Breaking in the new ride. LJ 10/14 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

10-14-2013, 10:35 PM

So, having dove into the sport of spearfishing, and having friends who always have broken boats, I took it upon myself to buy a vessel worthy of some offshore diving. Whether it be the Islands, or paddy hopping. This 24 ft Skipjack with twin engines and a bitchin' teak swim step seemed to fit the bill.

I bought her two weeks ago, knowing she needed some love. It's a strong hull, with solid volvos. The reassuring thing was, the guy who owned it before me had it for over 10 years, which means it's been fished and abused, but to keep it fishing, it had to be taken care of.

On the maiden voyage, we were experiencing some overheating issues intermittent between both engines. With the help of my good bud Robfish, we just overhauled the engines, attacking all the usual suspects. Thermostats, intake hoses for air leaks, sea strainers, impellers, spark plugs, new oil and new fuel.

I launched with my buddy at 5am this morning to do a quick sea trial and see how she was doing. I knew I had to be trailered and off the water by 9 to make it to school, but that didn't stop us from tossing a ziplock of some leftover summer squid in the boat, one rod each and heading straight for La Jolla.

I haven't wired up my Lowrance yet, but when you start to put together the pieces, eventually you don't need to rely on your GPS marks as much as you thought you did when you dropped $749 on that piece of plastic.

We knew the best bet was find the loose kelp close to lobster bouys somewhere around what looked to be off some sort of familiar landmark off the coast.

On the first lobster buoy, we dropped our squid, and instant hook ups. It took only a few minutes to hit our limit of Boccaccio (2each, although I read on spearboard it's now three?) and a few Vermillion each.

All in all, a great day, A quick cooler with some fish to feed the friends and neighbors tonight, the boat ran very well and the seas were extremely calm. We were doing 32 knots the whole way home.

And no, I won't be giving up the plastic

The reds were between 3-5lbers. Hardly any dinks.

Deamon · 10-15-2013, 04:42 AM

Big mistake...a Skippy w maroon canvas on top of its rocket launchers? That's going to be sooo easy to spot. Thank you for the detailed photo. You're gonna have a blue Hobie follow you around from spot to spot like a fly on sheet.

Neil man, is this THE spot?...Hey bro, can I have a beer?...Neil! DUDE, I gotta drop the kids off really bad, can I jump on?...Got extra bait buddy?

RobFish · 10-15-2013, 05:52 AM

So stoked for you and your new boat. It truly is a fine machine.
Always glad to help spin wrenches and be a part of the adventure.
Fish On!!!

easyday · 10-15-2013, 06:47 AM

Awesome new boat man.:beer:

makobob · 10-15-2013, 08:13 AM

Congratulations, Skippys are a hard boat to beat, enjoy her.

Old Man in the Sea · 10-15-2013, 08:57 AM

Drake's "Islander" kayak service is now open for business...

wiredantz · 10-15-2013, 09:19 AM

MOTHERSHIP TRIP IN THE MAKING!!!!

blitzburgh · 10-15-2013, 11:17 AM

Nice man! Let me know when you need a boat Ho.

dmrides · 10-15-2013, 10:59 AM

Looks like a sweet ride! Congrats

10-15-2013, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Man in the Sea

Drake's "Islander" kayak service is now open for business...

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiredantz

MOTHERSHIP TRIP IN THE MAKING!!!!

The plans for Kayak racks are already in the making. We would like to be able to fit 4. It's going to take some engineering but we will make it work. The only thing is i have no more space to keep the racks when I'm not using them

Thanks everyone else for the comments.

Yes Jim, this is that "spot"

wiredantz · 10-15-2013, 01:59 PM

if we make it out of PVC, we can just collapse it, and store it in our garage.

i can just imagine.. we are going to reinvent: Gilligan's Island

Deamon · 10-15-2013, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiredantz

if "we" make it out of PVC, "we" can just collapse it, and store it in "our" garage.

Go Frank!

wiredantz · 10-15-2013, 02:07 PM

Ahhh what the Heck... just toss me a tow line... We will put the 5mph Speed limit on my X-factor to the test!

Its going to be an epic ride....

The Freediver · 10-16-2013, 09:44 PM

very nice Neil! Way to break her in.

GregAndrew · 10-17-2013, 05:31 AM

It is not broken in until the decks are bloody. Swimstep blood is only an option. No skunky smell to that boat though!!

BrokeLoser · 10-23-2013, 09:25 PM

Drake,
You already have this thing for sale? Looks like you picked up another vessel...what did you end up getting?

10-23-2013, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrokeLoser

Drake,
You already have this thing for sale? Looks like you picked up another vessel...what did you end up getting?

It's a secret. Lets just say that boat has a well known rep on this forum

Deamon · 10-24-2013, 07:07 AM

Neil's new boat has killed MANY halibut. He merely needs to point the boat to a general area and this boat zero's in on hot spots all on its own. Besides, there are gps locations with hand written notes that the previous owner either left for Neil or mistakenly forgot to erase them. Big mistake previous owner...

lamb · 10-24-2013, 07:55 AM

Hey, I told Derek - we can leave the GPS numbers, but that would quadruple her price tag

Hope she serves you guys well

SDROB · 10-24-2013, 09:52 AM

Wow congrats Drake! That is gonna be one serious fish killing machine. You just got me pumped. I also just picked up a Skipjack 20 last month with similar plans! Ive been spending my weekends getting it ready. There is endless possibilities! Sounds like I need a buddy named Robfish too!
Once again Congrats! Please keep us posted on the progress!

10-14-2013, 10:35 PM	#1
Drake Guest Posts: n/a	Breaking in the new ride. LJ 10/14 So, having dove into the sport of spearfishing, and having friends who always have broken boats, I took it upon myself to buy a vessel worthy of some offshore diving. Whether it be the Islands, or paddy hopping. This 24 ft Skipjack with twin engines and a bitchin' teak swim step seemed to fit the bill. I bought her two weeks ago, knowing she needed some love. It's a strong hull, with solid volvos. The reassuring thing was, the guy who owned it before me had it for over 10 years, which means it's been fished and abused, but to keep it fishing, it had to be taken care of. On the maiden voyage, we were experiencing some overheating issues intermittent between both engines. With the help of my good bud Robfish, we just overhauled the engines, attacking all the usual suspects. Thermostats, intake hoses for air leaks, sea strainers, impellers, spark plugs, new oil and new fuel. I launched with my buddy at 5am this morning to do a quick sea trial and see how she was doing. I knew I had to be trailered and off the water by 9 to make it to school, but that didn't stop us from tossing a ziplock of some leftover summer squid in the boat, one rod each and heading straight for La Jolla. I haven't wired up my Lowrance yet, but when you start to put together the pieces, eventually you don't need to rely on your GPS marks as much as you thought you did when you dropped $749 on that piece of plastic. We knew the best bet was find the loose kelp close to lobster bouys somewhere around what looked to be off some sort of familiar landmark off the coast. On the first lobster buoy, we dropped our squid, and instant hook ups. It took only a few minutes to hit our limit of Boccaccio (2each, although I read on spearboard it's now three?) and a few Vermillion each. All in all, a great day, A quick cooler with some fish to feed the friends and neighbors tonight, the boat ran very well and the seas were extremely calm. We were doing 32 knots the whole way home. And no, I won't be giving up the plastic The reds were between 3-5lbers. Hardly any dinks.

10-15-2013, 04:42 AM	#2
Deamon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1,972	Big mistake...a Skippy w maroon canvas on top of its rocket launchers? That's going to be sooo easy to spot. Thank you for the detailed photo. You're gonna have a blue Hobie follow you around from spot to spot like a fly on sheet. Neil man, is this THE spot?...Hey bro, can I have a beer?...Neil! DUDE, I gotta drop the kids off really bad, can I jump on?...Got extra bait buddy? __________________ Recreational Fisherman's Catch...2% Commercial Fisherman's Catch- 98% Recreational Fishing Kayakers Catch- .00001% "The reality is that the wall was built to keep all Asians ~specifically Japanese and those that think they're japanese~ out of the U.S"

10-15-2013, 05:52 AM	#3
RobFish Massive Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 382	So stoked for you and your new boat. It truly is a fine machine. Always glad to help spin wrenches and be a part of the adventure. Fish On!!! __________________

10-15-2013, 06:47 AM	#4
easyday Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,470	Awesome new boat man.:beer: __________________

10-15-2013, 08:13 AM	#5
makobob Baitless on Baja Join Date: May 2013 Location: Vista California, Gonzaga, San Quintin, Asuncion, Mag Bay Posts: 4,250	Congratulations, Skippys are a hard boat to beat, enjoy her. __________________ http://www.mako-ville.com Home 760-630-4470 Cell 760-520-2514 YES YOU CAN

10-15-2013, 08:57 AM	#6
Old Man in the Sea Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Bay Park Posts: 569	Drake is a Moviestar now!!! Drake's "Islander" kayak service is now open for business...

10-15-2013, 09:19 AM	#7
wiredantz Currently @ MLO Territory Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Under the Shadow Posts: 2,290	MOTHERSHIP TRIP IN THE MAKING!!!! __________________ Team: Disbanded You only have one chance in this life...make the right decision(s)...so you don't regret it

10-15-2013, 11:17 AM	#8
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	Nice man! Let me know when you need a boat Ho. __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

10-15-2013, 10:59 AM	#9
dmrides Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Point Loma Posts: 584	Looks like a sweet ride! Congrats

10-15-2013, 01:59 PM	#11
wiredantz Currently @ MLO Territory Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Under the Shadow Posts: 2,290	if we make it out of PVC, we can just collapse it, and store it in our garage. i can just imagine.. we are going to reinvent: Gilligan's Island __________________ Team: Disbanded You only have one chance in this life...make the right decision(s)...so you don't regret it

10-15-2013, 02:07 PM	#13
wiredantz Currently @ MLO Territory Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Under the Shadow Posts: 2,290	Ahhh what the Heck... just toss me a tow line... We will put the 5mph Speed limit on my X-factor to the test! Its going to be an epic ride.... __________________ Team: Disbanded You only have one chance in this life...make the right decision(s)...so you don't regret it

10-16-2013, 09:44 PM	#14
The Freediver Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 89	very nice Neil! Way to break her in. __________________ Mmmmmm, smoked Barracuda!

10-17-2013, 05:31 AM	#15
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	It is not broken in until the decks are bloody. Swimstep blood is only an option. No skunky smell to that boat though!!

10-23-2013, 09:25 PM	#16
BrokeLoser Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Corona, CA Posts: 472	Drake, You already have this thing for sale? Looks like you picked up another vessel...what did you end up getting?

10-24-2013, 07:07 AM	#18
Deamon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1,972	Neil's new boat has killed MANY halibut. He merely needs to point the boat to a general area and this boat zero's in on hot spots all on its own. Besides, there are gps locations with hand written notes that the previous owner either left for Neil or mistakenly forgot to erase them. Big mistake previous owner... __________________ Recreational Fisherman's Catch...2% Commercial Fisherman's Catch- 98% Recreational Fishing Kayakers Catch- .00001% "The reality is that the wall was built to keep all Asians ~specifically Japanese and those that think they're japanese~ out of the U.S"

10-24-2013, 07:55 AM	#19
lamb Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,568	Hey, I told Derek - we can leave the GPS numbers, but that would quadruple her price tag Hope she serves you guys well __________________ [------------------------ <)))< ....b-a-a-a-a

10-24-2013, 09:52 AM	#20
SDROB Malibu Stealth 12 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Hollywood, San Diego, Gonzaga Bay Posts: 512	Wow congrats Drake! That is gonna be one serious fish killing machine. You just got me pumped. I also just picked up a Skipjack 20 last month with similar plans! Ive been spending my weekends getting it ready. There is endless possibilities! Sounds like I need a buddy named Robfish too! Once again Congrats! Please keep us posted on the progress! __________________ She will keep you warm in the winter and give you shade in the summer (Rossman) I'm telling ya, you have to keep these suckers on a game clip until just before you drop them in the frying pan.(Rossman)