After receiving my new Jackson Kayak Cuda, I began to formulate how I wanted to rig it for the kind of fishing that I do.  Usually the first thing I consider is an anchor trolley.  I mainly fish inshore waters from South Carolina to Northern Florida that have their fair share of tidal current and winds.  An anchor trolley is a must for proper kayak positioning in these conditions to target a given area effectively.  Using the wind and/ or tidal current you can articulate the anchor trolley and transition your kayak where it points in a desirable direction.

   There are many different kinds of anchor trolley set-ups.  Some are nearly the length of the kayak and some are shorter, some use basic single pulleys/ carabineers/ or inline pulleys, some are tied to an O-ring and some are sewn to the O-ring.   On this kayak I have chosen to use one existing anchor point for the anchor trolley and create another.  I sewed and shrink wrapped the sewing connections to give it a clean appearance and snag free performance.  I give credit for this design to Mr. Kayak Bass Fishing himself, Chad Hoover.

Here’s how it came together:

First I located the rear bungee that is utilized to strap rods down (it is located on either side of the kayak behind the seat)  and threaded a ¼” bungee through the existing bungee attachment point.  I then added a single pulley and tied the bungee in a knot, securing the pulley to the anchor point.                                                                                             

Since I like my anchor trolley’s somewhat shorter than most do, I marked a location just forward of the rod stagers to place a padeye for my forward anchor point.  I drilled two 3/16” holes (using the padeye as a guide).  I opted for screws to attach the padeye, using washers and nylock nuts on the inside.

Prior to attaching I added a small dab of silicone to seal the holes.

Using a piece of 4mm reflective deck line, I attached a stainless steel ring and threaded it into each pulley and back to the ring.  Since my trolley will be sewn and shrink wrapped, I inserted a piece of 3/8” shrink wrap on the line and placed the line around the O-ring.

I sewed the line together using doubled thread, tied it off, and pulled the shrink wrap over the sewn portion.

I untied the other side of the O-ring, added another piece of shrink wrap, and pulled the line together until the bungee material at the pulleys were taught.  I sewed the line together and pulled the shrink down over the sewn area.

Using a heat gun, I shrunk both wraps until I could see the impressions of thread and it was tight fitting on the line.

The anchor trolley can be pulled out away from the kayak when anchored off by the force of the wind or current, but it can only go as far as the bungee will let it.  When you undo your anchor the trolley pops back into place, leaving a clean looking and functional piece of kayak fishing equipment.

**Using marine grade stainless steel or nylon O-rings and stainless steel attachment nuts and screws will considerably lengthen the life of your set-up**