Hello from So Cal

[Evil_Fish]

Just found this site a few days ago after purchasing this skiff I found online.





I won’t get a chance to go pick it up for another 2 weeks. Just trying to get some ideas of what I can do with it. Eventually I would like to make it center console to use locally inshore.

Its 22', 8' beam. built in the 80's. Builder unknown the guy that sold it said he used it commercially in Alaska. I picked it up for about what it would cost for the trailer here in California so I could not pass it up.

[spoiled one]

Nice looking skiff. They are sure common up here. I wonder if forum member Kmorin built it...hmmm.

Welcome to AAB.

[Sabs28]

Welcome to the forum.

That was a STEAL.

Keep us posted on the mods. We all LOVE pictures of Alloy Porn...

[welder]

Looks like a , Set net Skiff, they will load those boats with a BAZILLION POUNDS of Salmon.
You have a VERY good platform to work with. She will make a killer CC.

WELCOME to AAB.

By the way My Wife graduated from La Quinta back in 19** . Lived right behind the Tennis courts [Shared the fence actually]

[JETTYWOLF]

Use those posts and add a big tarp/canvas top, move to Louisiana, and start Gator Hunting and living the good life

Take that O/B off during the off season, drop on a Mud Motor, and go shoot some Nutria for $5 bucks per tail.

I'd leave that boat alone. Ya know how hard it is to find a big Tiller boat like that?

Save the 70HP as a spare, but add yourself a 100-150 two stroker, and add on to it this because of the torque.
http://powertillersteering.com

I'll take it if you find you just don't like it after awhile....PICS of inside please?

[Chaps]

Nice! You an alloy brutha now like it or not. Jetty's right, tiller boats built heavy like that are rare in the lower 48 but can totally understand wanting a console

[welder]

Drag her over to Kenny at Trade wind Inflatable & Marine in Santa Ana so he can touch it. He might have some cool stuff in the rafters.
He has the connections to get-r-done.

[Evil_Fish]

Thanks for the welcome guys.

I will defiantly post some more pictures when I get it home. The boat is currently in Oklahoma. So far I have just been stocking up on parts to fix up the trailer for the 20 hour drive home.FUN!

Here is the inside picture that I have


I don’t mind the tiller steering at all, my only problem is I need a place to mount electronics, radar and various antennas. I worked on and ran some of the local sport fishing boats for almost 20 years; the ocean is pretty much where I grew up. The area that I fish is around the Long Beach/Los Angeles harbors and have has some scary experiences with fog and tankers out there.

I currently don’t have a welder and have not welded anything for quite a few years. So what I was thinking was adding a removable wood planked deck for a temporary solution. And keep the tiller steering for now. I just need something so my kids are not tripping over the stringers.

[welder]

Where at in Oklahoma? I'm on THT Texas side of lake Texoma.

[Evil_Fish]

I bought it from a guy near Tulsa, my brother in-law picked it up for me and has it at his house in Edmond

[kmorin]

evilfish, no this is not one of my skiffs.

It uses similar shapes, that is the bottom and bow are similar but the details of construction are not any of mine.

Adding a deck to void tripping on the structurals is reasonable, my choice would be plywood, and I'd coat it with epoxy and glass cloth and then put antiskid on while its on saw horses instead of working in the boat.

The very rough interior could be eased a bit with a deck/floors/sole to walk on and I'd consider some more struts from the ledge at the sheer, sheer clamp/guard deck down to the sides so there was less opportunity to flex in a head sea. this skiff is lightly built in terms of interior framing vs stiffness.

Shape will perform reliably and it looks dry but a console instead of the tiller will be welcomed if you go offshore. Lots of elements of the hull seem like they could be tied together somewhat more - slop tray/splash well is 'hanging', transom is not tied too well the sheer and topsides along the top/sheer.

You might take out the bin brackets? but if you leave them, then slip a 2x down into them and put another on top at 90 as seating ? Also the net posts seem like they could be removed? What need to hold a gill net on the gunwale in a 8 knot tide rip?

As this skiff resembles some in the area quite a while ago, I may have known the builder (?) but have no contact or knowledge of his whereabouts and don't think they're still building. I will ask a few other builders but email with them takes some time.

cheers,
Kevin Morin

[welder]

Cool, Edmond is about a 2 hour drive from where I'm at. I'm in whitesborro Texas. If you chose to go the Southern route to miss the mountians [ I10 ] to dallas then north on I35 to OKC , Im 15 miles off of your route, I would meet you some where for coffee or what not.
I also have plenty of parking here at the house [ 40 Acres ] and 2 spare bedrooms if you want or need to stop.

[mojomizer]

Westminster I could probably shout and you would hear me. Sl Dave too. Welcome to the fold.

Wow talk about six degrees of separation.

[pjay9]

Evil fish...stop by and meet Welder...you will not be diappointed and you may even get some great grub for just swinging by. PJ

[Evil_Fish]

Thanks for the offer Welder.
My plan was to make the trip on a three day weekend that I have coming up. Leaving after work and driving straight thru at least on the way there. I’m not sure how much time I will have, I plan on changing all the bearings and brakes just to be safe and my brother in law said the lights did not work so I will have some troubleshooting to do as well possibly rewiring of the lights. I am still trying to get an extra day off so I will keep you updated.

[welder]

Cool, FYI, it's about a 25 hour drive NOT towing and about 30 hours towing. Also winter is sneaking up on us so watch the weather as I 40 can get bad around Flagstaff [Snow and Ice].

[welder]

Weather shows up on good Radar, weather radar does not show you, Other water craft, Oil rigs, Birds, coastline, Islands and a few other things.
For me , I want the new digital set up.

[Evil_Fish]

but why get radar?
sirius sat weather is better for a small boat, you can sea weather for hundreds of miles or loom in to a local area, for dodging storms anyway. i dont really see the need for radar. i guess Cali is pretty foggy though.

it's not foggy that often, I have just always had them on my boats and the boats I have worked on. While I know its not a necessity, I feel much safer being able to see oncoming ships, jetties and what ever else at night or in the fog.

[JETTYWOLF]

I was wonderin'.......didn't think a "double wide" is the usual California Habitation Concept.

I'd just have a ALUMINUM DECK put on it and gooooooo.

Really, C'mon Radar

If you need radar, maybe you shouldn't be going there in that boat.......

[Sabs28]

Plus Radar doesnt give you streaming margaritaville radio or playboy channel at the helm.

You "Gotta Remember the important things in life"

[goatram]

Florida Boys! Them Fla Boys Pho Pho'in everything There is a need for all of the toys on a ocean going boat. Unless your a Fla boy that fish the jetty or one that lives down South.

Peezer I was a Damn Yankee once like you will be soon. Like those funny BACK SIDE Main Land peps on the Islands where to you and your Bro's

[Sculpin]

I love the lines of that skiff. I really like a nice up swept sheer line.

Radar is a good thing IMO. I use mine all the time. You can look for flocks of birds in the distance, you can see groups of boats that may already be on a bait stop, or you can use it to see obstacles in the fog. Nothing and I mean nothing replaces two eyes on the water even in the fog. We have some serious foggy conditions here in the PNW but I travel at very slow speeds in the thick stuff and always keep my eyes and ears glued to the conditions.

Cheers,
John