# 1997 Fin & Feather Restore (Photo Heavy!)



## fishicaltherapist (Mar 9, 2013)

You did it the way YOU wanted to. VERY nice,now it's almost............SLIME TIME!!! [smiley=1-thumbsup3.gif]


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## wryt01 (Apr 20, 2011)

Your skiff came out amazing. Can't wait to see the final product.


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## LLeone (Apr 8, 2015)

Pretty neat. I dig those little skiffs.


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## [email protected] (Nov 6, 2013)

The Bedliner paint on the excessorries came out super nice. Neat little custom touch. You should make a thread on how to make a proper rebuild thread lol. 3 pics to every paragraph. Wish more threads were like this one. Let the pictures do as much of the talking as possible. That being said I'm a loud mouth and love to talk myself.     Skiff is looking amazing. Can't wait to see the final product. Thanks for sharing the rebuild with us. Evan


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## tomahawk (Mar 9, 2012)

Great, now you've given me more ideas. The black shark eyes and hardware would look real good on my boat....Nice job.


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## Jigalode (Sep 23, 2010)

> Great, now you've given me more ideas. The black shark eyes and hardware would look real good on my boat....Nice job.


Hey, atleast it's an inexpensive idea! a $6 can of paint will go a long way with the accessories. I was nervous about how the bedliner would look, but I love it. Just make sure to prep the metal.


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## JRP (Sep 24, 2012)

Nice job skiff looks great.


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## oysterbreath (Jan 13, 2009)

Hey...I know that boat. Fished it a couple of times! You did a great time fixing her up! AP should be happy that it found a great new home...


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## Jigalode (Sep 23, 2010)

> Hey...I know that boat. Fished it a couple of times! You did a great time fixing her up! AP should be happy that it found a great new home...


Yep, thats the one!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

Dude, Nice job!  I like the "black out" effect with the bedliner.  Very original.  I also like the fact that you put extra hardener in the paint.  Good thinking!

I am currently working on a re-build on a similar skiff, only mine is a complete gut-out and build-up.  I wish mine was as easy as yours!  I will eventually post a thread on it once it's done.

Those Fin and Feathers were built in Bartow/Auburndale FL (near Lakeland).  I fished out of one a couple of times and it's a very fishy boat.  I can't imagine where the molds went to.  Those would be hot sellers today if someone started building them again.  

Anyways, that should make a great Miami canal fishing machine!  Again, great job and have fun with it.


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## Jigalode (Sep 23, 2010)

> Dude, Nice job!  I like the "black out" effect with the bedliner.  Very original.  I also like the fact that you put extra hardener in the paint.  Good thinking!
> 
> I am currently working on a re-build on a similar skiff, only mine is a complete gut-out and build-up.  I wish mine was as easy as yours!  I will eventually post a thread on it once it's done.
> 
> ...


There's a company by the name of Wingmaster that just recently started working with a modified Fin and Feather hull.


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## tailchaser16 (Sep 23, 2008)

looks awesome, can I borrow it in the winter?


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## codyvb (May 29, 2013)

Nice work! I'm real happy w/ my rebuilt '94 F&F - The gray with black is nice. No criticism on the rustoleum - I'm gonna go the same route once I get tired of fishing my ugly boat and decide to make her pretty.


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## Jigalode (Sep 23, 2010)

Here are the final photos I promised...

Thanks to Bob at Strongarm for the poling platform (Gunnel Rod Holders to come) 

Also thanks to Jeff aka "HaMm3r" for the billet push pole holders. 


Will eventually put some more faux SeaDek additions to the rest of the skiff. 


The maiden voyage...


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

That is a fine looking boat. Looks skinny. I really like the Seadek on the platform and the color of the hull. Can you share the color name


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## tomahawk (Mar 9, 2012)

Nice job man. It looks awesome.


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## Jigalode (Sep 23, 2010)

Thanks guys!



> That is a fine looking boat. Looks skinny. I really like the Seadek on the platform and the color of the hull. Can you share the color name


Battleship Gray from Rustoleum Topside.


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

The boat looks great Damian!  Those are awesome little hulls. I'm sure you'll get years of use from her.


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## Dillusion (May 21, 2012)

Looks awesome dude...all I can say is to tidy up the wiring in the bilge with some zip ties and to put the push pole along the curve of the skiff instead of opposite makin the pole flare out by the stern.

I know that may bend the pole too much but a different holder placement might help with that.


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## LLeone (Apr 8, 2015)

> put the push pole along the curve of the skiff instead of opposite makin the pole flare out by the stern.
> 
> I know that may bend the pole too much but a different holder placement might help with that.


This was the one thing that really jumped out at me. Not only does it look funky, it's also less secure and guaranteed to hit anything around you, and possibly get knocked off.  
Try putting the PP inside the fore and aft holders and outside the center holder. If that creates more curve in the PP than you're comfy with, tweak the position of the holders.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

:


> Thanks guys!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


That's exactly what I thought it was


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## Gators52__20 (Dec 31, 2012)

Sick little skiff man, you gettin any slime on the boat?


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## BayStYat (Sep 12, 2012)

man, that suka looks good.


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## TooLoose20 (Feb 17, 2016)

Jigalode - how is the Fin and Feather playing out so far?
I am looking at a few in the Tampa Bay area and was curious to get someone's opinion whose had some experience with them... which is hard to do since they have been out of business for some time. Is there anything you would recommend looking for? problem areas or must-haves?


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## Whiskey Angler (Mar 20, 2015)

I'm glad this thread got resurrected. I had never seen this build, and I freaking love how that boat turned out.


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## Fish_specialist (Jan 1, 2014)

Awesome!! Love these little skiffs!!!


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## dstew (Feb 11, 2007)

Was looking at fixing up my old Fin and Feather and saw this post. My boat looks exactly like yours - down to the powdery green paint. Love what you did with it. Do you still have it? Anything you would have done differently? Thanks.


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## TieOneOnJax (May 24, 2018)

Wow, really nicely done, that come out super sweet. I’d love to hear what kind of numbers your getting and how skinny she floats.


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## Jigalode (Sep 23, 2010)

dstew said:


> Was looking at fixing up my old Fin and Feather and saw this post. My boat looks exactly like yours - down to the powdery green paint. Love what you did with it. Do you still have it? Anything you would have done differently? Thanks.


Sorry for the late reply. It's been a while since I've logged in. 

I still have the boat and I love it. When/if I upgrade, it will only be for something that can cross the bay a little easier...obviously with the F&F you're sometimes limited on where you can go. (That's not to say that I haven't abused this boat through some nasty chop cutting across the bay.) Other than that, the boat has been great.

As far as the rebuild, I've been really happy with the results thus far. My goal was to put together a boat that looked good but ultimately I could beat up a bit and fish the hell out of. That's exactly what I've done.



TieOneOnJax said:


> Wow, really nicely done, that come out super sweet. I’d love to hear what kind of numbers your getting and how skinny she floats.


Hey Jax, with two people and gear, I get around 27-28 mph with the 25 hp. As far as draft...I've never formally measured but I can tell you, I've had to pole it a good distance across a mud flat with my buddy laying on the bow and helping push with his hands to avoid being stranded by the tide. I would say that was sub 5" but we were also barely floating at that point.


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## calebq (Mar 16, 2021)

Hi all, A newby here. I have discovered this site and thread by doing some research on Fin and Feather boats. The reason for researching these skiffs is actually because my father in law built and sold them when he lived in Bartow. After a few conversations with him about the skiffs, he was wondering how many were out in the wild and are still being used today. It’s very cool to see this restoration and know that they are still out there being used.


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## onthespot (Aug 18, 2007)

calebq said:


> Hi all, A newby here. I have discovered this site and thread by doing some research on Fin and Feather boats. The reason for researching these skiffs is actually because my father in law built and sold them when he lived in Bartow. After a few conversations with him about the skiffs, he was wondering how many were out in the wild and are still being used today. It’s very cool to see this restoration and know that they are still out there being used.
> [/QUOTE
> 
> I have the last one that was pulled out of the molds a few years back. I also know where these original molds are sitting.


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