Attwood Kayak Hoist: Ups and Downs

It took me way too long to make it easy to raise and lower my kayak that normally, when off duty, is hanging from the garage ceiling. I can pretty much always get some assistance when I need to get the kayak up or down but it's also great to be able to do this on my own - hassle free, more or less. The very reasonably priced solution I chose to try is the Attwood kayak hoist; also sold as MrHardware, RAD Sportz, Dragon Kayak and probably several other brands as well but the basic rope construction with pulleys seems identical. 

The hardware in the kit is robust and the (long) rope seems okay as well; that's definitely a good thing but note that there is no proper block and tackle arrangement that would take care of the heavy lifting behind the scenes. Be prepared to use quite a bit of muscle and body weight to lift the load! The not-so-good manual says you can lift up to 120 lbs (54 kg) but I wouldn't go higher than, say, 80 lbs in order to feel comfortable with the strain applied to the ropes and the ceiling brackets. See to it that the included heavy duty bolts are screwed all the way in solid wood when fastening the ceiling attachment - otherwise you might end up in very serious trouble.

I had a hard time trying to figure out just exactly how to route the rope though the pulley system and it seems I'm not the only one. Luckily, there is a great YouTube video that shows exactly how this is done; you should find it here.

In case your kayak is not an extreme heavy weight, the hoist should perform roughly as advertised. However, using the included load 'hooks' makes it impossible to get the kayak all the way up. This was not an option for me so I removed the hooks and now my modification allows me to get my boat really close to the ceiling.

Still, I don't quite trust the hoist enough to let my kayak rest on the rope-and-pulley system all winter so I have my old support straps taking the kayak weight when the hoist is not in use.    

How cool is this kayak hoist, then? I'd say that the Attwood (or whatever) kayak hoist is definitely not extremely cool but, in most cases, it gets the job done - on a budget.

Like what you're reading? Cool - then get notified of new CGoN posts here!

Leatherman Skeletool CX

This summer, I was sure I had lost my Gerber multitool that had been serving me so extremely well through the years. I looked everywhere - over and over - but no luck. Talked to some friends we had recently visited and asked them to check if I had left my Gerber lying around somewhere; nope. Nothing. Finally, I figured that it was time to swallow the (very) bitter pill and get a replacement. After some research I chose the Leatherman Skeletool CX which is way more compact - and much lighter - than the Gerber. Then, after the Leatherman arrived, well you can guess what happened: I reached all the way down into one of the side pockets of my back pack and: hello again to my Gerber!

I was really glad to find the good old tool of mine and, actually, I was also very happy with the new and - in comparison - tiny Leatherman. The two multitools both sport very capable pliers but the design is completely different. Gerber is obviously much more heavy duty and has several built-in tools whereas the Leatherman actually only has two main functions: pliers and a knife. You can use the Gerber pliers with one hand only just fine but forget about the knife; the Leatherman definitely takes both hands to fold out the pliers but you do easily operate the very capable knife with just one hand. The very best of two worlds, then, but unfortunately not in one single package.

So, what gives? It would be major overkill to be carrying around two multitools, that's for sure! To me, this is the deal: the Leatherman is so small and 'skinny' that I hardly notice it in my pocket (it has a very smart clip that holds the tool firmly in place within the pocket) so I actually do end up carrying it most of the time. This - and the fact that folding out the knife and locking it in position with one hand works super smooth - is a really great combination. I don't need the pliers very often so it's okay to me that it takes both hands to use them.

Build quality of these two multitools is excellent; the Gerber is built like a tank and the Leatherman Skeletool perhaps more like a sophisticated surgical instrument (full disclosure though: I know very little about surgery). The joints used to fold in and out the Skeletool plier jaws are ingenious and tight but, of course, there's no way I could do any repairs if they would malfunction somehow.

Thumbs up to both tools but the tiny young guy wins by sheer grace and engineering genius!

Like what you're reading? Cool - then get notified of new CGoN posts here!

Gerber Multi-Plier 600 Bluntnose

The Gerber Multi-Plier 600 series has been around a long, long time and mine is still going as strong as ever. I'm not sure exactly when I got the tool but I do remember that my brother-in-law in the US took good care of my purchase order many moons ago - thanks again Mike! I don't think the present 600 series is exactly the same as my old one but the basic design has hardly been changed at all - probably because it's a well proven one.

Some multi tools can handle almost anything kind of okay but perhaps nothing really well; the MP 600 is mainly a compact, reliable and tough as nails (actually even tougher) pair of pliers that can be used with one hand only. The jaws are hidden completely within the main tool body and 'snap' out - and lock into work position - with a quick and powerful downward shake of the wrist. You really need to grab the tool hard when doing this, mind you, otherwise you could send the precious thing flying and never see it again!

Of course, there are also additional tools within the 600; a knife (that does not lock into position in my old Gerber!), a serrated knife, a file, can opener and a couple of screwdrivers. You do need to get the plier jaws out in order to use any of the other tools, by the way.

I have even taken my Gerber apart completely once - and managed to put it together just fine, amazingly enough - after submerging it in water and not being able to dry it properly afterwards. Yup, it got rusty for sure but the 'old fashioned' design made the cleaning possible even for a non-DIY guy like me.

Very good rating to these compact pliers - but beware the knife that easily folds by accident!

Like what you're reading? Cool - then get notified of new CGoN posts here!

NRS Co-Pilot Knife

Way too many years passed before I - at long last - managed to take action and get a 'rescue' knife that's always within reach, attached to my PFD vest, when paddling my (old!) sea kayak. I chose the NRS Co-Pilot knife; a very small but surprisingly capable tool that also serves just fine in everyday outdoors life. So, you can definitely stay firmly on the ground or play in the waves and most probably you'll find great use for this knife that seems to be quite different from most of the other offerings in this category.

The knife is tiny - total length only 5.75" (14,6 cm) - and that is great to me since I try to avoid having bulky gear attached to my vest; my VHF radio actually is more than enough! The blunt tip of the short Co-Pilot blade is tough and can also serve as an emergency screwdriver; the blade has both a sharp and a serrated part. I find it easy to get a good hold of the rubberised handle that does have a couple of additional tricks up its sleeve!

A very smart part of the Co-pilot knife package is the sheath that holds the knife firmly in place, until you squeeze both sides simultaneously for a quick release. Super important feature - especially in a kayak or, actually, in any emergency - so that you both know the knife won't fall off on its own and you can instantaneously grab and use it with one hand only.

The Co-pilot knife is very cool and serves exactly the way it's supposed to. The sheath of my knife has taken some beating during the years but it still functions okay; the blade itself is just fine even though you need to clean off some rust stains from time to time (well, there is also a titanium version available!). This tiny and extremely useful piece of kit comes with a warm recommendation from me.

Like what you're reading? Cool - then get notified of new CGoN posts here!