New Micro Dinghy
Hi guy's, i was looking around for a small one man cannoe to use for trout and redfin fishing in the rivers down south. I realy didn't like the idea of sitting on a Yak and not being able to throw my gear in without having to strap it all down. There were not many options available for what i wanted and i was almost about to make something when i cam across this little gem.
Its the new Casterway from Finn's. At only 8ft long and 3ft wide i thought it was worth a look . Weighing in at aprox 18kg i thought it would be ideal for dragging up the small steams and rivers down south.
Now i like to always go over thing before i use them and tweek them up . I just cant help but put my own unique touch to something plain like this little cannoe. So i stipped the fittings and prepared the hull for a makeover.
I jumped onto youtube to get some ideas ans started to practice with some camo paints.
After a few tries i was confident enough to have a go and started to build up a pattern.
I had to go over it a few times top get the look i wanted
A few hours later , and the manditory Bogun skull i was pretty happy with the outcome for my first try at this style of painting.
I wanted to keep the thing simple and only added the rod holder and the seat. I reinforced the handles and rod holder with aluminium plates under the deck so they will never pull out. And fitted the swivell seat to an aloy plate that just drops in place without having to be fixed. Going to give it a test in the river soon so will let you know how it handles on the water.
I could have done a few more things, but in the end i realy want it simple, it will be getting dragged up small rivers, over logs and rocks so the lightet the better. It has a transom for an electric motor but i probaly wont use one unless i'm in more open water like Harvey dam . The reason i went for this type of rig, is so i can go myself and don't have to lug around a 14ft cannoe or simular. I'm pretty sure this will get me to the out of the way places that i couldn't get to before.
Cheers Grant .
Juneka
Posts: 222
Date Joined: 14/12/09
Micro dinghy
How much did you have to pay for the dinghy - not the paint!
It looks awesome!
Save the Whales! May as well - they won't fit in my catch bag!!!
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Finn's
Finn's have them in thier Occonor store for $740 inc gst. My friend and I got the last two in stock but they said more will be ready in two weeks.
I'll just add I have no association with Finn's, they had what i wanted and also a local manufactured product.
Cheers Grant
Alan James
Posts: 2206
Date Joined: 30/06/09
Looks ace
Great paint job there mate. Gotta luv the seat, you can't be without some creature comforts. Something like would have been very handy to fish some skinny waters in NZ in my younger days.
adam87
Posts: 291
Date Joined: 16/05/11
Looks good bro nice job!
Looks good bro nice job!
opsrey
Posts: 1200
Date Joined: 05/10/07
Good to see a ride being pimped.
The seat looks great. We kayak the Warren and it's hard to do big hours. How about side scanning sounder, if you do post some screen shots they should be very interesting. Good luck, post heaps.
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Yeah
Yeah, I thought about a sounder and a few other items , but decided i just want it plain and simple. This way i can chuck it in the water quick and explore.
Maybe in the dams it would be worth having a sounder, and i would probaly put the electric motor on for those situations. Most of the streams i fish are only a few metres wide in most parts and hardly deeper than 1m.
perth fisher
Posts: 132
Date Joined: 02/06/11
grant -great job ! it looks
grant -great job !
it looks like a great idea from finn....at 18kg its easy to carry ?
could be useful as a small boat tender ?
carnarvonite
Posts: 8627
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Motor
Had a conversation with our local DoT officer on registering a small dinghy, I was hoping that I didn't need to as I would be rowing it. He said that if an engine can be fitted to it then it must be registered. Bugger, but then I scored a 4hp 4 stroke Yammie for $400 that hadn't even worn the paint off the skeg let alone the prop so I had to go ahead and do the righty.
Looks the goods Grant, with that colour scheme you'll be able to sneak up on just about everything
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Thanks
Thanks carnarvonite, At the shop they said a lot of people were interested as a tender, and it was explained to me that if i put a motor on it ( even electric ) it would need to be registered. At 2.4m long i think that is rediculous , its not like i will be going to Rotto in it.
I don't think it will be a problem for me tho, besides the odd bit of bream fishing, mostly I will be in the fresh water and i dont think DOT can get thier boats up the streams i fish. Besides the dams that alow skiing i've never seen boat checks being done on any of the trout dams or streams.
Cheers Grant
sea-kem
Posts: 14857
Date Joined: 30/11/09
Awesome job Grant! Love the
Awesome job Grant! Love the cammo paint and at least with that type of fishing you don't have to worry about seabreeze and swells and all that crap lol. Stick your head out the window and if the weather's ok of you go. Nice one.
Love the West!
scotto
Posts: 2470
Date Joined: 21/04/08
Looks good
Looks good mate, and that seat is definately a winner!
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Had the seat
Had the seat from a previous project and never used it. I thought it might be a bit heavy, but once i put it in and sat on it i knew it had to stay.
scotto
Posts: 2470
Date Joined: 21/04/08
The
Most important part of any boat, is how comfy the skippers seat is!
DhuBoi
Posts: 896
Date Joined: 25/05/09
killer looking outfit ever
killer looking outfit ever thought of putting an electric motor on it ? they usualy last 2 to 3 hours before a charge ? Bring the paddle along as a just incase and its super quite .
living is fishing
jighead
Posts: 718
Date Joined: 03/02/12
Not quite
They last a bit longer than that.
Super peg
Posts: 760
Date Joined: 02/09/12
Awesome idea. How sturdy is
Awesome idea. How sturdy is it?could u stand in it if needed? Would it handle the occasional deckie?
The art of fishing consists of casting, winding, trolling and jigging
while freezing, sweating, swatting and swearing.
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Gave it a trial
Gave it a trial today around Guilford. I was quite supprised at how stable it was, even when a few boats went past there was no problem. I did stand up a few times and it was stable enough to get some casts into the snags.
As for passengers, maybe a child would be ok for a while but not a lot of room to move around. You could use it to get 2 adults across the river but i wouldn't try to fish like that.
The only problem i had was the seat rocked from left to right too much. I need to fix this before i have a misshap and put all my gear in the drink.
I managed 2 bream around 25cm and a few grunter, so at least i got a fish on the first outing. Not much action up that way today, but was better than working .
Super peg
Posts: 760
Date Joined: 02/09/12
Awesome mate! May just get
Awesome mate! May just get one myself, from your seated possie you rekon the old canoe paddle would suit it more or the yak style ?
The art of fishing consists of casting, winding, trolling and jigging
while freezing, sweating, swatting and swearing.
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
The paddle
The paddle i have can split into two pieces, i tried it with just one but prefered the Yak style better. If you didn't put a seat in it you would probaly sit too low and the single paddle might work better.
I think if you want to travel a fair way , an electric would be the best option. In the dams i definately will be useing one.
chris raff
Posts: 3257
Date Joined: 09/02/10
Looks to be enough room for
Looks to be enough room for some crab nets as well ... if not happy with the seat , one of those waterproof beanbag seats could be the go ( have a snooze as well lol ) .. how's the project under the tarp going . Job well done Grant .
“Intelligence is like a four-wheel drive. It only allows you to get stuck in more remote places.”
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
The project
The project has been on hold for most of this year Chris, looks like i will be staying home for xmas and trying to finish it of. I'm aprox 3/4 done.
Yeah i was thinking it would be great up the river in Kalbarri, flicking lures around while i drop the crab nets out .
Wookiee
Posts: 54
Date Joined: 07/05/13
looks fantastic.As a fat
looks fantastic.
As a fat bastard i find it difficult to use a yak but i love that sort of fishing. This looks ideal. Love the paint work too mate.
Carpe Piscis
psion
Posts: 424
Date Joined: 15/05/12
Nice "pimp my ride" job that
Nice "pimp my ride" job that