track to fasten with a thru bolt.

Now once the track is installed repeat the same steps on  the opposite side.

To run the cable.

Run the cable through the cable adjuster first then under the pedal is a hole run through the hole front to back then wrap it around in the groove then through the metal adjuster pulley at the top and then back to the rudder cable tubing which you will then run the cable through to the stern of the kayak. The cable wraps around the toe pilot like an ‘S’ pattern shape.

Once at the stern you will now connect the cable to your factory installed Tru-Course Rudder or in this cast to the Torqeedo steering bracket. Make sure the rudder or motor is centered at the same time the Toe Pilot pedal should be at 90 degrees to the kayak deck. This is to be center for both sides.

Now terminate the end at the cable adjuster by looping the cable through (2) swedges and crimping. Remove the tag end of cable using the diagonal wire cutters. Slide heat shrink tubing over and heat to protect the cut end and the swedges.

Refer to the image above for completed install.

Disclaimer:

Installing hardware may cause damage and/or void manufacturer warranties.  ThePlasticHull.net its authors or any other source of information on this website is in no way responsible for your actions nor any type issues or damage that may occur.  The information provided on this website is a free reference guide only. The authors of all information, sponsors and the owners of the website that host this information are not liable for any problems or issues that arise from the use of this information. Users of this information hereby acknowledge that all use of this information is done by their own free will, at their own sole risk, understanding that destruction of property, injury, or death could occur.

Since the Cuda 14 was released by Jackson Kayak paddlers have expressed that they felt the Smart Track Rudder was too small for the boat. There is now a solution for that.  The SEA-LECT Designs Trucourse Rudder system. The function of the rudder on a kayak is to increase the tracking in windy situations.  As the paddler adjusts the rudder to compensate for the wind keeping the kayak straight will save the paddler energy.

The Jackson Kayak Cuda 14 used in this modification write up had a factory installed Smart Track rudder system at the time of purchase.
It is possible to use the factory installed steering components and line to raise/lower the rudder with a few slight modifications. ThePlasticHull.net  at this time would recommend that you order your kayak from your local Jackson Kayak Dealer without a rudder system installed and that you would do the entire install with SEA-LECT Designs rudder kit following that kits specific manufacturers instructions until and if this rudder system is ever becomes an option from the Jackson Kayak factory. Your local dealer may also have a shop where they may be able to provide the service to install the rudder kit for an additional charge.

This modification will vary from a full kit install being that there was no need to install sliding foot braces steering cables or trim lines plus run all the tubing these cables and lines require to travel through. Merely this was done to see if the system would work on the Cuda 14.

The Diagram to the left shows the location of the factory trim line and then the modified location to work with the SEA-LLECT Designs Rudder.

The new drilled hole is 2 inches from the center line of the edge of the hatch depression to the center line of the drilled hole for the trim line tubing & rope itself. This is only necessary of modifying a Cuda with a factory rudder installed.

Also depicted is the factory installed steering cable and rudder cable. The location of the steering cable does not need to be modified here. Only the connecting hardware needs to be removed. This is done simply by removing the cotter pin pushing the cable inside the mounting bracket and removing the sedge inside. This will free the cable and allow it to be removed.

The SEA-LECT Designs rudder has an innovative way of  fastening the steering cables. Using an Hex Key tool remove 2 screws each to remove the covers on each side. By loosening up the clamp screw and running the steering cable to the center and then to the rear and tightening down just a little bit.  You will need to center the tracks to the rudder to do this slide the tracks even with the track and this will be your center point. Pull the cable through the rudder till taught but not to move the track off center. Then tighten down the clamp screw.

The image above shows the location of the trim line and the new hole drilled along with the 1/4″ wire hanger and stainless steel screw. The existing hole that the trim line penetrated at the stern was just filled with a bead of Lexel. Now to change out the trim line function. Remove the screw at the front of the existing line. If your Cuda has not had a factory installed rudder there should be a plastic screw in this place. Replace this with a screw or if rudder package is installed use the existing screw but add a rigging hook. This will be for the trim line to loop over when the rudder is in the up position. Untie the bungee from the trim line. Now you will pull the trim line to the bow until the rudder is in the up position. This is where you will tie a non slipping loop knot so when looped around the rigging hook the rudder stays in the up position. Now to lower the rudder simply pull the loop off the hook letting it go. The rudder will slide down.

Below is the modified rudder trim control. By releasing the loop from the hook the rudder will go down. By pulling the trim line and hooking the loop the rudder goes up and locks.

The rudder also has an adjustable depth control. You may want to adjust the height when fishing flats and shallow areas then adjust it down for deeper water. Also for best performance the rudder should not be pulled all of the way up and forward. It could cause the rudder to get stuck in the up position. You may want to tie a knot in the trim line at the stern of the kayak to stop the rudder from being pulled too far.

Disclaimer:

Installing hardware may cause damage and/or void manufacturer warranties.  ThePlasticHull.net its authors or any other source of information on this website is in no way responsible for your actions nor any type issues or damage that may occur.  The information provided on this website is a free reference guide only. The authors of all information, sponsors and the owners of the website that host this information are not liable for any problems or issues that arise from the use of this information. Users of this information hereby acknowledge that all use of this information is done by their own free will, at their own sole risk, understanding that destruction of property, injury, or death could occur.