Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge - View Single Post - Any Ideas for Alternative Hobie Gear Bucket?

Mr. NiceGuy · 10-30-2017, 01:05 PM

The speed with which Hobie soft plastic gear buckets (8" hatch) split and fall apart is bugging me. I know this is Hobie product design strategy to keep milking their customers into the future.

Does anyone know of a hard plastic alternative, or some paint bucket or something else that can be adapted?

I've gone through 3 of these and it's just not right to keep paying Hobie $30+ each time they split down the sides or crack off at the lip. That's $120 so far for 4 junky plastic buckets that I should not have to buy more than once.

I'm tempted to make a mold and cast these things out of fiberglass to hand out to anyone who agrees with me.

Any ideas?

(thinking out loud)

- check paint dept at Home Depot
- check commercial restaurant food storage containers at Costco Wholesale + Smart & Final
- investigate molding materials to make my own from fiberglass

- ~~are the 8" hatches used on Hobie a propriatary size, or generic?~~
- ~~check West Marine to see if they have any alternatives~~

- NOTES: 8.25" top diameter @ hatch

10-30-2017, 01:05 PM	#1
Mr. NiceGuy Manic for Life Join Date: May 2015 Location: San Diego Posts: 838	Any Ideas for Alternative Hobie Gear Bucket? The speed with which Hobie soft plastic gear buckets (8" hatch) split and fall apart is bugging me. I know this is Hobie product design strategy to keep milking their customers into the future. Does anyone know of a hard plastic alternative, or some paint bucket or something else that can be adapted? I've gone through 3 of these and it's just not right to keep paying Hobie $30+ each time they split down the sides or crack off at the lip. That's $120 so far for 4 junky plastic buckets that I should not have to buy more than once. I'm tempted to make a mold and cast these things out of fiberglass to hand out to anyone who agrees with me. Any ideas? (thinking out loud) - check paint dept at Home Depot - check commercial restaurant food storage containers at Costco Wholesale + Smart & Final - investigate molding materials to make my own from fiberglass - ~~are the 8" hatches used on Hobie a propriatary size, or generic?~~ - ~~check West Marine to see if they have any alternatives~~ - NOTES: 8.25" top diameter @ hatch __________________ Another ho-hum day in Paradise Last edited by Mr. NiceGuy; 10-30-2017 at 06:06 PM.