FS 17 taking shape

[jgroves]

Just chiming in with an update on the skiff. She's still holding up well. I have had to repair some paint scratches from the trailer but other than that no problems. I keep her in the garage so her condition is as good as the day she first launched. I spend most of my time fishing on the Albemarle sound. I fished all striper season and am happy to say she catches fish. I caught my limit most days trolling. Lately I have been going to the ocean for flounder, blues, mackeral, trout and drum. I loaded my tracks into google earth from my little garmin unit. Here is my tracks from the other day. I used about 3 gallons of gas that day which is the most I have used at one time. I fished from 6:20am till 3:30ish pm. I check the board often and am enjoying all the builds out there. For those of you building you will have one strong, light fishing machine when your done.

[Fonda@kauai]

Thanx for the update, your gas mileage is phenomenal! Honda?

[jgroves]

Thanx for the update, your gas mileage is phenomenal! Honda?

Yep, Honda 50. One of the older carbirated engines they were making from 95-08ish. Had I know they were coming out with the fuel injected engine I would have waited. I hear there really nice.

[ks8]

Looks like you're working the rips...

What are the average seas like there?

[jgroves]

Looks like you're working the rips...

What are the average seas like there?

It's very flat. Lots of current because of the tide but other than that it's really nice.

[jgroves]

It's been a few years since I've been on the forum. However I wanted to chime in and say my FS17 is still going strong. She's in the same condition as when I finished building her in 2007/2008. I don't go out as much as I use to (maybe once a month at best) but over the past 5 Summers I've happily caught many fish and have had an awesome boat to show off! Thank you Bateau.com for the amazing boat. Without your design and help from this forum I would probably be stuck in my plastic canoe
Below are a few pictures from the past month. The little girl is my daughter Maddy for whom the boat is named Miss Maddy. Like a butt I started building only a month after Maddy was born... after several years of apologizing to my wife (who is still with me ) it was only fitting to name the boat after our Maddy.

[jgroves]

Also, it's great to go through the threads and see so many familiar names building! Awesome so see Larry with so many builds under his belt Goodness boat building is addictive... hopefully, one day, I will be in a place financially to build again.

[cottontop]

Both Maddy's are beautiful, But the smallest one is going to have you with a bat in hand some day(To greet the guys that think they want to take her out. My OD18 is holding up well too. I too would like to build another someday, but retirement is just 5 months away now. I'm really looking forward to taking my 4 young grandsons fishing more(1 is nearly 7, 2 are 3, and one is 14 weeks.) they all live close. Keep enjoying your life. The years fly by much too fast. John

[peter-curacao]

Great job on both of them! absolutely beautiful boat and a stunning girl

[jgroves]

Thank you cottontop and peter-curacao! Great to see both of you on here!!! I just got through flipping through both of your pictures and posts... Peter, I can't wait until your 25 is done! You've both built some beautiful boats. John, I think another boat is in your near future with retirement that close! Terrific you grandchildren live close