# "High 'N Dry" - Bill Hemple's Challenger Bonefish - Plus others - Lots O' Pix



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

High 'n Dry is Bill's.

Last Flat was Flip Pallot's Challenger.

Zaidi Two was owned by Skip Soule.

Who owned Flat Top?


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

Bill Hempel here!

Congressman Eddie Gong owned Flat Top. That's him and his Son in the photo's.

The High 'n Dry is shown in it's various stages of building it and its changes over a few years. The ad shown was when I purchased the hull from Joe Koger who didn't have the time to build it. The grass carpet was the beginning. I did all the decks, hatches, built-in cooler in the stern, bait well, white ash spray rails, stern build-up, engine mounting, all rigging and wiring, tower build, tabs, you name it, over 6 months in my carport after work and on weekends. Later on I trailered it to Flip Pallots fiberglass man in Sarasota for the carpet removal, final glassing, and Awlgrip Seafoam Green paint job. The man did a tremendous job on it!

The light blue Challenger in a garage was Jerry Goering's. I believe John Donnell also owned it at one time.

Note that the gentleman in the red long sleeve shirt on the Last Flat, with Flip Pallot, is none other than Lefty Kreh the famed fly fishing personality. The reason all the Challlenger's were together was for a filming of an edition of the TV show "American Sportsman" in the Keys out of the Lorelie.


----------



## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

> The ad shown was when I purchased the hull from Joe Koger who didn't have the time to build it.


Bill, talk about a small world, I remember that boat! My mom's sister Judy was married to Joe at the time.  

Joe worked for Southern Tackle back then. When ever we'd see them he'd give me all kinds of tackle and stuff so I was always looking for ways to go see him.   They ended up divorcing after a few years and I think he moved to Colorado or somewhere out west. I'd had forgotten a lot of that stuff, so what a hoot for me to see that clip.


----------



## tlw62 (Aug 19, 2009)

My buddy called me tonight to tell me to look at this site. Here is a recent photo of my Challenger (Tall Tails) still being fished today. There are still a few of the originals around. I might have some pics of some other oldies as well, Jeff Warshaw







[/img]


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

Deerfly, Do you know that Joe's last wife worked at my old office in Weston for a while (Around 2003-4). That was Associated Air Products. I talked to Joe on the phone and he was working with some Miami shipping company at the time, so he's back in Florida.


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

TallTails. Didn't I see your skiff being towed down I-95 last week? I rolled down the passenger window of my buddys Escalade to let the driver know that it was a cool skiff and that I had had a couple of them. I think they were going diving or something with it?



> My buddy called me tonight to tell me to look at this site. Here is a recent photo of my Challenger (Tall Tails) still being fished today. There are still a few of the originals around. I might have some pics of some other oldies as well, Jeff Warshaw
> 
> 
> 
> ...


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

The second picture in my set of photo's is an old magazine advertisement photo using Flip Pallot and his wife on his Challenger. I can't remember what the ad was about, maybe something in Florida Sportsman?


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

A little correction. The light blue Challenger with split rails being towed by a white truck and one picture on the water was Jerry Goerings. The indoor Challenger I believe was John Donnell's.



> Bill Hempel here!
> 
> Congressman Eddie Gong owned Flat Top. That's him and his Son in the photo's.
> 
> ...


----------



## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

> Deerfly, Do you know that Joe's last wife worked at my old office in Weston for a while (Around 2003-4). That was Associated Air Products. I talked to Joe on the phone and he was working with some Miami shipping company at the time, so he's back in Florida.


No, I haven't heard much about him after he and Judy divorced, which wasn't long after you bought that boat back in 77. I was just a couple years out of high school back then. I think it would have been 1980-81 or so when they called it quits.  Judy may have kept up with him over the years too, I'm not sure though. I'd have to ask my mom about it since she talks to Judy all the time. Could be a sore subject as they say too.


----------



## tlw62 (Aug 19, 2009)

ByFly, I haven't taken it south of Palm Beach for a couple of months now. I fished offshore a few weeks ago while my offshore boat is being repowered. I wish I had the time to fish it more, still waiting for a hotel back in Flamingo to make it worth my while to go down for a few days.


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

Well sorry about that. There's another one that looks an awful lot like yours. I promise you, I am not dilusional, yet.


----------



## Capt._A_J (Mar 5, 2009)

Most xcellent and thank you for the historical transition of a fine vessel.


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

I've actually found a couple of old one's lately. One is at Hell's Bay that they now own.


----------



## storagewalt (Aug 11, 2009)

Thanks for taking the time to post those great photos and start an interesting thread.

Walt


----------



## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

I'm a sucker of the classics.


----------



## DSampiero (Oct 18, 2009)

Great thread..I still say I was born 40 years too late...


----------



## Guest (Apr 29, 2010)

> I'm a sucker of the classics.


X2


----------



## Weedy (Dec 11, 2006)

Didn't John Donnell have that boat in the early 90's? If not he had one real similar to it the last time I was by his house!


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

And you are correct! John did have a Challenger back when. Although it wasn't one of mine. The third photo down in the first post of this thread is of John Donnell on the front deck having a beer.


----------



## popcorn (Apr 11, 2010)

> Great thread..I still say I was born 40 years too late...


Yeah, I was a teen then, no money and no clue......
My Dad poled a cypress skiff that Grandaddy built long after others had bought outboards and fiberglass boats.


----------



## B.Lee (Apr 29, 2008)

> Great thread..I still say I was born 40 years too late...


Yep, me too.

Very cool thread, some great pics of the good ol' days!


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

You have to check for a book about a Glen Simmons "The Gladesman" through the Florida Library system. Fantastic read and you won't believe the trials and tribulations these Florida 'Glades people went through in the early 1900's. I met Glen at a gun show in miami back in the 90's and we had a good talk and do I wish I had followed up on him. I don't know if he is still alive. The last I heard he was blind and living with family in the Homestead area. He's got to be in his late 80 to 90's if still around.


----------



## stevesoule (Oct 13, 2010)

This has got to be one of the coolest threads that I have ever found on the internet. I grew up fishing on the Zadie Too, along with several other Challengers. Great to see some of those classic boats. The Zadie belonged to my uncle, Skip Soule'. My dad, Paul has owned several over the years. I caught my first reds from Challlengers. In the late 80's I caught my first tarpon in Flamingo off of Captain Dave Denkerts' Challenger. The Zadie has moved north along with Skip but there are still a few in Dade county I'm sure. I'm pretty sure that the last one my dad owned is in Coral Gables and still sees the waters of Flamingo from time to time. 

Thanks for posting these pictures!!


----------



## SClay115 (May 18, 2009)

Sheesh those are beautiful boats....

Steve


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

I still see Dave Denkert and his wife when down in the keys. We've done dinner at the Islamorada Fishing Club with Friend FMH whom fishes with Dave quite a bit each year. Dave's a great guide.


----------



## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Oh how i would love to find one of those chalengers in need of a resto..


----------



## floridanative1028 (May 30, 2009)

> Oh how i would love to find one of those chalengers in need of a resto..


PM Sent!


----------



## oysterbreath (Jan 13, 2009)

This a great thread. The history is most interesting. I wonder if anyone ever took the lines off of one of these skiff. I cold molded version would be sooo cool! Heck, just having the plans would be cool, especially if someone drafted them up with a bit of style and flair so that it could even be framed! lol


----------



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Oyster, what makes you think the glass ones came first? :-? 

http://www.richardlpaquette.ca/CanadianChallenger.htm


----------



## oysterbreath (Jan 13, 2009)

> Oyster, what makes you think the glass ones came first?  :-?
> 
> http://www.richardlpaquette.ca/CanadianChallenger.htm


WOW! That sir is a great find!
I will have to run to the kitchen, grab a soda, come back and enjoy that site! Thanks!!!!!!!


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

Another gentleman who knows much about all these skiffs and unmentioned one's is a friend of mine and FMH by the name of Karl Gloekner of Jensen Beach. He can probably describe every nuance of each hull design.


----------



## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Hm i live in the same town, i sure would like to pick his brain


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

I'm sure you could find him if you asked around.


----------



## High + Dry Adventures (Apr 11, 2011)

Thats a sweet name you got there. Love the artificial turf on poling platform. LOL


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

That's pre Sof-Dek


----------



## nramassini (Sep 9, 2013)

This is an excellent thread and very informative. I have a Challenger that I will be posting for sale in the classified section of this site. It is worth checking out! I hope to have it up later today.


----------



## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

Can anyone tell me about the red push poles? I have a photo of the silver king 16 I'm refurbishing that was taken when it was new in 94 and it has a red push pole on it.


----------



## paint it black (Nov 3, 2007)

> Can anyone tell me about the red push poles?  I have a photo of the silver king 16 I'm refurbishing that was taken when it was new in 94 and it has a red push pole on it.


Kind of looks like a wooden dowel with varnish to me, but I could be wrong.


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Finally something I know a bit about.... Those old red pushpole blanks were fiberglass (and all the ones I ever saw were made at the old Gatorglass facility in North Miami Beach). Gus, the sole proprietor, manufacturer, worker, etc. was an older Cuban guy, always with a cigar in his mouth... I never knew his last name -but he always took time to teach younger guys like me who showed an interest in rodbuilding and other desperate activities....

Those poles were originally hot sticks for FP&L (fiberglass poles made specifically for linemen working with hot wires -fiberglass is a non-conductor). Gus had the abililty to make them in any length, and lighter or stronger depending on the buyer's desires. Bob Hewes boats in the seventies sold finished pushpoles from their business at 125th St (it's still there at 125th and 7th Avenue) to go with their skiffs. The first time I ever saw the finished poles they had aluminum fork and point (the way Pole Cat still does today....) it was in the mid seventies. At that time those poles were pretty much all that was commercially available (this was long before the first "graphite" rod blanks came along -we were all making fiberglass fishing rods back then....). As a result most poling skiffs with production pushpoles back then sported those pretty red poles. They had a few drawbacks, they were heavy and all too flexible so there was considerable room for improvement. Towards the end of the seventies I was able to go directly to Gus and have a pole or two made up in any color I wanted (I liked dark green back then), but you had to find or make your own fork or point. By the early eighties there were competitors and since graphite (if you're from Europe you'd call it "carbon fiber"...) was available by then some were beginning to use it as well -but only as one of the materials in the layup process... Today's pushpoles are a generation or two better than those old red pushpoles - but I imagine there are still a few around. To this day I still have a few old Gatorglass spinning rod blanks in my stores.... You never know when you might need a heavy 8' blank to build a commercial kingfish rod....

Gatorglass is still around -but long gone from NMB, and I'd be surprised to learn that Gus was still alive since he was along in years way back when. He was a great guy and always willing to teach a beginner like me exactly what went into cutting the cloth saturated with resin, wrapping it just so on a steel mandrel, then over-wrapping the un-cured blank with cellophane tape before baking it in a vertical oven. I never saw how he baked pushpole blanks but it would have required some kind of horizontal oven, as much as 25 or more feet long....

Read back over what I've written and don't like it... I can't be this old.


----------



## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

Captain Bob, thank you so much.


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I forgot the best part.... Gus only charged me $30 for a pushpole blank back in the seventies, so they were pretty cheap....


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

Bob, you are old. However, you're probaly strong as a tree trunk from pushing around your heavy hull in the ENP. 

I also remember yellow glass poles. I bought all of my pole makin's at J. Lee Cuddy's on 79th Street from John Emery who was the sales person at that time. I well remember the welded anodized aluminum foot and point available then. Poles I use now are Stiffy's and some old G. Loomis that friend Mitch Howell owns.
Moonlighter owned by friend Bill Marks was the next on the scene, and still are, through Sil Dawson.


----------



## mwolaver (Feb 6, 2014)

Bill,
Didn't I remember Flip or someone being in a boat called "Naners to 'ya" of something similar? This would have been late '70s.


----------



## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Pretty sure that the "naners to ya" was an old Mitchell hull.
Forum member Deerfly owned it at one time.


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

Just a few days ago I had a telephone conversation with Frank of Moldcraft Lures in Pompano Beach, Fl. During our talk I found out that Frank's Dad had a big hand in producing the first aluminum push pole feet and points. They sand blasted them there also. Frank was pretty young at the time and learned a lot from his Dad. 
The more I speak to the old timers and their children the more Florida history I learn. I'll be seventy two in two days and still feel like a child in this fishing business. Also learned that his Dad produced the John Emery Fly Reels. I have one for sale now on eBay (billhempel).


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

mwolaver said:


> Bill,
> Didn't I remember Flip or someone being in a boat called "Naners to 'ya" of something similar? This would have been late '70s.


Actually I believe his last named boat was "Last Flat", which was a Challenger round chine, or it could have been a Wind River Skiff? I'll have to ask him the next time I see him.


----------



## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

Bill,

First, thanks for all the great Challenger info on this thread. I have been trying to work out the provenance of the one I bought in August. It looks quite similar to the one in photos 3, 4, 5, and 14 which I presume is your old boat. The guy I bought mine from had recently bought it from a woman in Marathon who said she bought it from a guide by the name of "John" around 1995. So, I called John Donnell a couple of weeks ago and he said he sold his boat to a guy in Orlando and it finally ended up with Chris Peterson, where I understand it still is.

My boat is listed as a 1956 15' (it's actually 14' 9") Challenger ID#3648 on the title. The boat is round chine, split teak spray rails, flush foredeck with toe rails and raised side console. Does any of this ring a bell?


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

Those are not mine. first one's were a hull owned by a Jerry Goering at one time. I recognize his pickup truck tail gate. He is still around between, I believe Colorado and Florida. Last one you noted with two people was John "Dozer" Donnell's. He's on the bow. 

The hull at Hell's Bay that is stripped is one that FMH and I found along a road for sale in mid Florida several years ago. Sold it to them. They have talked about rebuilding it for a long time.

Mine was also a 1956 but it was redone by Karl Gloekner for a gentleman that worked at Cable Marine East in Ft. Lauderdale. There are photo's of it here but it now has a totally different stern setup with a jack plate and a Merc.


----------



## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

Bill, actually the last photo I noted was I thought of you in some sort of contortion trying to tie up your skiff...


----------



## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Blue Zone said:


> Bill, actually the last photo I noted was I thought of you in some sort of contortion trying to tie up your skiff...


Great photos Bill. Anyone you know ever spend several days lost in the Glades in those no GPS days ?


----------



## TTurney (Dec 2, 2015)

Gentlemen, I have a 1955 Challenger Bonefish, known in Florida as the "Blue Boner". I've spent over 1000 hrs on redoing everything. 2008 Yamaha 60 High Thrust Four stroke on it, with low hours. Teak floor, led lighting, etc.... Would like to sell it or my 2008 Beavertail Osprey. Listed both on another site, $22,500 ea. Tell me what ya'll think please, Terry
Can't seem to add pics. On 2coolfishing, boats. Thanks Guys.


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

Blue Zone said:


> Bill, actually the last photo I noted was I thought of you in some sort of contortion trying to tie up your skiff...


Believe that is Flip contorting


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

sjrobin said:


> Great photos Bill. Anyone you know ever spend several days lost in the Glades in those no GPS days ?


Yep! Some have told me of living with mosquitos for a day or so. And there were times I was scared and happy to get back to Flamingo. I've been so far north from Whitewater Bay in a skiff, by hacking at overgrowth with a machette, that we were looking at Everglades prairie and staring at Largemouths.
By the way, miniature Tarpon are a blast in the backwater mini ponds (some not much larger than a bathtub). Just be prepared to un-hang them from a branch.
A simple secret, not gauranteed, to get out is to follow the almost imperceptable direction of water flow.
Note, The Ten Thousand Islands is a really scary place.


----------



## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

New additions to Bill's Challenger thread;

My work in progress 1956 round chine:








snookyj's 1956 hard chine
























txflatsman's


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

If you are ever in Ft Lauderdale on any Saturday through Wednesday, 8am on until around 4:30pm. You will find me manning the Fishing Department as the Fishing Specialist in the West Marine Mega store on the corner of South Andrews Ave and SR 84. Can't miss the place. Largest Water Life Store in the USA. Boat equipment, Parts, largest West Marine Fishing Department, complete Dive Shop, full size water life oriented Shoe Department. Mega Men's and Women's water life clothing section including Travel Baggage and Accessories, Huge Electronics and Stereo area, Paddleboards, Kayaks, Coolers, etc.


----------



## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

billhempel said:


> If you are ever in Ft Lauderdale on any Saturday through Wednesday, 8am on until around 4:30pm. You will find me manning the Fishing Department as the Fishing Specialist in the West Marine Mega store on the corner of South Andrews Ave and SR 84. Can't miss the place. Largest Water Life Store in the USA. Boat equipment, Parts, largest West Marine Fishing Department, complete Dive Shop, full size water life oriented Shoe Department. Mega Men's and Women's water life clothing section including Travel Baggage and Accessories, Huge Electronics and Stereo area, Paddleboards, Kayaks, Coolers, etc.


Duly noted; I am over on the far side, but I get over that way often. Perhaps we could meet in the women's dept and show the ladies our flies...


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

A few threads back someone asked about "Nanners To Ya" which was a small yellow hull when I last saw it back in the mid seventies .... Back then it belonged to Dick Coe , one of the long time members of the Tropical Anglers Club. It might have been a Mitchell hull, had no poling platform and was designed to be poled off the bow. Pretty little skiff...


----------



## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

lemaymiami said:


> A few threads back someone asked about "Nanners To Ya" which was a small yellow hull when I last saw it back in the mid seventies .... Back then it belonged to Dick Coe , one of the long time members of the Tropical Anglers Club. It might have been a Mitchell hull, had no poling platform and was designed to be poled off the bow. Pretty little skiff...


Bob,

While looking for the "Nanners To Ya" which I remember seeing somewhere as well as a Challenger, I stumbled across one of Bill's photos which is actually the boat I now own as below. I don't know how many times I have been looking for clues on this thread and all over the interwebs trying to determine the provenance of my boat over the last 9 months. Here it's been under my nose the whole time; the reg numbers match and it even had the same paint job when I bought it last year. It has one of those red "FPL" push poles you mentioned

Many thanks, Bob










Bill,

Do you know who owned this boat and maybe the year of the photo?

Thanks


----------



## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Bob, I had a Mitchell tiller skiff that I ran for years to get back in the tight skinny stuff.

sjrobin, up until about 2004, I ran the Glades with no GPS (including the back way). We never had the need for one. You didn't go run it unless you were ready and no one let you go in unless you were ready (If you had friends and family that knew the ropes). Even today, If I'm going in deep for a multiday camp trip, we have a safety net in my family network. So you let them know where you are going and when you're coming out and you checked in when you come out. Things change and memory fades and I don't think I would go deep without a GPS nowadays. Nevertheless, if you loose power, you need to do what your experience and memory knows what it needs to do to either find your way back, or be found.

My grandfather flew sea planes for Chalks in Miami beach (back and forth to the Bahamas) Bill and Bob might remember who they were. Anyways, he crashed a small plane in the Glades in the sawgrass prairie swamp. It took him 3 days to wade through the swamp to Hwy 27. It was a horrible experience that he hardly talked about.


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

When I first fishing in the backcountry the standard advise was to always go with another boat -never by yourself.... 
You had to have a good compass and an up to date chart (old charts aren't accurate since things like small islands can disappear from year to year....).

Above all you never left the ramp unless your gear was 100%... Every day you added a bit exploring and gradually, over time you learned the area.


----------



## FMH (Aug 24, 2015)

Blue Zone said:


> Bob,
> 
> While looking for the "Nanners To Ya" which I remember seeing somewhere as well as a Challenger, I stumbled across one of Bill's photos which is actually the boat I now own as below. I don't know how many times I have been looking for clues on this thread and all over the interwebs trying to determine the provenance of my boat over the last 9 months. Here it's been under my nose the whole time; the reg numbers match and it even had the same paint job when I bought it last year. It has one of those red "FPL" push poles you mentioned
> 
> ...





Blue Zone said:


> Bob,
> 
> While looking for the "Nanners To Ya" which I remember seeing somewhere as well as a Challenger, I stumbled across one of Bill's photos which is actually the boat I now own as below. I don't know how many times I have been looking for clues on this thread and all over the interwebs trying to determine the provenance of my boat over the last 9 months. Here it's been under my nose the whole time; the reg numbers match and it even had the same paint job when I bought it last year. It has one of those red "FPL" push poles you mentioned
> 
> ...


----------



## FMH (Aug 24, 2015)

Bob(Blue Zone),
That skiff belonged to Jerry Goering who was a golf pro turned fishing guide. I fished out of it many times and it was a wonderful Challenger. I believe I took that photo at the ramp at Flamingo. The same guy that restored Bill Hempel's High and Dry did that skiff. Sorry but I forgot his name.


----------



## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

FMH said:


> Bob(Blue Zone),
> That skiff belonged to Jerry Goering who was a golf pro turned fishing guide. I fished out of it many times and it was a wonderful Challenger. I believe I took that photo at the ramp at Flamingo. The same guy that restored Bill Hempel's High and Dry did that skiff. Sorry but I forgot his name.


Many thanks for the information. There was a lady in the Keys who owned the boat from about 1995-2015; she must have bought the boat from Jerry. 

That's an interesting segue Jerry made from golf pro to guide...


----------



## jonny (May 1, 2007)

I used t do residential phone work in Titusville. One of the cool parts of the job was meeting all kinds of people. And seeing cool projects, cars and boat they had. One day I was working one a house. And next door in a fence was this cool looking skiff. I had never seen anything like it. A total classic but built like a modern skiff. It had a low side console. And appeared to cored construction. From what I could see over the chain link. It looked to be excellent condition. I was in the market for a bigger skiff. Since I just had my first son. So I had to inquire if it was for sale. I knocked on the door and a lady answered. She informed that her husband would not be interested in selling it. And she stated that it used to be Flip's boat. I wasn't sure if this was a Windriver or a Challenger. It seemed like the gunnels were lower. I wonder if it's still in that back yard?


----------



## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

jonny said:


> I used t do residential phone work in Titusville. One of the cool parts of the job was meeting all kinds of people. And seeing cool projects, cars and boat they had. One day I was working one a house. And next door in a fence was this cool looking skiff. I had never seen anything like it. A total classic but built like a modern skiff. It had a low side console. And appeared to cored construction. From what I could see over the chain link. It looked to be excellent condition. I was in the market for a bigger skiff. Since I just had my first son. So I had to inquire if it was for sale. I knocked on the door and a lady answered. She informed that her husband would not be interested in selling it. And she stated that it used to be Flip's boat. I wasn't sure if this was a Windriver or a Challenger. It seemed like the gunnels were lower. I wonder if it's still in that back yard?


That was either Flip's "Last Flat" pictured in some of the photos that Bill posted earlier in this thread or a Wind River which he was involved with prior to HB.


----------



## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

Here is a photo of Chico Fernandez way back in the day on a Challenger with the original runabout cap before the guides started re-fitting them with the flats cap which we see today. I understand they could be rented in Marathon.


----------



## NDuncan (Jun 18, 2016)

lemaymiami said:


> Finally something I know a bit about.... Those old red pushpole blanks were fiberglass (and all the ones I ever saw were made at the old Gatorglass facility in North Miami Beach). Gus, the sole proprietor, manufacturer, worker, etc. was an older Cuban guy, always with a cigar in his mouth... I never knew his last name -but he always took time to teach younger guys like me who showed an interest in rodbuilding and other desperate activities....
> 
> Those poles were originally hot sticks for FP&L (fiberglass poles made specifically for linemen working with hot wires -fiberglass is a non-conductor). Gus had the abililty to make them in any length, and lighter or stronger depending on the buyer's desires. Bob Hewes boats in the seventies sold finished pushpoles from their business at 125th St (it's still there at 125th and 7th Avenue) to go with their skiffs. The first time I ever saw the finished poles they had aluminum fork and point (the way Pole Cat still does today....) it was in the mid seventies. At that time those poles were pretty much all that was commercially available (this was long before the first "graphite" rod blanks came along -we were all making fiberglass fishing rods back then....). As a result most poling skiffs with production pushpoles back then sported those pretty red poles. They had a few drawbacks, they were heavy and all too flexible so there was considerable room for improvement. Towards the end of the seventies I was able to go directly to Gus and have a pole or two made up in any color I wanted (I liked dark green back then), but you had to find or make your own fork or point. By the early eighties there were competitors and since graphite (if you're from Europe you'd call it "carbon fiber"...) was available by then some were beginning to use it as well -but only as one of the materials in the layup process... Today's pushpoles are a generation or two better than those old red pushpoles - but I imagine there are still a few around. To this day I still have a few old Gatorglass spinning rod blanks in my stores.... You never know when you might need a heavy 8' blank to build a commercial kingfish rod....
> 
> ...


The first fiberglass push-pole was a reject pole vault blank that Dick Snyder made soon after he founded his Gator Glass factory in Hialeah. I got it from him and convinced him that there was a market for lighter weight blanks that could be made into push poles. N


----------



## NDuncan (Jun 18, 2016)

Blue Zone said:


> Here is a photo of Chico Fernandez way back in the day on a Challenger with the original runabout cap before the guides started re-fitting them with the flats cap which we see today. I understand they could be rented in Marathon.


I took this pix. N


----------



## NDuncan (Jun 18, 2016)

billhempel said:


> Actually I believe his last named boat was "Last Flat", which was a Challenger round chine, or it could have been a Wind River Skiff? I'll have to ask him the next time I see him.


In 1969 Flip named his Challenger "Last Flat" because when I related the story about catching my 21 -2 permit record on fly in front of the Miami Sportfishing Club he asked where I caught the fish, I replied "the last flat", this phrase was used often thereafter to not disclose where you were fish'n. N


----------



## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

NDuncan said:


> I took this pix. N


Well done. Got any more?


----------



## NDuncan (Jun 18, 2016)

Blue Zone said:


> Well done. Got any more?


Yes, however I am going out of town for a couple of months, when I come back I'll post some of interest. N


----------



## kensfl (Oct 22, 2010)

NDuncan said:


> Yes, however I am going out of town for a couple of months, when I come back I'll post some of interest. N


Love all this history. Please do post more when you get back.


----------



## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Blue Zone said:


> Here is a photo of Chico Fernandez way back in the day on a Challenger with the original runabout cap before the guides started re-fitting them with the flats cap which we see today. I understand they could be rented in Marathon.


Looks like that amberjack is headed for the dinner table. Looks like a long Shakespeare white glass rod. Bent double for sure with that tough jack. Nice old school pic. You should post more when you get a chance.


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

Norman,
Can't wait until you're back posting. Will have to meet up sometime again. 
I'm now the Fishing Department Specialist up at West Marine's Ft. Lauderdale store. I'm there 8-4:30 Sat-Weds.


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

FMH said:


> Bob(Blue Zone),
> That skiff belonged to Jerry Goering who was a golf pro turned fishing guide. I fished out of it many times and it was a wonderful Challenger. I believe I took that photo at the ramp at Flamingo. The same guy that restored Bill Hempel's High and Dry did that skiff. Sorry but I forgot his name.


That would have been Karl Gloekner who now lives in Jensen /beach


----------



## Action Johnson (Feb 4, 2016)

billhempel said:


> You have to check for a book about a Glen Simmons "The Gladesman" through the Florida Library system. Fantastic read and you won't believe the trials and tribulations these Florida 'Glades people went through in the early 1900's. I met Glen at a gun show in miami back in the 90's and we had a good talk and do I wish I had followed up on him. I don't know if he is still alive. The last I heard he was blind and living with family in the Homestead area. He's got to be in his late 80 to 90's if still around.



Im currently reading this book, extremely fascinating! Im absolutely loving it right now!


----------



## robwill54 (Jan 18, 2011)

Really nice old history here; really appreciate the cool boats and all the memories from you guys. Very much an evolution in progress. 

Bob


----------



## Douglas Smith (Nov 19, 2017)

I just took a 1951 challenger to Baytown Texas from Florida maybe the owner will post some pictures later today boat is all done looks like it 3 years old later Doug


----------



## andy ronald (Sep 16, 2018)

Blue Zone said:


> New additions to Bill's Challenger thread;
> 
> My work in progress 1956 round chine:
> 
> ...


----------



## andy ronald (Sep 16, 2018)

I am the very happy owner of Terry's "Blue Boner" Its sa great boat with fantastic history and catches fish. It's getting light face lift with new deck non skid deck paint and floor. Unfortunatly I have too many boats and need more room for my grandchildren. I am selling it with a complete refresh for $18,500. Call me with any questions.
Andy


----------



## NDuncan (Jun 18, 2016)

NDuncan said:


> I took this pix. N


The photo was taken at Looe Key off of Summerland Key where Speck Seglier rented about 10 Challenger skiffs from the early 1950's. John Emery bought his Challenger from Speck powered it with a 20 HP Mercury he bought from Al Pflueger, we took the boat to my garage and rebuilt it with magnolia wood spray rails, new gunnels and floor. Where is the boat now?


----------



## kensfl (Oct 22, 2010)

Saw one for sale last night on the road in front of the high school in Tavernier. Anyone know whose it is?


----------



## fjmaverick (Sep 18, 2015)

I tried to get the one in Tampa that looked like a good project
It sold though


----------



## bonefly (Jul 11, 2010)

The Challenger world is a small one. Rory Santana here I think I know most of you in this thread...

Many of the pictures in this thread were from Bill Hemple photo albums which I scanned and then provided copies to imacattack and Bill.

I had bought “High n’ Dry” from Bill Smith, whom I think bought it from Bill Hemple and eventually sold it to Matt Fleming. Actually, I almost bought bare Hull from Koger in late 70’s. It is a small world.

Anyway, let me try and fill in some of the history. First, below is “High n’ Dry” when I had it in it’s later stages.









Next, as to Donnel’s Challenger below, which I owned for a while  till he asked for it back :-( I understood though. I Loved this boat. It was converted to tiller and was fun and beautiful. One of my top 4 boats and I have had close to 2 dozen skiffs. Currently have a whipray and a dolphin. The green superskiff barely visible in one pic is another of my top 4 boats.






































And while not exactly a Challenger I did own “Last Flat” the Perfection model which I had bought off Mitch Howell a fishing partner of both Bill Hemple and myself The most beautiful boat I ever owned in my opinion.

Sadly though I realized I never took a picture of it (pre digital world). As such the only image of it I have is one I took out of a magazine shown below. *So please if any one has pics please share with me. *










Additionally I had also scanned the Challenger brochures which I provided Mac before. I will provide below if not already posted elsewhere.


----------



## bonefly (Jul 11, 2010)

kensfl said:


> Saw one for sale last night on the road in front of the high school in Tavernier. Anyone know whose it is?


Hi Ken. FYI if it’s the boat I recall from last year it was actually a Perfection skiff.


----------



## kensfl (Oct 22, 2010)

Thanks, Rory. 

If memory serves, I saw on here somewhere that the skiff I posted about had been restored and the seller was asking over $20K, I haven’t seen it for sale in Tavernier since I posted about it.

Anyway, any idea where the boats above are today?


----------



## bonefly (Jul 11, 2010)

Yes. They were asking a large amount for the skiff.

As to other boats you asked about. In a continuation of small world. Mitch Howell, whom I bought the Windriver “Last Flat” from and Bill Hemple saw Donnel’s blue challenger on the side of the road in east central Florida and persuaded the owner to sell it to Mitch. It eventually ended up with Chris Peterson/Hell’s Bay. *However*, Bill mentions the skiff above in page 3 of this thread but does not say it was the Donnells challenger which is what I recall Mitch. So confirmation may be needed.

The blue Donnell challenger was used by a gentleman at Bud n’ Mary’s for a while whom’s name I can not remember. I want to say Moret. Actually, if you look at Chico Fernandez’s “Flyfishing for Bonefish” book - the pic of his biggest bone was from this boat at that time. (Above paragraph is as I recall someone may want to confirm the above)










As to the Windriver “Last Flat” it was being used by a guide out of Ocean Reef for a while after me and Mitch. Not to long ago I saw a boat being sold out of there that looked like it but I was not able to confirm.
I tried posting actual ad here but ended up losing it. If I find file I will update with phone of ad that has a lot of information.

As to “High n Dry” I had it 2002-2005 and then sold it to Matt Fleming who did some work on it and sent me the pic below.

View attachment 94314


Ok. Brain cells need rest..


----------



## bonefly (Jul 11, 2010)

Sorry. Matt Fleming’s Challenger mentioned above.


----------



## FMH (Aug 24, 2015)

Hi Rory,
John Donnell's Challenger is still at Hell's Bay boatworks as far as I know. Saw it there on my last visit a couple of months ago.


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

Bill Hempel here. I still have that Challenger brochure. If anyone has a way to send me those old photos from my old album in a modern form I would appreciate it. Photobucket is asking for a large fee I don’t care to pay. I’m 77 now and stretching finances. Email me at [email protected] if possible. Thanks.


----------



## bonefly (Jul 11, 2010)

billhempel said:


> Bill Hempel here. I still have that Challenger brochure. If anyone has a way to send me those old photos from my old album in a modern form I would appreciate it. Photobucket is asking for a large fee I don’t care to pay. I’m 77 now and stretching finances. Email me at [email protected] if possible. Thanks.


Check your email Bill


----------



## bonefly (Jul 11, 2010)

FMH said:


> Hi Rory,
> John Donnell's Challenger is still at Hell's Bay boatworks as far as I know. Saw it there on my last visit a couple of months ago.


Mitch send me pics of Windriver “Last Flat” Please. Include the pic of you with the huge mutton on fly that I seem to recall you got at the Marquesas.


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

rory said:


> View attachment 94268
> The Challenger world is a small one. Rory Santana here I think I know most of you in this thread...
> 
> Many of the pictures in this thread were from Bill Hemple photo albums which I scanned and then provided copies to imacattack and Bill.
> ...


That is my original brochure of 1956. I still have it.


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

fjmaverick said:


> I tried to get the one in Tampa that looked like a good project
> It sold though


About that boat selling. The guy kept bothering me about giving him a value on the boat which I thought was kind of ridiculous if you didn’t see it up front. How do I know what was wrong with it. Look like a hell of a nice thing hopefully it went to somebody it’s going to just leave it as it is. Not happy about that guy wouldn’t answer me back didn’t consider that friendly.


----------



## arod11 (Nov 3, 2013)

I’ve got a challenger that I bought for my son about 6 years ago. Him and I restored the boat other than the engine. It finally came the time we had to repower it though, so now it’s got a 2019 75 Merc on the back. Didn’t think I would be getting my self into another project boat but now I’m working on an old potter Seacraft. If anyone’s interested I’m looking to sell the challenger. Throw me an offer.


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Post it up on the boats for sale page and it should sell... Good luck on the sale...


----------



## arod11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Boats for sale page here on microskiff? Sorry I’m new to this forum.


----------



## BassFlats (Nov 26, 2018)

Yes, Boating, fishing and misc for sale forum


----------



## billhempel (Oct 9, 2008)

FMH said:


> Bob(Blue Zone),
> That skiff belonged to Jerry Goering who was a golf pro turned fishing guide. I fished out of it many times and it was a wonderful Challenger. I believe I took that photo at the ramp at Flamingo. The same guy that restored Bill Hempel's High and Dry did that skiff. Sorry but I forgot his name.


The last rebuild of mine was for a guy that worked at Cable Marine and was done by Karl Gloekner who now lives up in Jensen Beach. The first repaint and re-glass on mine was done up in Sarasota by a guy that did Flip's Last Flat.


----------



## Mc_Fly (Dec 23, 2017)

Anyone know any history for mine. Titled as 1957


----------



## NDuncan (Jun 18, 2016)

I believe this is the newer hard chine model which is different from the earlier round chine that Speck Seglar had.


----------



## LastCast (Jun 13, 2012)

The funny thing about these Challengers is once they get under your skin you can't forget them, almost like the first girlfriend. I had a 1958 square chime that I bought from a couple of brothers in the neighborhood. It was still an original runabout that they were going to rebuild. After a few years it became a grass catcher on the side of their house and I convinced them to sell it to me. When I brought her home my wife called it my $600 ash tray. That was in 1989. I though I just had to do a little glass work until I jumped in the boat the first day and my foot went through the floor. I ended up stripping her to the stringers, which were original. Back then they used Dade County Pine. It sat on the side of my house upside down during Hurricane Andrew. The winds rolled her on her side against my neighbors house then laid back down after the winds dropped. I finished her shortly after that and ran her for fifteen years, mostly of in Flamingo. Last Cast went as far north as Ft. Pierce on the East coast and Sarasota on the West Coast. I also took her to the Marquesas at least a dozen times. I spent three summers working for my company in Key West and she followed me down there. She went through a couple of hands that didn't treat her very well. I saw her at a Dion's one weekend in Florida City and it ruined my day. It was all beat up and a mess, I had to just walk away without saying a word. The poling platform was bent, one trim tab was broken off and it looked like a pick ax attacked in the cockpit.
I got an email from someone a little while after that from the west coast, the Tamp/ St Pete area telling me they had bought it. I sent them pictures of my build and they sent me pictures of his new "project", never heard back from them. The boat was light blue and the boat had number ended with a single "D". I don't know whatever happened to her..


----------



## FMH (Aug 24, 2015)

Always had a soft spot in my heart for those skiffs. Beautiful lines .


----------



## redsonfly (Jun 8, 2007)

Mc_Fly said:


> View attachment 115054
> View attachment 115056
> View attachment 115058
> Anyone know any history for mine. Titled as 1957


I sent you a pm


----------



## Lowcountry Yaker (Jun 2, 2020)

I am the new owner of one of the skiffs in this thread - the yellow 1955 model, post #55 on page 3 of this thread. 2005 Yamaha T60 high thrust with an aluminum 14x11 prop. at the time of the post it was owned my TTurney on this site.

I‘d appreciate any info on the skiff in general, but I’d really like some help figuring out a better prop for the boat.









older pic:


----------

