Wadefish 15-27 for crabbing

Builder show and discuss their progress.
crabyak
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Type of boat I like: Wadefish 2.0
Location: Northern California

Re: Wadefish 15-27 for crabbing

Post by crabyak »

One month into the build. getting close to having everything bonded in place. then the fill coats and paint.I'm real satisfied with the center console arrangement. While sitting in the boat this morning I was happy with how accessible this storage area is.
I did drill 3/8" holes thru the inner bulkheads and will have a drainplug to allow air to enter the innards of the yak.
Still thinking about how to trim off the edges of the tank well and cockpit. May use some blue foam and contour it or go a more traditional way with laminated,spaced strips. we,ll see.
weight now up to 37 lbs. I'll make the target weight of 50 lbs easily.
With the 8 panels of the hull at angles to one another and the bulkheads and flooring this is a very sturdy kayak. should be able to take a pounding in the surf and the abuse of crabbing.
Tim
Wadefish 2.0
Chesapeake 14
Chesapeake 17LT
Night Heron S&G
Shearwater 14 LV
PAX 20
jem
Site Admin
Posts: 4915
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 8:14 pm
Type of boat I like: Wooden
Location: Greensboro, NC
Contact:

Re: Wadefish 15-27 for crabbing

Post by jem »

37 pounds is impressive!
-Matt. Designer.
crabyak
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Type of boat I like: Wadefish 2.0
Location: Northern California

Re: Wadefish 15-27 for crabbing

Post by crabyak »

Thanks Matt;

The weight thing- I used to work at an aerospace place making UAV's. Hense the reduce unnecessary weight thing I got going on.lol
I still have to install the flooring from the seat fwd and the side rails.
I can't see the finished weight being over 47 lbs, hopefully.
I'll be breaking out the vacuum bag stuff and the hot wire this week for the finishing touches.
Tim
Wadefish 2.0
Chesapeake 14
Chesapeake 17LT
Night Heron S&G
Shearwater 14 LV
PAX 20
crabyak
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Type of boat I like: Wadefish 2.0
Location: Northern California

Re: Wadefish 15-27 for crabbing

Post by crabyak »

So far so good,
I got the combings hot wired and installed, decks -fore and aft installed, still deciding on my scuppers, down to 2 approaches. I'm not in favor of having them right on the keel line. seems as when the boat is dragged on the beach scooping would happen, don't need that.
also working on my center console design. planning on 2 sliding lower drawers and one sliding tray above those, we'll see what the mock up looks like.
I guess everyone is checking out the pics on my FB. If anyone has any questing post them here and I will be glad to provide answers.
I think I'm at 45 lbs. now. not bad seeing as I did add some weight in the bulkheads.
The "Bluefin" cockpit arrangement is way nice and it was not difficult to modify the Wadefish.
I'm thinking a piece of lexan for the front cockpit hatch. might look cool, it just needs to shed a little water.I still need to cut the aft hatch and install the center hatch as soon as scuppers are in place.
Can't say as I'm real worried about water getting into other area's, crabbing from a kayak is a wet time, to say the least.
I'll probably float this baby next week some time and let it set for a week or so prior to paint and varnish.
Wadefish 2.0
Chesapeake 14
Chesapeake 17LT
Night Heron S&G
Shearwater 14 LV
PAX 20
crabyak
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Type of boat I like: Wadefish 2.0
Location: Northern California

Re: Wadefish 15-27 for crabbing

Post by crabyak »

put her in the water today for a few minutes, just to get a few waterline measurements, but also took a 5 minute paddle. Great stability , I was able to twist 90 degrees and dangle both legs in the lake. Paddles fast for the kind of kayak that it is, turns on a dime with a forward rudder stroke and responds to stern rudder stroke well. Should be fun in the surf zone. just need to make sure my crab gear is secured !
Now to finish up the cockpit area, roll on a few fill coats and paint and varnish, thats a whole other process.
I've also opted for thigh straps instead of foot pegs, just a personal thing. My booties provide enough gripshun on the deck for recreational paddling.
Tim
Wadefish 2.0
Chesapeake 14
Chesapeake 17LT
Night Heron S&G
Shearwater 14 LV
PAX 20
crabyak
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Type of boat I like: Wadefish 2.0
Location: Northern California

Re: Wadefish 15-27 for crabbing

Post by crabyak »

I found some one way drain plugs online @ Austin Kayak. just got them and tested them in the tubes I fabricated to their proper diameter.These things work great. let water out but not in, it's a little rubber flapper valve, just push them into the drain tubes.
I looked at a bunch of factory kayaks for ideas on scuppers. I deducted that the scupper systems in most of the SOT's were a structural support of the inner footwells. Well my boat doesn't have that problem so I've decided to still use 2 drains in the cockpit with the one way valves and for the tank well I'll employ a sort of "wet deck" system like the Navy uses on it's vessels. Basically a few drain holes at tankwell floor thru the hull. This should work fine as the floor is a few inches above the waterline.Hopefully I'll add a few more pics before the weekend.
Looks like the Kiwi's have really got it going with their AC72!!
Wadefish 2.0
Chesapeake 14
Chesapeake 17LT
Night Heron S&G
Shearwater 14 LV
PAX 20
crabyak
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Type of boat I like: Wadefish 2.0
Location: Northern California

Re: Wadefish 15-27 for crabbing

Post by crabyak »

Finished Hull weight 48 lbs. the extra stick on stuff is only the thigh braces and the seat, and the holder for the crab traps.
SO the sea trial yesterday.
conditions at arrival 8am-rain 39degrees F.,wind 14 mph gusting 18 mph
9am- rain tapering off,41 F.,wind 16 mph gusting 20
10 am, cloudy,41 F.,wind 18 mph gusting 22
tide -high at 10 am 6 foot difference.
These conditions are great for sea testing a boat, not so much for crabbing< the difference in low and high tide creates a lot of movement on the sea floor and I don't think the crabs have enough time to crawl into the traps, ( crab theory # 196) lol.
The waves were breaking pretty good outside the jetty so we decided to crab in the lee of the jetty where the surf zone was only producing about 2 foot waves.
My first attempt to paddle thru the surf zone ended up with me jumping out in waist high water,lol. my buddy Dan was standing in the water watching. What happened was a wave crashed in and flooded the cockpit and tank well. Filled the boat!! I had those one way valves in place and they were very much restricting the flow of water out of the boat. Removed those and the scuppers did their job quickly.the tank well was another story, sea weed had blocked the small holes I had drilled. so that will be corrected most rickki tickkie.
We dumped out the boat and I hopped back in and paddled like a madman thru the surf. Setting the traps was comfortable, it was easy to spin 90 degrees to grab the traps on the rear area and deploy them safely.The center console is the cats meow. load it up with preloaded bait cages and jars for the "setting " phase and then use it to place the Keeper crabs while checking the traps later. very nice.
now- coming back in thru the surf, the wind was at my back and the tide had started to go out. as the day progressed the tide was a big one and it produced mashed potatoes and confused seas just outside where we dropped the traps.not rookie conditions.
so with 2 footers breaking behind me, the water just washed over the aft deck , that raised the cg and I had my hands full! I managed to keep upright with body english and a few good strokes . As this boat is NOT designed for surfing I was ok with what was happening, heck most would not be out in this stuff anyway!
The boat is steerable in the surf with good technique.Other than my own induced problems( too small scupper system in tank well) the boat did quite well.I'm glad I had the thigh straps to keep me in contact with the deck going out thru the surf, I tried it once without them and had no boat control. when reaching the crest of the wave and starting on the down side the boat seemed to just drop out from underneath me.
It's a good boat, for sure! These conditions are at the upper limit for crabbing so I'm happy with this crab yak!!
I would also like to mention safety -- the 3 of us paddling are all experienced , we all had on dry suits & life jackets, we could see the USCG station where we were, lol, and had vhf radios.
altho I only got a few "keepers" the crab yak is one big keeper.
Tim
crabyak
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Type of boat I like: Wadefish 2.0
Location: Northern California

Re: Wadefish 15-27 for crabbing

Post by crabyak »

another update-
started the painting phase today, applied first coat of primer, one more after that tomorrow. Then on to the bottom white with a green top stripe . Varnish on the stained decks and IF I can find it , a grey for the cockpit area.
I've decided to fabricate up a different trap holder of PVC pipe for the tank well and fasten a piece of clear lexan on top to keep waves out of the tank well. I did go hog wild drilling out more drains. lol Looking back I probably would have just eliminated the tank well and installed a large hatch instead. We'll see later on.
The 2 cockpit drains work very well without the one way valves.Those will be for calm days for sure.
The boat does squat with 4 traps inn the tank well area. I'm thinking of maybe moving 2 forward of my feet, this may work better for days when the surf gets active.
I do need to move the aft attachment point of the thigh straps more inboard.The plan is to use them to also center me in the boat. I mounted the fwd strap attachment point just aft of my ankle. This allows me to use the thigh strap as a foot brace and it is easily adjustable.anyway I just wouldn't paddle a SOT without them in more challenging conditions. So next time out the plan is to do some rolls in this thing. could be fun!
Tim
Wadefish 2.0
Chesapeake 14
Chesapeake 17LT
Night Heron S&G
Shearwater 14 LV
PAX 20
jem
Site Admin
Posts: 4915
Joined: Fri Jun 18, 2004 8:14 pm
Type of boat I like: Wooden
Location: Greensboro, NC
Contact:

Re: Wadefish 15-27 for crabbing

Post by jem »

crabyak wrote:Finished Hull weight 48 lbs. the extra stick on stuff is only the thigh braces and the seat, and the holder for the crab traps.
48 pounds is awesome! That's at the way-low end.
-Matt. Designer.
crabyak
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Nov 19, 2012 3:52 pm
Type of boat I like: Wadefish 2.0
Location: Northern California

Re: Wadefish 15-27 for crabbing

Post by crabyak »

MATT; yup , light and strong.
no secrets, also you must remember I used you BlueFin cockpit design on this Wadefish.
I also fabricated up 90 degree bond plates instead of using quarter round.
I married up the ply so as to almost eliminate any excess use of filler.
Biggest thing is I applied the cloth on a 85 degree F. day.
I pre covered all inside components prior to installing in hull.
and most important I used 4 mm okoume ply. I use this stuff on my sea kayaks and it's wicked strong when used intelligently.
Your designs are pretty sweet. I'm entered in a crabbing kayak event next weekend, limited to 100 kayaks. I'll be showing off my kayak , your design at that time. I'll put pics on my FB page.
Tim
Wadefish 2.0
Chesapeake 14
Chesapeake 17LT
Night Heron S&G
Shearwater 14 LV
PAX 20
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