RG, this is just my two cents on the subject... It sounds like you have really done your homework and acquired all the top notch parts for your project. I know it sounds like you are afraid to drill a hole in your kayak because you may ruin it or something. But I have worked with just about every media/material known to man, and modern kayak plastic is among the easiest to build/repair that I have ever come across. So personally, the fear of ruining my kayak is non existent. That being said, I would recommend getting a pre-manufactured thru-hull wire kit like you have pictured or like Hobie offers, and just do the job right the first time. Leave yourself just enough slack to adjust the unit, but keep the on deck cable to a minimum, and run it into the hull asap. Keep it clean and your deck as clear as possible. It is totally up to you in the end, but having 1-2' of wire exposed on the deck is going to get caught on something eventually, no matter how much velcro you have. It would be a shame to lose a trophy fish due to some crap in the way, or damaging the unit from yanking on the cables. Plus the idea of moving the wires every time you open/close the hatch seams like a poor one, and will just encourage you to keep the hatch closed. Keep your workspace clean and clear so you can focus on the job at hand. I do know that from experience, using the Hobie thru-hull wire kit, that if you drill the correct size hole, if down the road you remove the wires and kit, the hole can be plugged with a flush mount bungee plug in a matter of seconds. That and every serious kayak angler should look into a plastic welder for the future, to prevent nice yaks from being cut into tiny pieces, lol. And you have the right idea on the split flex loom for the wires, I have used that on all my yaks. Hope this helps, Cant wait to see it rigged up!
