My son DJ (hambone911) and I drove to Loyd Park on Joe Pool to try out the wooden boats and spend some time together.
We paddled about 1/2 mile and got into the creek because the lake was way down. But we got into the fish even with the crowd of PBs and yaks all over the place. Even more so because they wanted get close to the wood boats, but they all were nice people and I enjoyed the compilments.
Ddin't get any great big fish or a great number of fish but had a great time being with my son.
Even picked up a good size crapie;^) for my brother REV TCF.
Notice the "herringbone" spinner. One of my homemade lures, single #3 colorado blade on ball bearing swivel, 3/8 ounce white head.
As for the Bee, she did awesome, no great speed but easy paddle. This boat was designed for use in the salt marshes, spins on a dime and gives change, drafts maybe 2 - 3 inches even with my big buXX in the seat. The foot pegs were installed too close to the paddler but an easy fix. The console/ice chest leaks, but another easy fix. The flooded front hatch mounted transducer worked great. Great stability and real good coasting glide. Man, will she glide. Even bringing in a spinnerbait causes her to glide, stakeout pole is a must. My 240 cm paddle is a little short for this boat because of the asymetric shape and the flared gunnels, a little knuckle knocking now. Seat is great height and I can get up and stand easily, no swag in the bottom. Hope not I got 6 layers of glass in the hull. Overall weight loaded for fishing about 75 - 80 pounds. She is 12 1/2 feet long and 32 inches wide at the top of the gunnel's widest point.
The Cape Fear has never been through a good field trial because she leaked (scupper hole seal split a seal) on our first trip and my experiencing some illness, but DJ did her right this time. He showed me just how fast that boat is. Easily busted 8 MPH past me a left an awesome wake. She was designed to chase trout and reds on the oyster banks in-shore, sometimes a good 3 mile paddle. Theory is, less paddling time more fishing time. Great primary stability even with the "V" hull design and secondary stability is rigid. This boat also has a flooded transucer but in the mid-ship water tight hatch behind the paddler. Got to pour some water in before use and it does a wonderful job. I now have trouble in this boat because the wetwell is too far back for this old man and with my physical restrictions, but a younger guy like DJ did OK. This boat is over 15 feet long and weighs in loaded for fishing at about 75 pounds.
I'm bringing both to the GTG Saturday at Grapevine in case anybody wants to try a wooden boat. Just find Rev or me.
