Punt / River Boat
- Thread starter beekeeper
- Start date
So, that's a boat for fishing in spots not far from the launch point? And, it has large capacity for holding lots of fish on ice.
"If you are a paddling. you ain't a fishing." Sometimes people pass up productive water by not fishing near the landing.
Not every boat needs to be a touring boat. It will be easy to carry and launch at primitive put in and take out spots.
Only 10' long so I needed all the capacity I could get.
If it don't work out, it is all Joey's fault.
bee
Not every boat needs to be a touring boat. It will be easy to carry and launch at primitive put in and take out spots.
Only 10' long so I needed all the capacity I could get.
If it don't work out, it is all Joey's fault.
bee
Yeah, I'm certain that Joey is to blame for stuff that goes wrong here too. Why, just the other day. . . . .
Yes , If you want fish you have to travel a long distance from the ramp to catch anything. Don't believe me just ask any professional fishermen in the big boats with motors which have more horsepower then the vehicles trailing them.
OR ......................
Something no one seams to think about. Take all the fishing tournaments that are held. Consider the fact that all the fishermen run all over the country fishing water miles away from the ramp. All the fish that are caught are brought back to the ramp to be weighed. Then they are either released of keep in a tank to be released later.
Where do they release all those fish ?
90% of the time it is right at or close to the loading ramp and dock.
OR ......................
Something no one seams to think about. Take all the fishing tournaments that are held. Consider the fact that all the fishermen run all over the country fishing water miles away from the ramp. All the fish that are caught are brought back to the ramp to be weighed. Then they are either released of keep in a tank to be released later.
Where do they release all those fish ?
90% of the time it is right at or close to the loading ramp and dock.
The ultimate to me, is to read of a freckle faced kid with a cane pole, catching the winner from the dock.
You are getting close to my way of thinking , Bee. I fish in Bayou Corne within 500 yards of the landing, where all the camps are. Most camps have a dock. Docks equal structure, which equals fish habitat. Fishing this structure is easier and more productive with the light anchor I use. Without an anchor, the boat seems to always be moving out of the best spots due to wind, current or momentum. A little 3 -5 lb anchor lets you stay and cast to a "fishy-looking" spot several times and with several types of retrieves . I feel that ups your chances of getting a fish rather than easing by and maybe only getting one or two casts to a spot. I roughly timed the sequences. ......about 5 seconds to drop anchor and tie off and about 10 seconds to retrieve anchor. If you have to paddle in between casts to keep the boat in position, you can waste way more time than that.
I wasn't freckle faced nor did I have a cane pole, but... when I was 8, my grandparents rented some cottages on a lake just north of Huntsville, Ont., and took all their daughters, SIL's and grandkids on a fishing vacation. First morning my Dad, Grandpa and 2 uncles would head out in my uncle's ski boat for a day of fishing. Wasn't room for me! My upset Aunt (married to the boat uncle) had the landlady tether a rowboat with a reeaally loonngg rope (maybe 25" but long to an 8 yo) to the dock. Every day she would get in the boat with me and push us away from the dock. That week I discovered that God is vengeful and really has a sense of humor. Wanna guess who caught the only fish that week?
Close enuff fer guvmknt werk, Jon.
Ummm, did you fall in then too? ;-). We fished Jon out of the Au Sable a couple of times. Once, we brought in an ugly catfish instead. We had to vote for which one to keep. Jon won by only one vote. Fish just shrugged his shoulders and jumped back in. Resurfaced once and advised us, "You'll be sorry!" But, we weren't, cuz Jon had a bottle along with him, and the fish didn't.
Ummm, did you fall in then too? ;-). We fished Jon out of the Au Sable a couple of times. Once, we brought in an ugly catfish instead. We had to vote for which one to keep. Jon won by only one vote. Fish just shrugged his shoulders and jumped back in. Resurfaced once and advised us, "You'll be sorry!" But, we weren't, cuz Jon had a bottle along with him, and the fish didn't.
When I was a kid the folks had lake front property on a good sized lake. Dad had a nice dock with a attached boat house off to one side. That dock stretched out into the lake a pretty good distance. Anyway it felt like it when you ran down it and jumped off the end into the lake.
Back to fishing ....I would take a old cane pole with a line and a small hook and some dough balls to catch shiners that liked to hide out under the boat house. Then I would take that shiner , hook it up and cast it out into the deeper area off the end of the dock. Sit back and before you knew it I would have a Bass on the line.
Some of my best fishing was off the end of that dock and on occasion off the end of the neighbors dock.
Back to fishing ....I would take a old cane pole with a line and a small hook and some dough balls to catch shiners that liked to hide out under the boat house. Then I would take that shiner , hook it up and cast it out into the deeper area off the end of the dock. Sit back and before you knew it I would have a Bass on the line.
Some of my best fishing was off the end of that dock and on occasion off the end of the neighbors dock.
But that was your vote Jack and I thank you. And, I haven't joined the swim club since that trip, somebody musta put a hex on me.
Joey, you are correct about fishing docks, repetitive cast and boat control.
Pretty sure this little punt will not replace my longer pirogue as my primary boat. Some days we can travel in one direction farther than I like to have to paddle back at the end of the day. The pirogue will be better suited. Some places where we launch, the site is pretty crude. The punt will be more manageable.
bee
Pretty sure this little punt will not replace my longer pirogue as my primary boat. Some days we can travel in one direction farther than I like to have to paddle back at the end of the day. The pirogue will be better suited. Some places where we launch, the site is pretty crude. The punt will be more manageable.
bee
Finished. The bugs finally went away and I was able to put on the second coat of paint.
Launched up the bayou. Very nasty scum on water. Hated to dirty up boat, but that is what they are made for.
Had a very good day and was able to give the boat a proper coating of fish slime. First one of the day.
The boat worked well for this trip. It was probably the best boat I could have used that day and that location. A few more trips will tell how it all plays out.
beekeeper
Launched up the bayou. Very nasty scum on water. Hated to dirty up boat, but that is what they are made for.
Had a very good day and was able to give the boat a proper coating of fish slime. First one of the day.
The boat worked well for this trip. It was probably the best boat I could have used that day and that location. A few more trips will tell how it all plays out.
beekeeper
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Off boat subject - has part of the "picture code" been broken??
On boat subject - JD, your tumblehome does produce a rigid gunnel. And your bait produces wiggly fish. Nice ombination.
On boat subject - JD, your tumblehome does produce a rigid gunnel. And your bait produces wiggly fish. Nice ombination.
I'm using www.postimages to post pictures. I don't know if I have broken anything or not. As usual I don't know what I'm doing, but so for it works.
I like tumblehome. Rigid gunnel, adds side height without increasing beam, and deflects paddle drips.
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Nice job, Bee. What's the weight and how wide is the bottom? Can you get the bow and stern to both clear the water?
Doing it over, I would have gone with much more rake ....front and rear.... on my little 8 footer. I don't think the speed would increase much, but it would probably glide a bit better.
Doing it over, I would have gone with much more rake ....front and rear.... on my little 8 footer. I don't think the speed would increase much, but it would probably glide a bit better.
Thanks Joey.
The bottom is 24" at 8" behind center. I don't recall what it is at the ends. The stern is a couple inches more than the bow. Max. beam is 32". I have not weighed it but my lapstrake pirogue is 39 lbs. and this one seems a few lbs. more. May be 45 or a little more. It carries and maneuvers easier because it is shorter. Better material could be used to make it lighter. The sheet of 1/4" BC pine plywood I once weighed was 28lbs. Hard to build under 40 lbs. without going to some other wood. Cost would probably at least triple.
From my limited experience square ended boats need to have their ends out of the water. Eliminates barging at the bow and reduces turbulence at the stern. I built the boat with this in mind and put about 4" in each end. With my pay load and trim I used the stern was not out of the water and created drag. I did move forward some and saw an improvement. Not sure if I will be able to make enough adjustment to ever get it totally out. A smaller paddler may could. The shorter length is a handicap and is hard to overcome, and still carry my gear like I want.
Doing it over, I would add more rocker at the stern. I would do this in the last foot or so to keep the middle of the boat as flat as possible. A smaller version of this; http://www.christinedemerchant.com/free-punt-plans.html
The concept of a really short and handy boat is fun but in the over all practicality picture may not be doable. Hard to get away from evolution = 12' minimum pirogue for one person, light loads and short trips. 14' plus for longer trips, easier paddling and more load.
beekeeper
Almost forgot, Joey check your personal E-Mail
The bottom is 24" at 8" behind center. I don't recall what it is at the ends. The stern is a couple inches more than the bow. Max. beam is 32". I have not weighed it but my lapstrake pirogue is 39 lbs. and this one seems a few lbs. more. May be 45 or a little more. It carries and maneuvers easier because it is shorter. Better material could be used to make it lighter. The sheet of 1/4" BC pine plywood I once weighed was 28lbs. Hard to build under 40 lbs. without going to some other wood. Cost would probably at least triple.
From my limited experience square ended boats need to have their ends out of the water. Eliminates barging at the bow and reduces turbulence at the stern. I built the boat with this in mind and put about 4" in each end. With my pay load and trim I used the stern was not out of the water and created drag. I did move forward some and saw an improvement. Not sure if I will be able to make enough adjustment to ever get it totally out. A smaller paddler may could. The shorter length is a handicap and is hard to overcome, and still carry my gear like I want.
Doing it over, I would add more rocker at the stern. I would do this in the last foot or so to keep the middle of the boat as flat as possible. A smaller version of this; http://www.christinedemerchant.com/free-punt-plans.html
The concept of a really short and handy boat is fun but in the over all practicality picture may not be doable. Hard to get away from evolution = 12' minimum pirogue for one person, light loads and short trips. 14' plus for longer trips, easier paddling and more load.
beekeeper
Almost forgot, Joey check your personal E-Mail
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The skiffs/square stern pirogues I have built and used had little rocker. None had the transom clear of the surface. Hard to find helpful information about turbulence and drag for these designs. It does appear and my assessment is the transom needs to be above the waterline for row boats and other paddle craft with non pointed sterns.
This is a questions for Chuck or other Bayou Skiff builders and users. How much stern rocker and is enough to lift the transom above the water? If so does it reduce drag?
Thanks
beekeeper
This is a questions for Chuck or other Bayou Skiff builders and users. How much stern rocker and is enough to lift the transom above the water? If so does it reduce drag?
Thanks
beekeeper
That's a loaded question.
The Bayou Skiff had almost two inches of rocker and the stern as far as I could tell did not create any noticeable drag on the boat. Sitting in the boat ( Center ) and rowing it scooted along with no noticeable turbulence in the water behind it. When Mac rowed it , it appeared that the bottom at the stern was even or just above the water line. That could also be determined by the position of the person or any load in the boat.
With all that rocker it is a very maneuverable boat and will turn on a dime and give you 7 cents in change.
For my taste there was an overabundance of rocker in it since in a boat I would row ( use a set of oars ) I like a flatter bottom. As you know that increases the drag.
A submerged stern probably does increase drag. But how much? Is it in the low single digits percentage ? Is it even noticeable to the average paddler? Most of the studies on drag, etc. is aimed at saving .001 seconds in competition. It's probably akin to leaving your 25 lb tool box at home so your car gets better gas mileage.