Skein buys a boat!

[skein]

Okay, I finally did it. I ordered a new boat, but before I tell you the particulars, I have to give credit to Crabbait who worked through many of the details with me - ahead of me, actually - and placed his own order a couple of weeks ago. My boat is pretty much a copy of his. Thanks, CB.

As for me, I've had more jitters buying this boat than any other boat I've ever bought. I must be getting older and more cautious. (Nah) Why should a guy worry about buying a boat he's never ridden in, so he can catch a fish he's never fished for, farther out in the ocean than he's ever gone before. I mean, what's the Big Deal???

So here's the particulars:

23ft Ed Wing VEC (cabin model)
140 4-stroke Suzuki
100 gal Fuel
Outboard bracket with full swim platform
Dual station
Air-ride seats
Bench seats
Anchor system
Tandem axle galvanized trailer w/ surge brakes



Not exactly the prettiest boat on the water, but I think one that is tough and sea-worthy.

He can't start on it until probably May, with a completion date of middle to late June. Looks like halibut may be over by then, but hopefully I can get the shake-down done in time for Tuna!!! I agree with Mr. Fisherman though, it has to be right.

Thanks to everyone who sweated me through this and answered my questions and kept me pointed in the right direction. I plan on being a complete basket-case when the sun comes out and the seas finally flatten out - and my boat is still being built. I already can't wait!

Skein

[Mr. Fisherman]

HOORAY!
Congratulations!
Bring on the blood bath!
Have you started shopping for boat jewlery yet?
Can you tell us what it ran you? Email me if ya like...

Can't wait to see you out there :smile:

[ 02-21-2003, 10:35 AM: Message edited by: Mr. Fisherman ]

[id. painter]

Way to go Skein. That looks like a nice ride. Id be willing to bet that you wont miss the old boat much, if at all. Congrats. id. p.

[Cutter]

Congraduations Skein, looks like it's going to be a really nice boat. Just need to add a few tuna to it.

[corrirod]

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

I'll save you a seat for Hali's if I can make it.

[kenai]

Way to go Jim! Cant wait to see it in action, I'll trade you a FB trip in mine for a tuna trip in yours?

[Ramstrong]

Wow, everyone is getting an offshore boat. Maybe I'll be able to thumb a ride with someone this summer. Congrats Skein, looks like a sweet ride. I've seen puffin in action and it's a fish killer.

[Pitch Pocket]

Skein, she's plenty pretty. You won't be disappointed.

[Bait O' Eggs]

Congradulations on the new ride.

I was talking to crabbait last night and he seemed pretty stoked waiting for his boat.

I cant afford one of them rides, :depressed: .............. [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img] might be time to take some heliarc classes at the local college, buy a fancy welder, find a big enough shop to assemble a 24 foot +/- boat, buy some aluminum and start the process or building my own version so I can slay some tuna. hmmmmmmm...... I got boat envy

[PeterMac]

Congrats Skein!!! :grin:

Someday PeterMac, someday....

PeterMac

[Myles]

waaaahhh!!! I want one!!
You are gonna share right? You use it one week, me the next? [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img]

Congrats, it looks like a perfect ocean/tuna chaser.
I'll have to send you a cigar when your new baby gets delivered.

myles

[WaterDog]

Congrats!! Looks like a beauty to me. This summer will be one your going to remember for a long time. Every trip will be an adventure.

:smile:

[Uglygreen]

I want a ride! Sheesh, we could put that one on the trailer and head for San Carlos!

Nice boat Skein!

UG

[8knots]

Congratulations! I keep going back and looking at the little picture. It looks comfortable, seaworthy and no-nonsense. Almost makes me want to sell my boat to go for one like yours. With a 100 gallons and the 140 Suzuki you should have terrific range and peace of mind. Questions.... How much does it weigh? Does it come with rod holders built on/in? Does it have a built in fish hold, other built in storage? How thick is the hull? For the most part, other than a kicker and electronics does it need anything else, or is it good-to-go? How does it compare pricewise to other boats of its caliber? Thanks, expiring minds want to know.

[Birdnest]

Skein,

Congrats on the new boat. I love a boat that looks like it has a healthy work ethic to it. What good is form without function? I am sure this will bring your family endless hours of fun.

With all the blood you will be spilling, I hope you opted for the extra heavy duty tunaholic freshwater washdown system.

Birdnest

Skein----->

[Sensei-san]

Good for you Skein!!!!!

Why so small on the fuel??? I thought this was a tuna boat. No self respecting tuna boat has less than 150 gallons. Even more is better. Lets see.... I think that is Maui I see over the horizon.....

[Chaps]

You are buying an ultra-low maintenance package there Skein and Edwin will do you right. I've enjoyed mine for the last 4-5 years and it is one heck of a boat for the $$. If there is anything I would do different would be to have done my own DC wiring at the helm (which I eventually re-did) and a better fuel filter/water separator system (which I also eventually added). Also, Edwin makes his fuel tanks in the shop and they are great but mine had lots of grit and aluminum shavings that caused some problems so I would stress to him that you want the tanks squeaky clean before they are installed. Other than that its been absolutely bullet-proof. It's not going to have the gloss of fiberglass or the finish of a high dollar sled but for absolute usefullness you made the right call.

btw - my 21' CC is still available! see the ads

[fishwhenican]

Nice boat Skein, I think 100 gallon of fuel would be good. Maybe not Maui, but launch in Seattle and cruise the Queen Charlotte Islands (shakedown run, catch a few salmon) :tongue:

[ 02-21-2003, 06:15 PM: Message edited by: fishwhenican ]

[Chaps]

I agree, the 100 gals fuel will be plenty . . . you'll probably get about 4 mpg with that Suzuki . . . unless of course you add about 1000 lbs of tuna flesh 80 miles out and you've been gone for 2 days . . . then you need to start worrying!

[Lepper]

Just out of curiosity how much is this going to set ya back?
dave

[RJ]

congrats Skein , looks like a slayin station to me

[GutshotApe]

Skein - Sounds & looks like a great boat......you aren't planning any extended trips in the Queen Charlotte Strait/Blackfish Sound area are you?

Jeez....I'm jealous.....

[crabbait]

Skein e-mailed me and asked that I join in, since our boats are practically identical (I am seriously considering a Yamaha or Honda 225hp as opposed to the 140hp...talk me out of it). By the way, the boat in the picture is a 21' with a transom mount motor. Ours are two feet longer and the motor sits on the back of the swim step (no splash board to hog up space).

In answer to some of your questions:

- The hull is 1/4" aluminum, no extruded chine like the typical jet sled. All welds are two sided...welded inside and outside. The boat has no drain plug as the deck sits above the water line. Two large scuppers drain the rear deck. The door to the cabin is raised and water on the rear deck would simply push the door closed against a rubber gasket then run out the back.

-Steering is hydraulic and the rear station has a raised seat allowing you to sit and fish with good visibility over the top of the cabin. I plan to put a 9.9 Yamaha high-thrust kicker on mine, electric start and tilt with steering coupled to the big motor and throttle controls at the rear helm station.

-Interior seats six with two air-seats. A propane furnace resides under the port bench seat, Can be run without the engine running so you could pre-heat the cabin with the boat still on the trailer if you want. Benches convert to a bed.

-Storage under the bench seats and in a very large compartment in the bow (Ed said that he and I could both get in there). A commercial grade rear hatch with water tight seal and dogs accesses below decks. The compartment is ventilated, has considerable storage and is home to the dual batteries.

-Built in rod holders are available but I elected to mount them on the rails for versatility. There is a break in the rails at the rear corners for downrigger mounts (Scotty electrics?).

-I have already ordered the fuel manager you guys talked about last week and picked up a Lowrance LCX-16ci color fishfinder for her. I think I may add the GPS feature for another $269 as a backup. I will put a separate GPS unit in..with a numerical keypad (suggestions?). I have one VHF radio for her and will add another for the rear helm station plus a battery operated back-up (already have a battery operated GPS back-up).

What else? Oh yeah..the price. Looks like roughly $33K with the Suzuki or $40k with the Yamaha, plus the price of the kicker.

Shopping the "name" boats I don't think you can come close for less than $50-55K. Ed builds these boats to Coast Gaurd commercial specs. His main business seems to be tough work boats for commercial applications.


Who is going to give me the best deal on a the Yamaha outboards? What about Honda?

Mine will be christened the "Sculpin" cuz she is ugly as a bullhead and just about as tough!

Drop me an e-mail and I will shoot you a copy of the invoice.


PS: there are pictures of Ed Wing leaning on 21' basic hull that he was building into a console boat and a 38' twin diesel he built on the "Whats yer Boat" thread, page 2.

[ 02-21-2003, 10:50 PM: Message edited by: crabbait ]

[Chum King]

Mucho mucho awesome Mr. Skein.

Looks like you'll be having a very fine ride once she's finished and delivered.

Congratulations

Crabbait, thanks for the detailed rundown. They sound like one great boat. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

[Grantspastor]

Skein...that is a magnificent boat! HOWEVER...seems I remember from a previous thread that you ALREADY have more than one boat. Part of recovery from addiction is to admit you have the problem and then get help.

Skein I'm here for you. Send me...say.. one or two... of your older boats. It's not I PERSONALLY want them, you understand. I'm just trying to do my Pastoral duty.

[ 02-21-2003, 12:07 PM: Message edited by: Grantspastor ]

[OceanBlue]

Yaaay! Congrats! You're gonna love her!

[skein]

Pitch,

I still think the SeaSports are some of the prettiest (form, function, frills) boats I have ever seen. It's those extra Boat Bucks that kept me away.

Grantspastor,

You bring tears to my eyes with your concern. Yes, I have too many boats - no, wait, scratch that. I have a few boats, and like I tell my wife, "Honey, one of these days I'm gonna sell one of these and fix your house up real nice!"

Uh...I'm thinking about naming it "Kitchen Money." Has that been taken? She's thinking it should be "Irish Wake" since I think she's planning one if I don't part with one of my floaters by then. But you know, as a kid, I never had nuthin....

Skein

[ 02-21-2003, 09:30 PM: Message edited by: skein ]

[Orca]

Very nice. Just about the unit I am looking at for the next upgrade.

We should still have some Halibut to catch in August, so I will be ready to see her in action (or maybe experience it first hand). And, the chinook action is predicted to be better than last year, and it was very good in Aug/Sep.

[Spoiled Daddy]

Congrats !

Of course, we will want pics as soon as she sits in the water the first time!

SD

[will_e_fish]

skein- Any boat that can take you out to TUNA Town is very pretty if not excellent! SO are we gonna see a Naming Contest? I'll bet after your shake down you grin from ear to ear. Again good for you.

[Chaps]

Crabbait - IMO your guys new boats could easily handle more power but a 225 4 stroke on a bracket would have your scuppers close to the waterline. It'd be better if you were hanging it directly on the transom but I agree that having a closed transom is neat. If you got Edwin to build the entire swimstep as a beam width fully bouyant extension of the hull then you would be OK IMO, especially if you were thinking of hanging a kicker alongside of it. You might still be able to pick up 2002 Honda 225's for $14k if they have any left. Another option would be to get one of the new Suzuki 200's as they say they will be quite a bit lighter than Yam or Honda 225's.

[ 02-22-2003, 08:47 PM: Message edited by: Mugwump ]

[crabbait]

I thought about that Mug. I wonder when the Suzukis will be available?

[Sturgeon Tom]

Crabbit, It looks like you guys really bought some fish getting machines. They look like real work horses that will really get the job done. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

If you want the best price on the Honda 9.9 High Thrust go to Sport Craft Marina in Oregon City. When I bought one I called everyone who sells them and they had the best price. They were real nice people and when I needed help after my accident they were very helpful.

Maby I can catch a ride on a halibut or tuna trip this year. That would be a blast.

[Chaps]

. . . from what I understand they will be available mid-summer but a Suzuki or Johnson dealer would have a better idea.

[FishBowl]

Skein you must have one heck of a lady to let you nuture those addictions of your's [img]graemlins/hearton.gif[/img] Congrats on the fishing machine and when you tow it through Lebanon just drive by Kari Place so I can cuss ya when I am on my way to work
Nice ride
Tim

[Backlash2]

Hey Crabbait,

If you are serious about looking into a Honda for the back of your new toy, the best deal to be had is at Allen Marine in Salem(I think). Between three buddies and myself we've done a lot of motor shopping the last two years. Every motor purchased was a Honda from Allen Marine. The best prices anywhere in the northwest, and first class service. The guy you want to talk to is Brad Amenetti. As of the Sportman's show, he had one 225HP left and he told us he would mount it on the boat for $14,500. That is a smoking deal, but maybe it was because he's sold us $38,000 in motors the last two years :grin:

[fishnxtc]

You boy's will be very happy. I've fished out of a 22ft Edwing many times those boats are built to take about anything you throw at it.............
Chris

[crabbait]

Thanks, Backlash. I will check it out!

[Fishplay]

Congrats to both of you!
Now if I can sell my Maxweld (listed in Boats & Tackle) I will be joining you two. :grin: