Kayalu lighting, camera and mobile device mounts are designed for extreme conditions, while remaining accessible to professionals and beginners alike.
The vast majority of portable lights sold for mounting on a "vessel under oars" (kayak, sit-on-top, stand-up paddleboard, canoe, etc.) employ mounting solutions poorly considered for the rigors of active watersports.
Rigid, unyielding brackets, suction cups and magnets are incapable of sustaining even minimal forces leveraged on them when impacted by an oar or paddle, or when rolled or dragged in reeds, mud or along a sandy shore.
Commonly used materials such as thin-wall plastics, resins, rubbers and plated metals are susceptible to degradation if exposed to sunlight, saltwater. Contact with sand is another factor in the degradation of materials.
We have dedicated substantial resources into the engineering, materials and testing of each product in the Kayalu line. Our Kayalite® [model KLT-1050] kayak light was developed by prototyping and testing in Boston Harbor, Fort Point Channel and Charles River, long before we announced and shipped the first unit.
The Kayalite is operable at depths of up to 1000 feet below sea level yet is buoyant. It can be affixed to any single point of attachment — an eyelet or deck loop, for example. Its bungee cord can be pulled taut and secured with a single hand on the built-in jam cleat.
We've taken measures to protect the Kayalite's shock cord from abrasion, engineering a narrow guide tube within the main mast that has smooth, flanged openings at both ends.
And rather than glue parts together, or simply jam a light into a crude suction cup assembly, the use of stainless steel bolts and locknuts ensure that one component won't detach from another. All Kayalu shock cords and stainless steel hogrings are custom made, crimped and assembled in the USA by a professional rigging contractor.
Once a Kayalite breech clip is attached to your deck, the mast will remain fastened even if the bungee is loosened from its cleat.
To invent and build a great product, we machined a number of prototype masts with tensioners ranging from shock cord and double-braid to steel aircraft cable.
Through the prototyping process, we were able to discover and refine an innovative means for the secure attachment of masted payloads such as lights, cameras, sensors and antennas to unstable surfaces, as well as technology for the stabilization of a payload such as a video camera secured to an unstable surface.
Kayalu has developed a portfolio of patents, issued and pending, describing a range of innovative means for securing payloads to unstable surfaces, including tension mounted tripods, monopods, masts, couplers, heads, adaptors, bases, legs and fins.
Patents and Applications
• U.S. Patent #8,651,440: Portable multi-purpose mast for rapid, secure
attachment to unsteady, inclined and irregular surfaces
• U.S. Patent #8,814,111: Portable multi-purpose mast for rapid, secure
attachment to unsteady, inclined and irregular surfaces
• Portable multi-purpose mast for rapid, secure
attachment to unsteady, inclined and irregular surfaces
• Stern light with internal tension cable
for secure attachment and quick release
• Portable mast capable of adapting to contoured and irregular surfaces of attachment
• Portable mast having a universal adaptor head capable of hosting a variety of payloads
• Combined stern light and drain plug
for attachment to a kayak's topside drain hole
Kayalu's off-the-shelf products have the ability to interface with a variety of possible payloads. We offer a Kayalu Experimentor's Kit [model KXP-1000] with two pairs of pre-drilled (unused) utility holes at the distal end of its mast, available to secure your own additional components. If the KXP-1000 suits your application, we can work with you to ensure your success.
We are also capable of designing and producing new products, including masts to suit custom payloads. Our engineers and manufacturers, domestic and abroad, are proficient in SolidWorks®, rapid prototyping (FDM, SLS, SLA), tooling and high-capacity production.
In addition to manufacturing our own components, Kayalu is an authorized Original Equipment Manufacturer of Tektite Industries and Adjustable Clamp Company, and an Authorized Reseller of RAM Mounting Systems, Inc.
If you are interested in incorporating Kayalu mast technology in your designs, we would be delighted to discuss licensing opportunities with you. Our IP licenses are backed by our 30-year track record of successful commercial collaborations, products and ventures. For more information regarding company IP, visit our Legal Attributions page.
Click here for more information about Kayalu, or contact us at our Boston workshop.