Revised Bluefin 12' fishing SOT

[scottrunnr]

Hey Matt!
It's been a while since I spoke with you. I hope that all is well and that the new job is working out.

This was the first winter in three years that I did not have a kayak build going on. I'm afraid finances were very tight. Things are looking better now on the financial side and I'm going through kayak building withdrawl!

I'd really like to rebuild my 12' fishing SOT as a hybrid like we did with the tandem (subfloor no sealed cockpit). That'll take some weight off. Plus I'll vary the thickness of the ply I use between bottom and top. So the only design difference is really the cockpit. I'd like almost everything else to be the same.

Notice that I said "almost everything" would be the same. Right now I use the aft compartment as a fish-holder/cooler. Reaching back there with a large fish is awkward and I've almost flipped a few times while attempting to do so. I saw a fishing SOT (Kaskazi Dorado) built in South Africa that solves this brilliantly. They build a sealed compartment between the paddlers legs that extends forward thru the bulkhead and goes down to the hull.

Here are some photos of the Dorado.







Would you be interested in modifying the 12' SOT design per above? I think if you can do the design revision of the sealed cockpit, I can handle the design of the fish compartment myself. Unless you'd like to tackle that as well.

I'd build this one from your drawings/measurements (no kit) and no instructions required.

Let me know what you think.

[jem]

Certainly doable. I've been trying to get a couple others posted but can't seem to close the deal. So let's tinker with this one and let is simmer. Mean time I'll try and finish off the tandem.

[hairymick]

Matt,

Do you have access to eyeball a Dorado in the flesh?

If so, I would encourage you to do so. These boats are in my opinion, the best thought out, factory built sit on top, fishing kayaks in the world.

[scottrunnr]

Mick, I wish there was one around here to take a look at but there don't seem to be any around. There seem to be some in Florida and up in the mid-west. Both very far from here. Have you seen any down there? The photos look awesome.

Matt, I still have all the build drawings/measurements from the original build. Would all that remain unchanged other than the flooring and lack of cockpit. I assume the cockpit frame would be the same just with a floor on top of it instead of a cockpit. If so, I can start working on the hull and cockpit frame and save the floor and fish storing "console" for later. What do you think?

[hairymick]

G'day Scott,

Yeah mate, there is a crew importing them here now and I have seen the way they perform in some pretty serious surf breaks. The better paddlers handle them a bit like a wave ski coming in.

They truly are a remarkable craft. They seem to paddle very much like a sea kayak with similar performance, but handle breaking waves like a wave ski or long surf board.

If I were still paddling through surf to go fishing. a Dorado would be in my shed now.

[jem]

Matt, I still have all the build drawings/measurements from the original build. Would all that remain unchanged other than the flooring and lack of cockpit. I assume the cockpit frame would be the same just with a floor on top of it instead of a cockpit. If so, I can start working on the hull and cockpit frame and save the floor and fish storing "console" for later. What do you think?

I'll have to apply some head-scratching time to this. While the prototype you built with the twisting panels get the look of nice lines, they are more difficult to build especially in a short hull. If quality ply isn't used, the twist is going to snap panels. I can specify this until I'm blue in the face. But fact remains I'll lose customers and reputation if I put out cost prohibitive designs or design that frustrate builders and never get complete.

The panel on the prototype are also not as efficient (hull speed) as the panels like on the Laker. But they would take on surf well. I have to wonder how many wooden SOT boat builders punch through the surf. They are not all a bunch of crazy nut bags like Mick.

[scottrunnr]

Matt,
While I'm not as crazy as Mick (said with the utmost respect Mick!), I do have to punch in/out of surf on occasion. And of course I have to be confident that the boat can handle a scrape if the weather turns on me while I'm out.

I've been very happy with the current design! It's stable yet fast. I've had it out in some challenging conditions and it has performed very well. Perfect for my needs. I'm just looking to take a bit more weight out and install a fish-holding "console".

As you said, these requirements might address a pretty small niche and might not be worth your efforts. I completely understand if that is the case. I'll just use the current plans and work out the changes to the cockpit on my own. Of course I'll share them with you once I've got it worked out!

Let me know your thoughts.

[jem]

We'll work them. Let me take at look at the prototype and see if the subfloor concept works without too much pain. How's the stability and performance with the current design?

[Guest]

I love the current design! I was tempted to break out the power saw and just try to redo the one I already built. But then I wouldn't get the joy of building another boat from scratch!

Seriously, I wouldn't change a thing on the hull design. It's been an ideal fishing platform for me; stable, fast, and straight tracking.

[scottrunnr]

I guess my session must have expired. That was me that said:

I love the current design! I was tempted to break out the power saw and just try to redo the one I already built. But then I wouldn't get the joy of building another boat from scratch!

Seriously, I wouldn't change a thing on the hull design. It's been an ideal fishing platform for me; stable, fast, and straight tracking.