Specs, straight up:
3.7m
42kg
15hp
Fibreglass / Kevlar composite
These skiffs first popped up on the Australian boat market when I was much younger. They grabbed my attention straight away, even though at the time I didn’t really want a boat, I was more than content fishing the rocks.
Years rolled by, four boats came and went, and then one popped up on Gumtree. Thirty years on, these things are hard to find in good condition, and of course this one was in Brisbane, some 900km away. But you do what you have to do. The next day we made the journey.
That was seven years ago now.
Since then, this little skiff has performed exactly as it should. Lightweight, flies with a 15hp, and floats in next to nothing over the flats. For tight water fishing, I still reckon it’s one of the best small-boat platforms going.
It’s not without its limits. Open water with chop, or the wake from a tug boat, will see water come over the bow. But pick your days and even a 15km run up a dam is doable and safe.
Over those seven years, plenty of things have come and gone. Gear sold, swapped, upgraded, always chasing something bigger, better, or simpler. Everything on this rig has come from Marketplace or swaps. Nothing is brand new, and that suits me just fine.
For a small fishing rig, she’s just right for my style of fishing.
Not everyone’s cup of tea — but no boat ever is.
No comments:
Post a Comment