Rocket Launcher redesign

[Bait O' Eggs]

Ed didnt do me any favors when he put the rocket launchers on the boat. I told him at time of order I needed several more rocket launchers than he typically puts on a boat. Looking back I should have given him a sketch of exactly where I wanted them. I think there was a lack of communication between Ed and his welders. On one of the weekly inspection trips of the boat being built I noticed I had the standard set of 6 rocket launchers on top of the boat.

I point this out and I am told no problem he will fix it. The following week I show up and see I have 11 rocket launchers. But they were pretty close together, and I see the original 6 are where they were, and one was added between each of the 6 giving me a total of 11.

I notice the rocket launchers look pretty small in diameter and point that out. Ed grabs a couple rods and low and behold the rods wont fit in the launchers, the pipe was to small of diamater to accept a rod. I was wishing I noticed that last week, when I asked for more.

Ed tells me he will fix it up, not to worry. I show up a week later and find it looking like this.





I had not problem with the 11 larger sized rocket launchers, but wished they were a bit more spread out, reels rubbed on each other, 5 inched between launchers is not quite enough.

I didnt notice right off that when Ed cut the smaller ones off he didnt cut them off flush with the top of the boat, he left a 1-2 inch stubb cut on a bad angle, all jagged, and slid a piece of large pipe over it and welded those in place. The stubs in the bottom of the rocket launchers liked to marr up the butt caps on my rods

(more to come)

[Bait O' Eggs]

The stubbs looked like this



and have been a thorn in my side since I found them in the bottom of the rocket launchers.

I cut them off and ground the top of the cabin down flush like this. About half way thru this modification, I understood why Ed didnt do it, it was a PIA to cut the stuffs off and not mess up the top of the cabin, I just went slow.




I never knew till I got the lauchers off the top of the cabin for Ed to get the larger launchers on the stubbs he had to lathe out some of the launchers so they would fit. Seems like a lot more work than cutting the stubbs off, but Ed has his own method of doing things




Wanting more launchers I decided on a double row with more spacing between them. This is the mock of the design.




I was going to leave the launchers a bit off the top of the cabin and put a pin in the bottom so the rods didnt rest on top of the cabin. I drilled and welded 5/16 inch pins in the bottom of the launchers and ground them down flush.






(more to come)

[Bait O' Eggs]

Then I took and welded 10 sets of launchers across the top of the boat today. It was kinda dark when I got down but looks like this now.




On the sides of the cabin where it slopes I have 6 inches between them side to side, a full inch more than Ed gave me, and I have 9 inches on the center section. I had to work around the cabin supports and thats what worked out. I have 7 inches between the rows of launchers.



I wish I could weld like Ragnar, but I do what I do, and have no concern with them falling off. At least you cant tell my welds from Eds.

Total count is 20 launchers

I still have to weld on the brackets for the radio antenna, gps antenna, anchor light and few other things. But I am getting close to having this project done.

The launchers were on a 45 degree angle making casting hard with the rod tips over your head. I put them on a 20 degree angle now it will make casting much easier.

[Pilar]

Weld, Roy, Weld.

[Mark Mc]

Hey Roy maybe you can contract out your work to Ed.

Or start the "Edwing post-purchase correction company."

[fortywinks]

Krickey, Mate!! You got 20 rods and reels to fill those for Tuners? And here I thought you were a hand-line kinda guy. What happened?

Good thing you only have Ed's welders to own up to. Tom would have a fit if you got close to Rich's beer can with a welder. OMG!



Nice job. Save me a seat.

[Something Good]

Looks awesome! I wish I had ordered my boat with a second set of rocket launchers.

[Metal Manipulator]

Wow that is some rough stuff. Ed must use trout rods to fish with. As some one told me a while back it takes 2-3 years to make your boat worthy of a fishing machine. Spend a few boat bucks each year and soon you have a boat you are confortable in. One more year year Roy and you should have her done.

[StickFish]

I'm sure BOE can fill the rod holders - heck I'm new at this and I'll have 1/2 dozen ready to go by next July and I'm what Roy would call a low mileage unit.

Only thing I might have suggested was to off set the first and second row so that the second row could be accessed a little easier without reaching around the first row - course that means less rods which doesn't meet the design criteria.

Now if I can just get that flag off his antenna

[crabbait]

Hey Hedgehog, nice setta launchers ya got there!

[Onokai]

I complete re-do on a newer Ed wing I'm shocked.
These new ones look just right for launching some huge bottle rockets-I've got just the ones to try. we can lite them all at once with several torches. Mark

[Tower Todd]

One other thing you may like to consider is a mount for a center rigger. It can be useful for tuna fishing. Looks good.

[skein]

But............

Will they hold a flyrod?

The original six seems to work pretty well for me. Obviously I am VERY boring.


Skein

[Tinman]

I can't help noticing that two years ago, the posts were mostly about handlines...and now they are about rod holders. This is a good thing.

[tracker]

Sure wish you could weld some up to my fiberglass boat for me! Looking good!

[fishbait]

Very Nice

[crabbait]

Originally Posted by tracker

Sure wish you could weld some up to my fiberglass boat for me! Looking good!

No problem, Tracker, just drag that piece of plastic down here and us Edwing guys will go to work! We'll cut aluminum pipe into 15" pieces, get them red hot they will stay most anywhere you stick them.

We'll have that thing looking like grandmas birthday cake in no time!

[Joe Schwab]

Man that is one sweet looking rack of rocket launchers! It would put any of the Alaska 6 packers to shame.

You can never have too many places to rack a rod on an offshore boat.

[corrirod]

Originally Posted by Tinman

I can't help noticing that two years ago, the posts were mostly about handlines...and now they are about rod holders. This is a good thing.

You'll still find blue cord with me wherever I go Tinman! Viva handlines baby!

Now if they'd just make them legal for salmon and halibut I'd be set.

[Pilar]

Blue cord rocks.

[philinak]

I could not view the pictures of your rocket launchers? I didn't have Ed put any rod holders when I had my boat built in 2005. I'm thinking about adding some this winter and I'm looking for some ideas. I have my radar up front and was thinking about making a combo radar arch/rod holder on the back of the cabin. Any info/pictures would be greatly appreciated. You can email me at: philip_richards@fishgame.state.ak.us


Thanks,
Phil
Juneau, AK

[backlash442]

Personally I don't think you can ever have enough. Is it hard to get the second row of rods out?

Looking at the original work about the only thing that comes to mind is "Mickey Mouse". It must be a great handling boat otherwise how could the guy stay in business. I think he could learn a thing or two from BOE.

[Metal Manipulator]

One thing I've seen is that there are no boats set for fishing the way we do it. One nice thing about a basic boat is that you can set it up the way you want it.
It is so nice to have this forum to banter around ideas giving us the best options for our own endever, -Fishing the Salt-.

[Fish-a-Holic]

Roy,

Looking good! I went down (he lives around the corner) and checked them out. Really nice set up. On my partners boat, his launchers are close like Roy's used to be and all my nice new Daiwa Saltist Reels carry a little road rash from fishing with BOE and Chase-n-Tail.

I sometimes really wonder if these guys building boats ever freaking fish out of them. There are things I would change on every single one. Maybe somone ought to start building true custom boats. Now wouldn't that be interesting.

Nice job Roy!

[corrirod]

Originally Posted by Fish-a-Holic

Maybe somone ought to start building true custom boats. Now wouldn't that be interesting.

They already do but there aren't enough people who can afford them.

The easiest boats to customize are the metal ones but labor costs and viable markets make it very hard to stay in business. Although our specific needs in a boat are important, our "market" is quite small in the scheme of things. It's a boat builder's never ending nightmare. Yeah sure, they could take everyone's feedback and make the killer boat but how many people have $200,000+ to spend? So which options do you take out to make it affordable? What's left by the time you get down to the "common man's" price range of $30K-$40K? Answer: Not much. With the cost of motors today and the increasing costs of metal it's almost hard to believe they can even make a boat that floats at that price, let alone one that has all the great amenities.

I'm not siding with the boat manufacturers but I do understand the business side of things. Believe you me, I of all people would love to have the "perfect" boat but that ain't happening. I'm looking, and when I find it I'll be rich, but for now we'll all have to make sacrifices, either in options or pocket book.

The possibilities of your next boat can be limitless............. if your checking account is also limitless. :tongue: :tongue:

If you're like me, who really can't afford a NEW boat, then you're going to have to wait not only for the perfect boat to be made but for the first or second owner to depreciate it down enough that you can buy it.

[WaterDog]

There are a few real custom boat builders around if you want a metal boat. Not real sure about a glass boats. The boat will cost more but you do get a boat that is completely made to your specs. It could be cheaper in the long run depending on how many boats you’ll have gone through to finally get to “the one”. A custom boat takes a lot of time however. Your not going to get a boat in 6 weeks, could be as long as year. And if it’s a truly “custom” boat, you’ll need to spend a lot of time working with builder during the build. I’m pretty sure you could get something for around $80K to100K but even at that cost it’s out of the reach of most.

I think good ol’ Ed missed the boat when he was building these 23’ Edwings. Adding a few custom features would have taken these boats to the next level. But then again, if he had done that, it wouldn’t be an Edwing.

[edsr]

Ha, Ha, that Roy has got you all fooled. Those are not rod holders. Roy installed a pipe organ in the cabin. Yeesh, who needs 20 rod holders?

[Pilar]

The only custom fishing boat most of us can really afford is a used one. Then you just have to find one with most of the stuff you want.

Or ... buy a boat and change it.

Can't the manufacturers get the basics though?

under deck fish box
redundant power, fuel and electrical
large cockpit
and you name it.

Nice rod holders, BOE.

[WaterDog]

Edsr - you've fished with Roy before. You know he has to be prepared to catch everything from sea bass to humpbacks.

"This boat has never gone into port without any fish, and we aint gonna start now!'

You can never have too many holders.

The thing I like is you can't tell the difference between Roy's work and Ed's.

[backlash442]

I think it's easier to build a custom alum. boat from the hull up than it is a glass boat. I can see having a glass boat customized from the hull up but not building a new hull. Way to much work in building the molds etc. You'd be hitting over a couple hundred grand in a 25' boat before the hull was even done.

Now days I don't think you can even touch a semi custom boat in the 25' range (glass) for less than 100k. I think even Sea Swirl with a diesel is pushing close to that amount.

Out of curiousity who many of you Salty Dogs run a boat with a diesel?

[Bait O' Eggs]

I appreciate the comments, the good comments and the off color comments

Its easy for me to rip on Ed because I have cleaned up some of his messes, but to be honest with you, I really like the boat, it does what I want it to do and it was the only new boat within my price range.

Waterdog is correct, Ed could have taken his hull and just made a few modifications to the interior, had a couple options besides 2 fuel tank sizes and had a boat he could really have sold.

A below deck fish box would have been a nice option, along with a bit more fit and finish, and some simple creature comforts like a cup holder

2 years ago I paid Ed less than $20K for the boat when the welding was done, including windows, 100 gallon fuel tank, battery switch, Racor fuel filter, wash down system, Hydraulic steering system, motor bolted to the boat and 4 foot seat boxes. By the time I was done adding power (honda 225), trailer, wiring, 2 batteries, electronics (gps, chart plotter, depthfinder, radar, vhf) , 2 air ride seats, rod holders, trolling motor (T8) I was in the very low $40's. Nobody could provide me as much boat for what I paid. But to get to that price I did the wiring myself, mounted all the equipment, installed the steering system, etc... I bought a new 2 year old counter rotator motor which Honda was closing out for a smoking deal.

I had to reinstall the windows so they didnt leak Re upholstery the seat boxes so they fit in the boat recut the deck boards so they actually fit and a few more of those fit and finish things that are not available :grin:

I have been banging away making modifications for 2 years now, adding things here and there, and making it more useful. This rocket launcher was a fairly large modification and probably the last big thing I see myself doing.

I have more time than I have money, and dont mind doing these things myself because I get them the way I want them, or at least close.

A few modifications to the outriggers I made last summer, and I will be ready to kill a few hundred tuna next year.

Its a fishing boat and I like to treat it like one, I dont have the desire to baby something that cant take the dock out when you bump into it

As Crabbait told me, he could have taken the difference between what others paid for an aluminum boat, and what he paid, he could have tuck and rolled leather thruout the interior.

[crabbait]

Originally Posted by Pilar

Can't the manufacturers get the basics though?

under deck fish box
redundant power, fuel and electrical
large cockpit
and you name it.

They did, brudda...

...heavy on the "you name it".

[Fish-a-Holic]

I guess I didn't really mean custom. Its more like the little problems Roy had with his Wing, and the small problems we have had with our new boat. You just wonder do the builders ever fish their own boats.

Pilar, you nailed it, Cant they even get the basics right?

Our new boat (manufacturer not given to start a rave thread) has smoke glass for the windshield. Ever tried crossing the bar at 4:00 am with smoke windows. How the heck do you see? I can put sunglasses on in the day, put its hard to remove the smoke!!

The fish box is aluminum, and will hold a gaggle of fish, but its uninsulated. There is plenty of space surrounding it to spray foam in for insulation. Why the heck would you put in a huge fish box that just lets the fish boil on hot aluminum?

Its like Roys Rocket Launchers. Hasn't Ed ever taken one of his boats over the bar and fished all day to return to port with reels with road rash from bashing together in his launchers?

Its just the little stuff that makes me so crazy!

Go figure.

[crabbait]

Ed is a pilot. All his extra time and money go into his airplane.

[TheRogue]

Roy must have a power-assist step ladder to get up that high in the air to grab anything off them rocket launchers?