Chronicles of a Blue Water Hunter

miles · Nov-22-2007, 06:26 AM

Boats.

Everyone's always looking for that perfect boat. Since i'm a spearfisherman as well as a angler, my boats tend to be a compromise. Since selling my 21' semi-rigid boat, the wife started to complain about our ability to fish other location. After much searching, i found a 4.5m Gemini Semi-rigid with a 50hp 2stroke autolube yamaha. Cheap, light on fuel (even WITH a 2stroke!!) and easily towable and managable by two. Unfortunately, due to the size, the V was rather shallow, giving a rather bumpy ride. Very, very dry, but bumpy ride!! As luck would have it, the guy i bought that boat from had a 5.0m Gemini Semi-rigid boat lie-ing around his yard. This was one of the original gemini's, built with balsa core and pretty much indestructable HYPERLON tubes!! The hull is then further filled with sealed bottles to add even MORE flotation. Full stainless steel keel strip that allows you to run your boat up onto the beach with-out fear of damaging the hull. These boats were built like sherman tanks, until gemini realised that they worked out too expensive and started building their cheaper counterparts. Comes complete with anchor hatch and a decent underdeck fish hatch that'll carry 20 or so yellowtail!!

Stripped everything off the 4.5m and transfered all the equipment to the 5.0m. MUCH, MUCH softer ride, albeit a bit wet though. 28knts top speed, with a decent Navman fishfinder and a Garmin GPS60 colour plotter. Very good fuel consumption. Only real modification was to fit a "stingray" hydrofoil fin on the 50hp yamaha.

Some pic's of "new" spearing/fishing/wavejumping/messing around any water boat!! Not bad for a 15year old boat!!

miles · Nov-22-2007, 06:30 AM

And now for my latest.......

10m (32-33') of pure fish slaying machine!!

**Mstonefish** · Nov-22-2007, 07:40 AM

Congrats on the new boat Miles, can't wait to see you bloody it nicely with some huge yellowfin.

Nepptune · Nov-23-2007, 12:30 AM

New ride looks sweeter than my Tannie Koeksister Miles.... What is she? Butt Cat?

miles · Nov-25-2007, 10:01 PM

Hiya

Neptune, she is indeed a butt-cat!! I've fished off and owned MANY types of different boats and the butt-cat boats are still by far the BEST riding boat. Needless to say, my previous commercial vessel was also a butt-cat.

On a slightly different note, i see you're a fishing-ski owner. Do you guys have an association or regulatory body? Reason i'm asking is becuase the latest trend seems to be for the kayakers to go out when the wind is howling 25-30knts and then race downwind. The problem is that their kayaks are predominantly white, with the sea white-capping all over the place, makes spotting them very difficult!! I have a few idea's and just wanted to share them, so as to prevent the type of accident a short while back when a 35' cat ran over a kayak!!

Regards
miles

Customboatguy · Nov-25-2007, 11:44 PM

Dude- I have only THAT to say!

fishpainter · Nov-26-2007, 05:58 AM

great pics..whats out for the big mouth..

Nepptune · Nov-26-2007, 06:39 AM

Miles

There is nothing resembling a regulatory body down here in the Cape... I know the Natal okes are getting something togther like that, but nothing down here as yet....

I think the okes you are referring to are probably more likely the surfski guys and yak paddlers out of Simonstown... I know of only a couple okes who fish off ski's, and we are not likely to be heading out there when its windy man.... I'm not amped to get swept out to the Bellows on a ski!!
Add to the fact that we usually have a bunch of rods sticking up, along with bright coloured skis......
More likely the okes you gonna need to watch out for are the surf skiiers.... They are the mad fast guys who race the wind...

Just had another look at your pics... is that Mickey in one of them holding a Roman?

You ever looking for a spare deckie mate, gimme a holler, you got my number!

Nepps

Waterpup · Nov-26-2007, 09:37 AM

Miles, you sir are my hero. When can I move in?

miles · Dec-02-2007, 09:31 AM

Following steps still need to be done:
Sort the seating arrangements. Need to buy some nice not too hard, not too foam and cover it in the appropriate uphostery. I designed the cabin so that there is two bunks that we can sleep on. One for me and the other for the wife!!
Add some anti-slip to the gunwhale and fish box lids, just to break the monotonous white colour!!
Fit a sprayer rail and rod holders.
Fit an inverter and a pool pump. For those not in the know, a inverter with a normal pool pump work BRILLIANTLY!! MUCH better than your normal deckwash pumps and considerabily cheaper too!!
And finally, cover the decks with some fish!!!