Aris from Mariner Sails sent me a Cell Blok to put through the paces and to be honest, I was hesitant. I've always kept my battery in a waterproof box below deck and this most definitely would not be below deck.
The Good
The Cell Blok is easy to put together. The assembly instruction guide helps and total time to put it together is less than five minutes. The ability to mount a diamond or circular base RAM ball mount is really nice and the preformed die cuts to secure the mounting nut is a really cool feature. When on the water the Cell Blok isn't near as intrusive as I thought it would be. I paddled two different days with it, both of which were in high winds and it didn't cause me any issues. I also really appreciated the ease with which it mounted to the tracks on my Commander 140. The included T-bolts with round knobs made it easy on and easy off for transport. I was also surprised at the stability along the rail. The wire keeper on the side of the Blok is a nice touch as well.
Needs Improvement
The only issue I really had with the Cell Blok is the sliding door for the battery compartment. It fits in a groove and slides back and forth. Maybe too well. I almost lost it a couple of times on the water. A small bungee that would run across the door and flip up or down when you needed to slide the door would keep it secure. Additionally, it would be nice if for the $60 price tag it would include a deployment arm for the transducer or have it as an optional package.
Pro Tips
A couple of things I learned while using the Cell Blok could help you too. When you are setting up the Cell Blok, make sure that you get it lined up to where the sliding door is on the inside of the kayak. My original setup I mounted it with a transducer and the door ended up being on the outside of the kayak. It slid open and let a little water in from the rough waves. I also experienced the battery sliding just enough in the chop to disconnect the battery. Had I installed it where the door was on the inside, this would have been a quick and easy fix. Hanging over the side of the kayak trying to reattach the connection was not easy. In fact I paddled back to shore and reconnected. Make sure you install the transducer on the opposite side of the door.
When you are using a transducer deployment arm, make sure you leave enough slack along the arm so you can actually deploy the arm. Lots of folks just start winding cable and then when they get on the water don't have enough slack to put the transducer in the water.
Final Thoughts
I like the Cell Blok, I'm just not in love with the price. If it came with a deployment arm I think the price would be right on. The addition of a bungee would solve potential issues but that can be done DIY in the garage if you want. If you are hesitant about drilling lots of holes in your kayak and the thought of a shoot through transducer mount makes you antsy, the Cell Blok could be your fix. If you don't have track already installed on your kayak, a GT90 or GT175 eight inch track from YakAttack could be a quick fix.
Shopping Link List
Cell Blok:
http://www.yakattack.us/CLB_1001_p/clb-1001.htm
Transducer Deployment Options:
http://shop.mariner-sails.com/Mad-Frog-Sideboard-TDA-16-Inches-MF-TDA.htm?categoryId=-1
http://shop.mariner-sails.com/Flexible-Transducer-Arm-RAM-Mount-Pod-YA-RAMB31618TR.htm?categoryId=-1
GearTrak:
http://shop.mariner-sails.com/YakAttack-GearTrac-Classic-YA-GT175.htm
http://shop.mariner-sails.com/YakAttack-Geartrac-Narrow-YA-GT90.htm?categoryId=-1
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