# My custom skiff



## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

I just figured out how to post pictures so here is some pictures of my skiff all tricked out


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## [email protected] (Nov 18, 2010)

Thats a sharp looking skiff you have there... What type of hull and length is it? I like the lapstrap sides..
I just purchased 16ft Steigercraft Hunky Dory that has similer lines to yours..
How does the 25hp push her?


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

well supposably its called a dehli craft. its 13 feet, and it gets 38mph. i got the hull about 5 years ago from a neighbor and there was no title or fl numbers or hin, so i started grinding and sanding and installing decks and got a home made title for it. but i believe it to be a mid 70s hull due to the resin color and the original olive green gelcoat. ugh so ugly lol. but then i just started tricking it out. jl audio speakers, ss pop up cleats, smith rod holders, birdsall tm mount, minn kota tm, 25 yamaha, power trim n tilt, jackplate, ss 15 pitch prop, led nav lights, ocean led underwater lights, converted large center bench seat into livewell, false floor, etc its hard to tell but the outside is a custom mixed soft bahama/pastel blue and the inside is a very light ice blue. and i added a little teak for frills lol


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## SClay115 (May 18, 2009)

Love it, great looking boat.

Steve


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Bump, cmon show some love guys ;D


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

Love this skiff,
Hows that??? You added a motor bracket and a tilt n trim? What is your set back and how high does your motor sit when running shallow? I'm looking to do something like this but with a mitchell 14 ft.

Mudd Minnow


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## [email protected] (Nov 18, 2010)

Any "Before" or build pics?
Boat looks great!


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## out-cast (Jan 27, 2009)

38mph!!?!? With a 25hp?? Dang!! Yep, the strakes are pretty sweet.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

mudminnow, its a bobs machine jackplate adjusted for minimal (4in setback) with a bobs power trim bolted to that. i rele wanted full munuverability. overall its 10inches of setback. i was worried it wouldnt work at first but it works fine. i have the engine mounted so that the cavitation plate is 2 inches above the hull. 

i had all my pictures of the build on my old phone and dropped it in the water one night fishing my friends boat  irony.. :'(

the power trim is the most awesome thing i put on the boat, it literally opens up tons of possibilitys, who ever doesnt have it i highly suggest it


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Some more pron


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

i think the lines kinda resemble a hells bay waterman. thanks for the love guys


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

Tha sure is a sweet thing. I can't believe it runs so fast. That's great. My 35 hp I hope runs close to that. You'll have a lot less weight than I will when I'm done. Where are you out of. I live in orlando Fl.


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## noeettica (Sep 23, 2007)

Nice boat

Some motors just do that ... 

I sold an "8" Hp that my buddy put on a loaded patched up highsider ... He ran off and left my 13 footer with 9.8 ...


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

i live in stuart fl, inbetween ft pierce and palm beach. when i broke the motor in i beat it like i stole it, that might b why it runs good. no fear, i got six years of warranty and im a yamaha tech lol also i have it set on kill as far as engine hight and trim etc.. and good props


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

L ;DO ;DL ;D !!! Go get'm KILLER!!
Your boat doesn't squat down in the rear like others I've sen do. ARE you going to ad a polling platform? Hows the fishing down there?

Mudd Minnow


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Im not going to add a poling tower as much as i would like to because it would limit me into getting into some of my secret spots, so im gonna do what some gheenoe guys do and do a turnbuckle mount with a casting platform in the back


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Fishing is well, steady, down here, its definately not summer anymore  
Hey mud, ive got a good friend down here that redid a mitchell 14 , they have some nice lines, he sprayed it fighting lady yellow awl grip outside and oyster white inside, front deck, etc, nice boat but the only problem with it is i think it sat for several years on a misproperly adjusted trailer because the bottom of the hull had a shape like an upside down bannana ( the whole bottom of the boat was a hook) and the faster you go the harder it pushes the bow into the water, i think it was only "his" boat but you might wanna check the bottom of your boat with a straight edge just for good measure(if you have never ran the boat) if you have you dont need to, just lookin out for ya.


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## jimbarn1961 (Aug 2, 2009)

CR,
Sweet skiff, well done . I fish just to the north of you powerplant to Vero. If u ever looking for some northern friends, be happy to drag my tub down. Would like to learn more of the area to the south of me.
FPFF


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Sweet, sounds good to me, i would like to learn the fort pierce area, especially this round island i hear about lol. Thanks for the compliments


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

Just checked my hull.YEAP mine is a an upside down banana as well. I wonder what I can do about it. LOTS AND LOTS OF BONDO.... Probly nothing but fish out of it. As I figure it, I'll be able to steer it better and the ride will be a lot smoother than my Caroilna Skiff was. I'm trying to put all the weight forward to keep the aft from squating in the water. Thanks for letting me know about the curvature. I've seen this before but didn't think about it.

Mudd Minnow
P.S. Now I know the color I can paint it...Banana Yellow.


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## logandorn (Nov 27, 2010)

Hmmm Those pictures taken in the indian river lagoon? In the sandbar?


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

lol yep the stuart sand bar! mudminnow, mine also had a bit of curviture to the bottom, i dont know how far along on the restoration you are but you can "persuade" it. and i would highly suggest upon it. ok, here goes, if you are planning on cutting out some of the bench seats or the side boxes, (whichever yours came with) this method will work. cut out the structure so its basically a shell, if it already has a front deck and a transom thats ok, prop a brick or two right on the back edge of the transom and one under the bow so the middle of the boat sags. now, install, a stringer system or a false floor and put some bricks or something heavy in it while its curing so it holds that position. or if your building bulkheads put some bricks by the bulkheads as your glassing them in. whatever it takes to make it sag. i did this with my boat and got about two inches of the sag out of the hull. these little boats were made out of only one or two layers of woven roving fiberglass which is very flexible. so you would be amazed how much give you can get from it. like i said i would highly suggest this , its gonna make a world of difference in the ride and i would hate to see you do all the work and be displeased in the ride, lol your not far away, i"ll come and help if you want


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## logandorn (Nov 27, 2010)

just realized you said you live in stuart earlier lol


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

I didn't think of doing that but I will. I didn't want to get this tied up but now you and others have mentioned it, I might as well try it. I didn't want to loose the structural strength by cutting out the bench seats. It has 3. I was going to keep them but if I remove them your saying I can flex the hull back into a better flatter shap than before. I was thinking of adding foam to the bottom to remove any flex in the hull while underway but now my world has just opened up to more possible ideas. Any Ideas on how I should construct my stringers? 2x4, maybe I'll draw something out.
Thanks for the thoughts.

Mudd Minnow


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

if your gonna put a false floor in the boat then whatever stringer type you decide on you need to have the floor rest on the stringers so its solid structurally. one thing i did on one of my boats was cut large pvc pipe right down th center , like this () all the way down and glass them in as stringers, theyre solid and they dont rot. dont laugh i got the idea from some of the boats at the hewes ,maverick,pathfinder factory ;D just make sure to sand them down so they bond to the fiberglass.


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

Thats a great idea, I'm all into fabercation on this one. The PVC that you cut down the centers give greater support that most people would think but just make sure you rouph them up to be glassed. There are a lot of people on this site that have good ideas but I've been on other sites before that some people are completly in the negative about things. Do you have any other suggestions besides the PVC Stringers? Or pics of builds?
Mudd Minnow


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

Hey cut runner,
I've inspected my hull and it does have a slite curve to it. About 1 inch but I think because of the flex in the center of the hull that is why I have the 1 inch. I'll end up putting flotation foam inside the false floor to stop the flex and mabe adding a short stringer or two for support but that is all.
I just purchased a used 10 inch set back manual jack plate for a 225 hp for $50.00. I don't know the manufacture, It's really to big for a 35 hp tiller Johnson but what the heck for $50 bucks this dog will hunt. I'm having it checked to make sure it's sound. Explain how you mounted yours. Did you put your jack plate all the way down with the motor attached, took measurement of cavitation plate/ bottom of hull, then lifted it all the way up and measured then centered it between measurements.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

i mounted it so that in the all the way down position the anti ventilation plate was about slightly (1/2in) below the imaginary horizontal hull line. but i got mine set to where the top of my water intake on the lower unit is even with the imaginary horizontal hull line. but thats with my 15 pitch thru hub normal prop, but when i have my 18 pitch chopper on the boat i have the nosecone of the lower unit even with the imaginary hull like, but thats another story for another time.....


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## SClay115 (May 18, 2009)

Regarding this "upside down banana" syndrome, I have a Johnsen Skiff, much like the Mitchell in hull design, and the bottom of my hull is the same way. However, depending on how pronounced it is, I believe it is a designed in function.

I've dug through some pictures of newer boats, and they have a similar design format. Not sure why, but it's there. Obviously if it's outrageously pronounced there could be an issue, but I do believe it is supposed to be there. 

Just my two cents. 

Steve


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

previous post

http://www.microskiff.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1280858518


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

Yeap! thanks SClay and Brett. The pics look just like how mine is. At the transom there is a curve and the bottom is about 1/2 inch. Exactly like the photo in the post by Brett. I think I'm safe then. I'll continue with the project after it warms up and money comes avaliable. I'll be talking to a builder from Bartow area. He showed me a piece of 1 1/2 inch foam board with fiberglass on each side that will not flex or maybe a little but is very light. He said he could make me a piece 6 ft by 14 ft long. The manufacture is out of WildWood fla. 
cut runner, I'll be adding the motor and mount soon. I'm hoping someone would want to trade me for something not so large. My jack plate is for a 225 HP and is really to much for my 35 hp tiller johnson. I did have it professionally welded by people who build aluminum airboats so I know it is sound but it is just to big. 
Her aresome pics;

























Mudd Minnow


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Those little banana curves you refer to do serve a purpose. As water passes under the hull it creates lift. If you think about it, these little boats were built back in the day when motors were heavy and with an adult in the back, gas can and maybe a battery the bow would point to the sky. Put that little hook on there and you combat the bow rise to a certain extent.


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

Yeah, I believe I'll leave it there. I'm going to put in a floor but if I put in floatation foam under the floor I build, that should take out the flex the hull has. I was thinking, could someone add to much flotation foam to the boat? It doesn't make the boat ride lighter in the water but it can be useful in filling voids in the hull like under a false floor and deadning sounds. I wonder what would happen if I fill the hull completly up with foam after the build is complete what would happen? Things to ponder. 
Mudd Minnow


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

> I'm going to put in a floor but if I put in floatation foam under the floor I build, that should take out the flex the hull has. I was thinking, could someone add to much flotation foam to the boat? It doesn't make the boat ride lighter in the water but it can be useful in filling voids in the hull like under a false floor and deadning sounds. I wonder what would happen if I fill the hull completly up with foam after the build is complete what would happen? Things to ponder.


Floatation foam won't really take much flex out, it's not structural foam and not really dense enough, to eliminate flex you need to add supports or a stringer system to do that. 
Can you add too much foam? well not really but after a certain point all you are doing is adding weight to the boat, a 2 gallon kit should be more then enough to keep that little skiff from sinking.
Foam should be really used only to protect against catastrophic structural failure. If you had a sealed floatation chamber, say the voids under the floor, it would do the same thing empty or with foam. The difference is if the chamber is cracked or punctured (hitting an oyster bar, sand bar, floating log, beaching to many times....) with no foam it will fill with water, with foam it won't so you can make it back to the dock. 
Now remember foam isn't as buoyant as air. Floatation foam is usually 2-4lbs per cu ft. Roughly you can figure that a cu ft of air will float 62lbs, and if the foam weighs 4 lbs then now that same space will only float 58lbs, so it actually takes away buoyancy. If you filled the whole boat up, which would probably cost you over $500-1000 to do you would be adding alot of weight to the boat and it won't draft as well.
In a boat as small and a hull as thin as yours you really need a safetly factor so make sure to calculate the cu ft under the floor and any other areas you will fill with foam and make sure you have enough protection.
Foam will help deaden sound, but should be used for safetly first and then you get that added benefit. Also remember not all foam is created equal! Alot of older boats didn't used closed cell foam so it would soak up water. This would add alot of weight, just ask some carolina skiff owners, and also add to deterioration of fiberglass since it was constantly wet. Basically I'm saying don't buy the cheap stuff, make sure it is closed cell and approved by the coast guard.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

I didnt say the "hook" in the hull was "bad" i just feel than if your hull is strait and you either have trim tabs or power trim you dont need the hook, and you can adjust ride on the fly as nessecary instead of just being forced to ride with the bow slightly down. But to each his own. When theres a chop some people like to tab it down and cut thru the chop, i like to trim it up and skip over the chop lol but thats how i like to roll, and i dont have sprayrails lol


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

I had a carolina skiff FLAT BOTTOM what a beating you could get. I use to open her up and skip across the tops and not get beat up to bad. I could get 35 to 40 mph with large choppy water. Of course I was soaked to the bone but it sure was fun. 
The curve on the bottom is most likely because the hull is up side down. If I turned it over I think the hull would flex back like it should....Gravity plays with it think. But when it warms up I'll get back at it. 
The floatation foam I'm thinking about using will be Coast Guard approved or I won't use it. I want to use foam for safety and after filling the voids under the floor thus eliminating the flex. I'm going to fish shallow so any foam under the waterline will be helpful because if I hit something, punch a hole in the boat, the foam will not let much if any water in the boat.

Mudd Minnow


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Here is a dilema all boaters face...foam or no foam. USCG says it has to have it so it has to go in.

Foam will absorb water at some point and to prove it just read any rebuild thread about removing wet foam. Using it under the floor between the hull is one of the last places I want it. The water will be cool, the floor hot, and you have a recipe for condensation- oh, and it is already trapped.

If I were rebuilding your boat I would stiffen the floor and I would fill the seats with the foam and anywhere else I could find that is not in competition with gravity to pull the water into the foam.

Foam is a necessary evil but it can be used so it will never be a hinderence to the performance of a skiff.

Just to clarify- the two part foam can be had in different weights and although the typical 2lb is not considered structural the 8lb is. I have 2lb running the length of my gunnel rails on my boat and it was designed to be structural and it works great. The way it is made I can walk on it and it is up off the floor and water can not reach it and any rain goes into the boat, onto the floor and out the drain hole.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

does structural foam float and is it water proof, cuz ive seen some of that structural foam ran over my a car and nothing happened, i was impressed. lol theres no foam to be found in my skiff  oh well


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Same stuff as you are familiar with...the reisn is the same only a different activator.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

just dozing off and i came to the realization that i havent got one "looks tippy " yet lol if you were wondering, oh yea you better bring your balance in this boat ;D


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## iFly (Mar 9, 2010)

> ...if you were wondering, oh yea *you better bring your balance in this boat* ;D


I like that!

Oh, and... she looks tippy.


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## skinnywater3 (Feb 8, 2009)

15 pitch prop on that little boat damnn.


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

all i've got to say about tippy is

"OUT RIGGERS"

mudd minnow


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

lol thanks for the tippy, no lie, me and one of my friends (who is 6ft 11inches tall) went night fishing for about 3 hours, he said his leg muscles hurt the next day cuz his legs were shaking so much trying to keep his balance, but its never bothered me. the 15 pitch is my great all around prop that runs well with just me or two people and gear, once in a while i run my 18 chopper when its just me and one rod, no trolling motor, basically stripped down. no lie, one time i was runnin that prop wot and i hit a small set of wakes just right to make the bow come up, lol well it kept comin up, it was probably 2'oclocked, so i ran up to the bow to bring it down, scared the poo out of me. mud, i cant do the outriggers, got to many skinny secret spots that i dont wanna give up ;D;D


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Like standing on a bobber!!!


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

lol exactly!!!!


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

That's funny. I remember doing that in a 12 ft jon boat jumping waves comming off a 40 ft racing houseboat. WHAT a BLAST. 
When you guys say it is tippy, is it because it might be top heavy...?


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## iFly (Mar 9, 2010)

Cut, do you have a shot of that girl out of the water? I'd like to take a look at her 'bottom'. If you don't mind?


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

ifly, i dont but i'll take a picture and post it tomorrow. but basically from the lower lapstrake it is round then a flat bottom with three of those rails on the bottom that stop the boat from sliding in a turn, then round again on the other side up to the lapstrake. something like this lol dont laugh 


.------^----^----^------. 
. .
. .
_| |_
| |


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

oops a little crooked


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## mudd_minnow (Oct 13, 2010)

It's not every day that someone asks if they can take a look at her bottom.....Better yet having someone send photos of their girl's bottom. I'm liking this site more and more each day.  [smiley=bootyshake.gif]


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## iFly (Mar 9, 2010)

Yea, you see that he told me her bottom was a little crooked. Heck, I'm not picky.  ;D


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

> oops a little crooked


. Surely you gest. Your drawing is probably more symetrical than the boat actually is. lol


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

lol thats one thing i have learned, NO BOAT is symmetrical, when i was mounting the rod holders and some other things i found if i carefully eyeballed where i was mounting everything it looked more "right" then doing the measurement way.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Some pictures of her bottom per request


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## iFly (Mar 9, 2010)

Good looking chine.








I like the was she runs aft.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

haha lol thanks


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## floridanative1028 (May 30, 2009)

Same boat just a foot bigger and a little different.


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## flightmedicjh41 (Mar 26, 2009)

FloridaNative, I like that coffin (sp) box did that come with the boat or was it something you fabed up? Can you tell me more about it? Sorry for the derail.


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## floridanative1028 (May 30, 2009)

Its a 20 gallon livewell with 1-1/2" of insulation all around it so it doubles as a cooler if I don't have bait. There is a separate section with my aerator and raw water pumps where you see the rear hatch on it. I built it when I redid the boat. My interior used to look just like CR's just not as nice, thats why I had to gut it and start from scratch.


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## iFly (Mar 9, 2010)

> haha lol *thanks*


That's OK.  

I really like the fact that her round parts are wet while she is at rest and it isn't until she is pushed hard that her working parts (hard chines)come into play.  









Hope this isn't too much for the kiddies to read.  

It's just getting me to think (rethink) where to put the chines when/if I get to build one.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

resize.jpg (75 KB | 3 )
daannng florida native, looks sick. i remember some pictures you showed me of it in the build process. its come a long way ;D i work down in palm beach, maybe we can meet up and go fish our 'same' boats together sometime.? :


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## davecatchesfish (Jun 17, 2010)

Sweet Ride for sure!


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## floridanative1028 (May 30, 2009)

yeah...to say its come a long way is an understatement.  After 8 looong months of being a fiberglass slave I finally got it done.  All I can say is that if anybody attempts something like this, stick with your plan and don't settle.  It may take a little longer but it is sooo worth it.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

I love how it says kill on the starboard side


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## floridanative1028 (May 30, 2009)

Yeah I should have put "myself" after that because at that stage in the game it crossed my mind a few times.  I kinda thought the fiberglass dust would have done it for me though.  

...also notice the sad face behind the old livewell.


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Hahah lol that funny.. Was it hit by a graffiti gang?


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## wely (Dec 19, 2010)

I really like your little skiff. Did you ever state her length and beam? great job on all your work!


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

Thank you, i appreciate that, from bow to transom is 12'10 inches and shes 4feet six inches wide


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