Homemade gaff & Harpoon (winter project)

[BigWaterBigFish]

so the girlfriend is getting signed up for her second welding class - she did just a great job on a trellis she made for my house, quite handy with the plasma cutter and bender - so we were thinking, if someone wanted to make a homemade gaff and harpoon for halibut - what kind of metal/rod would we use, what would we make the tip/head from ... I have a nice standard for the harpoon, some yachter lost a nice flag post (2 1/2" by 3' of teak) last year and I found floating while trolling. Has any Salty Dogs made their own ? Advise on type of metal/rod ? Pattern for harpoon head ?

[Jason S]

I don't have any pictures but I bought the head because it is the style I like for my harpoon and made the handle myself.

These are the heads I use because, they are sharpenable, and also you can hit it almost anywhere besides the stomach and they do not pull out. Also you do not have to punch it all the way through and still have it hold.

http://www.blueoceantackle.com/harpoon_darts.jpg

They have held for me on fish up to 150# and my father in law the last two years has speared two fish over 200#.

The handle is out of teak with hand rubbed oil and I wrapped it with double half hitches like the Boswains Mates in the Navy did on handrails.

As to Gaffs I do the same thing buy the head and use my own handle and wrap.

[Bait O' Eggs]

Has any Salty Dogs made their own ?

[Flush Release]

Has any Salty Dogs made their own

Inconel 625 for the tip and 316 SS for the shaft.

(316 also works well for the tip, I just had some Inc 625 laying around.

The Inconel 625 harpoon tips make good center punches too.

[Ducks4jimm]

Flush, how many guys have Inconel 625 laying around?
Titanium works pretty well, too.

[Flush Release]

[BigWaterBigFish]

funny thing is, I had no clue what Inconel 625 was but the girlfriend new immediately ... Thanks!

[Flush Release]

If ya get down to Salem I can show you a few Ideas about them. I think I still have a bit of 625 laying around.

[Bait O' Eggs]

Last year I had some Aluminum rod, and I made some Harpoons out of aluminum because it was quick and easy and the season was upon us when I was doing it. Each time they got dropped on the deck point first they were no longer sharp They touched up quick and easy with a file, and I had no problem with them working.

This winter I have made some out of Stainless, they are much tougher and will work fine.

There is fancier stuff out there, its harder to work but it sounds like she has some access to some quality tools.

No matter what its made of, odds are somebody is gonna drop it over the side of the boat and no matter what it is made of, it will probably sink

You can see the rant thread by Corrirod about those that think you need the latest greatest gucci equipment to catch a fish. Standard steel will work, it will get rusty and need cleaned up before each trip, but it will work.

[Flush Release]

You can see the rant thread by Corrirod about those that think you need the latest greatest gucci equipment to catch a fish.

Did I make the list that Rod was reffering too

The Inconel 625 was "scrap metal" from a paying job and only cost the broken tooling to make. They are also attached to floats so they won't go away.

A good serviceable harpoon head can be cheaply built using a 5/8" 316 SS bolt. The real cost comes in the handle and shaft.

No mater what they are made out of the head should be attached to a float and the handle to a cleat.

[DriftR]

I bought the harpoon tips from a Salty Dog and used a fiberglass replacement handle for a shovel for the harpoon handle. Stuffed the handle full of foam. Epoxied in a base with receiver for the threaded tip, thus making the handle air and water tight. It floats and is bright yellow to boot. The handle came with attached neoprene for a grip. Used some small diameter stainless steel cable looped to a float. It flexes and can take some punishment. Works fine and dandy. Am thinking about tying a lanyard around the handle grip for added protection so once the tip is stuck and free a slight crack or hole in my handle won't sink it.

[blubeast]

Threemuch has fabbed harpoon tips and shafts for many of the Dogs here. Suggest you contact him directly via pm for suggestions.

The one's he made for me have worked great on lots of halibuts. Thanks again Kurt!