# Hi from OZ & finished boat build



## Lenm (12 mo ago)

Hello all, 
My name is Lenny from Australia, and just joined the forum to check out some of the skiff stuff..
We are very envious of the nice boats designed & built in the US.

I am hoping to build a skiff for flats fishing (fly fishing).
Skiffs are pretty much non-existent over here (apart from a couple of custom builders and the odd big $$ import).
Most people run around in 'tinnies' (aluminium jon boats) with high freeboard (to keep the crocs out 

Trying to work out whether any of the Chris Morejohn designs might suit our local conditions?
Want to go super shallow but also need to run 15km across an open bay with wind against tide chop.
Please any comments regarding this are much appreciated.

I have also just finished my 4 year boat build project.
It is an Ocracoke 20 - designed by Naval Architect Graham Byrnes at B&B Yacht Designs (NC).
it is a cold moulded construction using epoxy, plywood, foam and coosa.
I am very happy how it performs.


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## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

Welcome to the forum 🤙 thats a beautiful hull design, looks like a Carolina built Boat ...beautiful bow flare 👍😎


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## Maly (12 mo ago)

Welcome Aboard


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Welcome aboard mate. Your "big" boat is gorgeous. Would be right at home at Manteo, Beaufort or Wrightsville Beach! 

Keep us posted on your fishing adventures and build progress.


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## Sublime (Oct 9, 2015)

Welcome. That is a beautiful boat.


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## KnotHome (Jul 21, 2009)

Welcome! Need more pictures of your current rig please!


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

Beautiful build. Morejohn may have something that would work for you, but it sounds like a Panga style skiff might suit your needs pretty well too. Depends on what all you want to do with it.


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## Padre (Jul 29, 2016)

A Chris Morejohn skiff would definitely work there. I fished the east coast. Do you know David Little? He lives in Townsville. He has a skiff and he is part of the North Queensland Fly Fishers. I was supposed to fish with him around Hinchinbrook on his skiff but it was blowing and raining the whole time so I didn't get to fish with him. 
I have also fished with a fellow down in Lake Macquarie named Michael Young.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Beautiful boat you built there.

Your skiff will be a piece of cake compared to that.


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## Lenm (12 mo ago)

Thank you all for the welcomes and compliments.
I will put up a few more pics at some stage.



Padre said:


> A Chris Morejohn skiff would definitely work there. I fished the east coast. Do you know David Little? He lives in Townsville. He has a skiff and he is part of the North Queensland Fly Fishers. I was supposed to fish with him around Hinchinbrook on his skiff but it was blowing and raining the whole time so I didn't get to fish with him.
> I have also fished with a fellow down in Lake Macquarie named Michael Young.


Hi Padre,
I have heard of his name, but not met him yet (I was going to fish the Hinchinbrook comp).
It is a beautiful area! and pity you missed that opportunity.

I am based about 1300km to the south at Hervey Bay/Fraser Island, which is famous of late for the little black marlin on the flats.
I'd trade them for Tarpon any day though.


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## Padre (Jul 29, 2016)

Lenm said:


> Thank you all for the welcomes and compliments.
> I will put up a few more pics at some stage.
> 
> 
> ...


Yeah I know Hervey Bay, and Fraser Island. that is where the dingo ate her baby. I was going to fish there. I follow Hervey Bay Sportfishers on IG. 
When I did my trip fishing up the east coast, it was mainly DIY, but I did hire a couple of guides. that was how I met David. But I almost hired a guide from the Hervey Bay fly fishing and sport fishing charters to fish there. Looks like an amazing place.


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Lenny, is Capt. Barry Cross still guiding? I fished with him for barramundi out of Townsend. He used a custom jon boat for fly fishing. We also fished the GBR earlier and my host caught and released the first grander black that season. Very cool country and fisheries.


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## Lenm (12 mo ago)

Padre said:


> Yeah I know Hervey Bay, and Fraser Island. that is where the dingo ate her baby. I was going to fish there. I follow Hervey Bay Sportfishers on IG.
> When I did my trip fishing up the east coast, it was mainly DIY, but I did hire a couple of guides. that was how I met David. But I almost hired a guide from the Hervey Bay fly fishing and sport fishing charters to fish there. Looks like an amazing place.


Haha yea i don't have any doubt that baby got ate by a dingo after personally being bailed up by a pair of them.
Hope you had a great trip, Padre.
The best thing about Hervey bay is the variety of species you can catch.
Like FL, we are battling with some issues which are afecting the fishery. For us this is commercial gill netting.
It is the only place in Australia where you can commercially net within a marine park conservation zone/world herritage area.
Our government sux for allow this. Personally i am not anti pro but i can honestly say the flats have been deviod of life lately. Not sure where the fish have gone but the netting surely hasn't helped.
As a comparison it would be interesting to hear from someone in FL as to what they might consider an 'average' day on the water as to how many fish they sight? Whether that be reds, bones, tarpon


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## Lenm (12 mo ago)

Zika said:


> Lenny, is Capt. Barry Cross still guiding? I fished with him for barramundi out of Townsend. He used a custom jon boat for fly fishing. We also fished the GBR earlier and my host caught and released the first grander black that season. Very cool country and fisheries.


Hi Zika, unfortunately i haven't had the opportunity to fish Townsville for a while so can't say for sure what guides such as barry are up to of late. I presume the covid travel ban hasn't helped them and hope they have managed to ride things out. 
Re barramundi, im sure you became acquainted with some of our local (friendly) wildlife in your travels. I recently watched the millhouse podcast featuring Gordy Hill and where he recalled the dangers of fishing in northern Australia, and how a local guide is a must to survive  They can be very real  crocks, stonefish, box jellyfish, sharks and rays are just the start of the list of dangers


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## Zika (Aug 6, 2015)

Yes, when we met Barry at the ramp there was a sign warning about man-eating crocs. That was an eye-opener, even for a Florida boy use to dealing with gators. Barramundi are a blast, though and worth it.


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## Padre (Jul 29, 2016)

Lenm said:


> Haha yea i don't have any doubt that baby got ate by a dingo after personally being bailed up by a pair of them.
> Hope you had a great trip, Padre.
> The best thing about Hervey bay is the variety of species you can catch.
> Like FL, we are battling with some issues which are afecting the fishery. For us this is commercial gill netting.
> ...


Water quality is probably Florida's biggest environmental concern. there are 1000 people a day moving to Florida. That takes its toll on our resources. The damages already done in some areas are probably irreversible. And it doesn't look like it is going to get any better. In place like the Mosquito Lagoon, the grasses are completely gone. I live in Northwest Florida so up here is mainly redfish. We are usually a few years behind the rest of Florida when it comes to issues like this. I was just saying the other day though, that this year (fall and winter) has been the worst year for seeing reds. We are just not seeing them like the past few years. The schools you do see are much smaller. 
You can find more than a few posts on here with long time Florida guys lamenting about our fishery and wanting to move somewhere else because it is getting so crowded.


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## AZFJ60 (Apr 29, 2021)

Welcome! Gorgeous boat.


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## Cassio (Dec 12, 2021)

Sweet boat Lenny!


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