Question:
Which Fly Fishing Boat?
I need a fly fishing boat for use in the brackish waters of the Chesapeake
Bay and its tributaries. (For example, the smallest water would be a
stump-filled flat on the Rappahannock River and the biggest water would be
the Potomac River at the Harry Nice Bridge (Route 301).
The fly fishing criterion is significant, since fly fishing in winds over
20 knots is an exercise in misplaced macho and I am likely to stay home if
the wind is over 15 knots or its not a blue-bird day. I want to be able to
go home in worse conditions, if things get bad, but I plan to arrange
never to have to move more than five miles to get out of the water. For
this reason, I'd prefer a sharp bowed boat. (I am not sure if its any
harder to build a pointy one than a flat one anyways.)
I want a small boat because my budget is limited and the space to store it
is even more limited. If I build, I have to build it in a 20 x 12 unheated
garage. I'd buy a boat because I am an indifferent workman with little
time, but the boughten boats I can find don't have the best hull shape and
are lacking in other areas, e.g. too heavy.
I have looked at boat plans on the web and found a couple that look
promising, but I have concerns over support for first-time builders and
over the actual difficulty in building one design over another. Any
comments on the suitability of either the Glenn-L Power Skiff 14 or the
Bateau.com Indian River Skiff (D15). Any comments on either of these as to
quality of design and support from the seller? Is there another similar
set of plans I should also be considering?
Answer:
- I would have to say that I would go with something with a wide beam so you can
stand comnfortably. I bet a bass boat or other wide beam boat with a shallow
draft and casting deck would work great for fly fishing.
I was a little put off by Jacques at Bateau, but after talking with his web
designer and discovering that he is just a bit brusque to everybody and actually
does follow through with support - through his on-line forum I might be more
inclined to use their design. They have a number of garvey designs that I think
would great stable casting platforms. I ordered a set of GV17 plans myself
yesterday because they show a bass boat deck plan as included with the plans.
On the flip side of that. I have also received a set of plans from Glen-L for
their Jimbo design, and every question I have asked them has been answered. Not
always the answer I wanted, but always a good answer. They have also pointed me
towards useful resources. I think the plans from Glen-L are excellent, but I
found their instructions to be a little confusing to read. They are very
complete, but don't have a clear step wise process lined out. The patterns are
excellent. I think that the plans will gel together as you start building if
you read them from beginning to end once before starting.
When my Bateau plans arrive (if they arrive since my cc has not yet been
charged) I'll let you know how well written the plans and instructions are for
their boats. Fritz, Jacques web designer, has been very helpful. He is
building a GV15 with casting decks. I think that is right in the size range you
are looking at.
To be honest though, your assessment that buying a boat might fit your needs may
be accurate. If you don't get into the building process and derive some
enjoyment from it, but rather just want a boat to fish from. Take a look at
www.traderonline.com . I was amazed how cheap some used boats are selling for.
Much less than you could build one for in many cases.
- assume it will be towed behind the car on a trailer. on lakes and rivers
around here the 14 ft open aluminum boat with 9.9 hp motor is the standard
fishing platform for 1-2 people. there's a brisk trade in used ones. price
goes down with age.
if you want to play around with the dimensions of a home built flat bottom
skiff look at files Skiff.txt and Skiff.bas on my webpage
www.ncf.ca/~ag384. probably the cheapest and easiest pointy fishing boat
for the backyard builder. for an outboard the stern should be wide and
flat (no deadrise to speak of). for rowing the stern should be narrower
with deadrise to get the transom above the surface. for rough water the
sides should be high. a deck helps keep out spray. I think its 1 hp per
50 lb of boat and contents to get it up on a plane. Most are overpowered.
the sides are bent 'round a temporary building form which defines the
cross section at its widest, and screwed and glued to the stem and
transom. the boat is turned over an the bottom put on. stringers and
frames can be put in for stiffening. There's a standard design for a 16
footer in Rabl's "Boatbuilding In Your Own Backyard". It boards but most
people use plywood these days.
