Bluegill - Big Bluegill

Do you love big bluegill?

Not really all that close yet, but I splashed the bottom half of the hull as a test:

It will be a sit on top. The drains are in:

And I stacked styrofoam up to the tops and attached my seat to a piece of ply so I could check how far up the drains the water comes. In the picture up top, you may see jugs of water. I put 3 gallons in the back and 2 in the front to simulate have the additional weight of the deck, hatches, gear and bounty. The drains are adequate. I used lousy batten wood and cracked and broke them during building, which is why it has slight corners instead of curves at a couple of points at the rail. It doesn't lower down and the designer clued me in to how I may be able to smooth them out some when I put the deck on. As they didn't splinter wood or anything and it is sheathed in fiberglass, it is purely aesthetic, but I hope I can make them disappear.

By summer it should be complete. I will still use my KMart tupperware boat in Piedmont rivers and this one down at the coast and in big lakes.

Views: 216

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

wow ! nice project you got going there

hey Andy;; i think i have the perfect name for your boat!!    the honorable;; H.M.S. LEAKING LEANA!! LOL!!

CARL HE'S A NEW GUY SO TAKE IT EASY ON HIM........HHHHHHHHHA HHHHHHHHHA

      Carl....you're telling your age if you remember "Cecil the Seasick Sea Serpent"...lol

and  your telling your age to steve!!  LOL!!

Very cool!! Not many people can say they fish out of a yak/canoe that they made themselves!

I am going to mix and our the two part urethane form next to make the cockpit/seat. It will transform to something more like this:

"mix and pour" not our.

    Good looking project Andy.  And you can do it the way you want instead of finding work arounds

or at least you can find out how difficult or expensive it would be to do exactly what you want. ;^>

But you're right, I can and will add features that are specific to what I want to do and that can be hard to find on various boats. I want the do some BTB (Beyond the Breakers) fishing. For much of the summer, mackerel and blues are just past the breakers along the NC coast. Every now and then they chase bait into the waves and you can catch a few surf fishing. But paddling out just a short distance will increase the average catch substantially. Anyway, the covered channel you can see in the floor of my boat will connect to a hatched console between my knees. I will feed a couple of rods in, tip first with no hooks, under the seat and in the channel; all the way to the stern. then I can paddle through the breakers and even if I get knocked over (it happens; this is a warm weather beach thing) my gear will be fine.

I have larger drains than most SOTs so if waves break into the boat I can just keep on paddling and will get full maneuverability back in short order. Lots of the guys who go BTB using recreational SOT kayaks have a tough time getting out and damage a lot of gear. Being able to handle 3-4' breakers instead of just 2' will mean a lot more possible outings. The swells aren't that bad once you get past the breakers, but you have to get out there.

RSS

Latest Activity

Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

Ringwood Brook Rainbow Trout

"Smoker time…..enjoy John!"
9 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
9 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

489926224_10238683871295505_5852549182092207622_n

"Seeds always come to the party if they are in the area.,,,"
9 hours ago
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

492222666_10238698533862060_5336729201480880262_n

"Nice gill John…..on the little rap……..my dad loved putting that bait on a fly…"
9 hours ago
John Sheehan posted photos
19 hours ago
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's status
"Somewhat surprised because it seemed like a quick turn on."
Thursday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's status
"Good deal John…..were you confident or somewhat surprised by today’s success from…"
Wednesday
John Sheehan posted a status
"Some decent Gills and Crappie today from shore. Wish I got a Water temp. They were active between 11-noon!"
Wednesday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on Jeffrey D. Abney's photo
Thumbnail

In the Net….4/20/2025

"Look how little my popeye jig looks by the tail.......catch so many bass every year on these small…"
Monday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

491836771_10238604253985122_2836813665102144302_n

"Mid-May is a guess without checking my records, Jeff. "
Sunday
John Sheehan commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

wacky Bass on the Flats

"Thanks Dick, this lake is not producing like it has for Greg and I like it has in the past. We hope…"
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a photo

Pretty Colors to the East Minutes Before Sunrise…..4/20/2025

Beautiful sights fishing so close to the ocean…..
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted photos
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney posted a status
"Finally had winds below 20 knots this am so I splashed for three hours ….found 66 degree surface temps…..20 bites, caught 19 bass on jigs"
Sunday
Jeffrey D. Abney commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

491836771_10238604253985122_2836813665102144302_n

"Glad you guys were able to get out…….when do you typically hit 60 degree water…"
Sunday
dick tabbert commented on John Sheehan's photo
Thumbnail

wacky Pickerel

"Another toothy critter, awesome."
Sunday
dick tabbert commented on John Sheehan's photo
Sunday
John Sheehan posted photos
Apr 18
dick tabbert commented on Troy Dorman's photo
Thumbnail

1000003809

"Nicccccce"
Apr 16

© 2025   Created by Bluegill.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service