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Re: Why we are lucky

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 5:54 pm
by Mick
As others have said in this thread, Yes we are very lucky here.

It was an Aussie who sent me here, a bloke called Varp from the Australian kayak fishing forum (AKFF) He was going on and on about a thing called a Sabalo and I hadn't heard of such a boat. I asked the question and he sent me a link and I was hooked. :D

My biggest gripe with the store bought boats at the time was that they were little more than a paddling platform from which one might dangle a line. Little to no thought was given to the various hulls fishability or paddleability let alone a combination of the two.

I had played with the idea of building a boat to suit my needs/whims and had asked a couple of well known and highly reputed designers if they would be interested in a custom job for me. To a designer, if I even got a response was something like this, "These are my boats. Build them or go away." I went away :D

I saw the Sabalo and it was like a light bulb moment for me! here was a boat that had been designed by a fisherman for fishermen! It wasn't exactly what I wanted at the time but it was bloody close! but I was still intimidated by the thought of such a complex build. Then I saw Swampgirl. :shock: :D and although my build of this lovely boat wasn't pretty, she was so very functional.

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and so the addiction began. and I realised, "Hey! I can do this!" I had a boat nearly 16 feet long and about half the weight of my factory 14ft fibreglass canoe. :D

Several lovely boats later and as I grow older, fatter and slower, my needs are changing. I no longer feel the desire paddle miles to sea in an effort to locate serious pelagic fish. I get my joys now in quiet rivers and creeks and even some gentle white water.
My new partner, Evie also prefers these quieter waters. To this end, the Jem boats we have work very well indeed ie, Laker, Sasquatch, Okwata and Southwind but we would both like a smallish pack canoe. :D

A couple of months ago, I sent Matt a message and asked if he would be interested in designing such a boat. The request was something like this, 13-14 feetl long, no wider than 28 inches, a bottom profile similar to Freedom. Stability and ease of paddling were the goals.

I think Matt has come up with an extraordinary design that is perfect for what we are looking for and I can't wait to start the build. he has called this boat "Akuna" which is aboriginal meaning The way forward. and I think it is very apt.

Thank you Matt, I echo all the previous comments.

Re: Why we are lucky

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 7:32 pm
by rodot
I think Matt has come up with an extraordinary design that is perfect for what we are looking for and I can't wait to start the build. he has called this boat "Akuna" which is aboriginal meaning The way forward. and I think it is very apt
Mick I look forward to this build with great interest.
I too have got to a stage in life where I have lost interest in deep sea fishing. I found that I was constantly keeping one eye on the weather and the other on the horizon in an attempt to keep my breakfast down. This became less and less appealing the older I became. I now enjoy casting lures in the backwaters and streams. It certainly is a lot more relaxing with the added advantage of some beautiful scenery and wildlife experiences. This also compliments my other interest which is bushwalking. To me, kayaking is simply "bushwalking" on water.
I have found that there are a lot of wonderful locations that are mainly accessible by crossing paddocks and or clambering down banks over logs and through the scrub. I have had the opinion that a smaller boat that was lighter and more easily manhandled would really fill a need and the "Akuna" seems like it could be just the answer.

Roger

Re: Why we are lucky

Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2011 7:48 pm
by Oldsparkey
We are lucky in more then one way ......... A Short History Lesson. :wink:

A long time ago in the land of wood boat builders a person signed on a web site with a bunch of nuts building wood Pirogues and Kayaks.

After he was on there for a while he asked the person who has the web site if it would be OK if he could list one of the boat plans ( designs ) he had drawn up to see if anyone would be interested in it because he wanted to start a boat designing business for himself. I guess he was tired of working for the other guy. :P

To make a long story short , the person with the web site asked him if he was/ would be willing to work with the guys who would be interested in his designs and he said he would be more then happy to help in any way he could. With that understanding the person with that other nutty web site said he would be more then willing to help Matt.

This seamed like a win - win for everyone unlike the other designers who have the idea of this is the way I designed it and the way you will make it , modifications are not accepted and the designer would not work with the customer.
A designer who would work with the builder ( customer ) and modify or even create a new design that they requested was unheard of in those day's.

I have to say that when a person designs a boat they have the wish that it is built that way since it is there design. But Matt will go way past any other designer on helping the builder modify the boat or even design an new boat for them.

From that early beginning Matt has gone way further then anyone in helping a builder have the boat that they dreamed of and even has designed a total new boat for a lot of us , myself included.

It was a stroke of good luck for all of us when he signed on that nutty web site and asked if he could try one of his designs on there. Then he created his web site which has , is , and will be making a lot of paddlers really happy with there hand crafted boat.

On the other hand , because of that some of us have more boats then we can paddle in a day but you can never have to many boats. ( Just ask a lot of us :lol: )
It was lucky day for all of us when Matt decided to sign on that day. :D

Chuck..........

Re: Why we are lucky

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 5:02 pm
by Darrells
i could not agree more with everything that has been said about Matt's designs and customer service. I am quickly acquiring a whole herd of Jem boats. i started with the 14-29 Pirogue, then went to the Stripped Freedom, then to the best boat of all time in my opinion, the stripped Northwind and now a boat for my wife which is still nameless at the moment but will be started in few days.

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Re: Why we are lucky

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 11:20 am
by jem
Darrells wrote:... and now a boat for my wife which is still nameless at the moment but will be started in few days.
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That's the Mako 16 with a strip deck. When it's done, I think it will be one of the prettier boats I've ever designed. Darrel, I e-mailed you the other files just now.

Re: Why we are lucky

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 1:08 pm
by tx river rat
Thats a goodlooking design ,and I know Darrel will do a bang up job on it.
Ron

Re: Why we are lucky

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 5:07 pm
by goanywhere
Choices.... choices!! Matt, you're getting to be worse than Colegate!! :lol: :lol:

Re: Why we are lucky

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 6:44 pm
by Mick
jem wrote:
Darrells wrote:... and now a boat for my wife which is still nameless at the moment but will be started in few days.
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That's the Mako 16 with a strip deck. When it's done, I think it will be one of the prettier boats I've ever designed. Darrel, I e-mailed you the other files just now.
Looks like a real flash, big Laker to me. Love it mate.

Matt, you are bloody tormenting me again. :D

Re: Why we are lucky

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 6:48 pm
by jem
Mick you have a house remodel and a couple canoes to finish before you can start thinking about a kayak. :lol:

Re: Why we are lucky

Posted: Sat Dec 03, 2011 6:58 pm
by Darrells
jem wrote: When it's done, I think it will be one of the prettier boats I've ever designed.
...And Matt never puts any pressure on the guys building his designs. :mrgreen: