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Pimping my ‘other’ ride,
Being located in the bush capital of Australia we often encounter some remote environments when prospecting for a new area to fish. Some are arid desert like landscapes (Alpine lakes) whilst some are gum lined steep trenches (Monaro rivers), this can take its toll on both vehicles and patrons alike. Earlier in my days kayak fishing a group of us pioneered an area known to hold large native fish and introduced species, this particular waterway was known as Captains Flat Dam. Arriving in an unmodified Subaru Forester and a conventional 2wd we quickly realised our path to glory was maimed by 4wd hoon holes and urban obstacles fir for no chassis.
By ferrying yaks and gear from one car to the other, the Forester made it within 100m of the bottom. The rest of the hike was a blur, nothing worse than elephant lining 4 kayaks down and back up a rut city after fishing in water temps of 4 degrees. While the sounder showed life these particular fish did not want to participate in anything except for snuggling together on the Dams bed. We all emerged unscathed from the experience, perhaps a little wiser. I have been back once since (Yak less) but suffered a similar fate of no fish, but the driving experience changed quite a bit.
Being located in the bush capital of Australia we often encounter some remote environments when prospecting for a new area to fish. Some are arid desert like landscapes (Alpine lakes) whilst some are gum lined steep trenches (Monaro rivers), this can take its toll on both vehicles and patrons alike. Earlier in my days kayak fishing a group of us pioneered an area known to hold large native fish and introduced species, this particular waterway was known as Captains Flat Dam. Arriving in an unmodified Subaru Forester and a conventional 2wd we quickly realised our path to glory was maimed by 4wd hoon holes and urban obstacles fir for no chassis.
By ferrying yaks and gear from one car to the other, the Forester made it within 100m of the bottom. The rest of the hike was a blur, nothing worse than elephant lining 4 kayaks down and back up a rut city after fishing in water temps of 4 degrees. While the sounder showed life these particular fish did not want to participate in anything except for snuggling together on the Dams bed. We all emerged unscathed from the experience, perhaps a little wiser. I have been back once since (Yak less) but suffered a similar fate of no fish, but the driving experience changed quite a bit.
A couple of years ago I purchased my own Subaru Forester with the goal of pimping it beyond belief. Two dozen months and a couple of thousand dollars later (And then some) my ultimate kayak fishing carrier is almost complete. Additional features include a 1” spring lift (Raised King Springs), offroad bar front end (Subaxtreme), HD sump guard (Subaxtreme), Pin/pencil spots (Narva), Roof rack basket (Thule expedition), UHF, Rear off-road bar with jerry/tyre carrier (Subaxtreme), K&N fuel filter and some Geolander ATS off-road tyres on all points.
Sure it still needs a 2” strut lift/body lift but that’s a little down the track. This set up has held me firm on some horrifying roads and also taken me into places like Bendethera and beyond the Brindabella’s. While not used exclusively for Kayak Fishing it performs regular fishing/camping trips every weekend and fits into my smallish garage, unlike some of the more popular, larger 4wd’s (Think Toyota). Most of you know when I take something seriously I really get involved in the project (Whatever that may be) and while not a car man so to speak, I am truly impressed with what I can now achieve (Especially with both my Outfitter/Quest on the roof).
Most modified work was undertaken by a company called ‘Subaxtreme’. While Subaru Australia refuses to acknowledge them, they manufacture a range of Subaru accessories for Foresters, Otbacks, Brumbys and various other models. Stephen and Campbell will sort you out with quality knowledge and service that really is second to none in this niche market.
"SubaXtreme is a specialist Australian 'craft manufacturer' of Subaru Vehicle Accessories. Our business is to design, test and manufacture quality and innovative products that meet the needs of Subaru vehicle owners. Our personal aim is to provide the best customer service possible. The purpose of all our products is to enhance what we believe are exceptional vehicles. Our products offer improvements in areas such as, off-road ability, outback travel ability, vehicle protection, appearance, personality, practicality and safety, while still maintaining the benefits of owning a Subaru vehicle. These benefits are reliability, economy; comfort, longevity, performance, safety, practicality, road handling and resale value just to name a few."
"We believe that to obtain the best out of each accessory, it needs to be tailor made for each model. To that end, we are committed to designing and manufacturing products, using this philosophy.Demands on vehicles and accessories, particularly off-road, are high, and failures can be costly and potentially dangerous. For these reasons we are serious about manufacturing high quality products."
For more info, please visit http://www.subaxtreme.com.au
