GF-14 Completed

[cottontop]

Great looking boat. What are you going to name her. Love your color scheme. cottontop

[alegath]

It was a surprise birthday present for my wife, I was going to call it Big Surprise, but since I managed to work on it from March to August without anyone telling her about it she wants to call it Best Kept Secret. I showed it to her on her birthday just after the outside was painted & the hull flipped to start the inside.

[smilinmatt]

I like the center console you've added, especially for your area (sans the Florida flats fishing). It should help you get to the weakfish and summer flounder a bit quicker. I've got a 9.9 Merc 4-stroke (same engine, smaller carb).

Just to reitereate what Jacques said, balance in a small boat is not a design flaw (my GF-12 is more capable in most ways than the 13' BW it replaced). I use my tiller extension for running when solo, but if you have too much weight forward, it negatively affects draft (when the motor is tilted "shallow water mode", I have to stand on the rear seat for the water pump pick-up). When the water temp is up, our redfish and snook like it shallow. Too much weight forward and you're beached. My GF-12 has been in 4 inches to get fish (I've caught snook on top water lures, where the fish's eyes were above the water surface when they hit -very cool to watch) and in 4-5 foot surf in St Augustine to fish for whiting. (I had a 40+' Betram hail me to see if I needed aide - a boat I could only see when I was on crests. My fishing buddy from Nebraska, helped with chumming on that day ).

If I was without wife and kids, I'd follow EvilD over to the Bahamas. Sorry EvilD, but my wife is good to me.

[alegath]

Yoda - I posted the close ups of the steering, hope it helps you out.

[Yoda]

alegath, you are the man. Well, I assume you are male
Those pics are fine. It's what I thought it would be.
My motor should arrive this month. Tomorrow is 1st fairing day.
Ain't this fun ?

[alegath]

I didn't quite get the trailer finished so I guess the launch will have to be put off until April. That's probably OK because I still have some minor work to do on the boat, like adding cleats, brackets for the boat cover (which isn't quite done yet), and other little odds & ends I was planning to finish in FL. The wait will be tough, especially with forecasts for temps in the low 80's next week. At least I can get the registration taken care of so I will be ready to go.

[alegath]

Finally got to launch the last week of April, boy was it great!! Every place I went the boat got comments, I even had a truck driver from FL follow me into a rest stop on 95 for a better look. Boat runs great, with 2, 3, or 4 passengers. It was definetely worth every minute I put into it. Haven't been into the gulf yet but I was on the Withalacotchie, Crystal, Rainbow, Homasassa, & Halls Rivers & in Kings Bay. We got to see some manatees in Kings Bay & on the Homasassa even though it was late in the year. Nissan 4 stroke is great, very quiet & during the 1st 10 hours of break in it only used 3 gal of fuel. If you have yet to finish & launch you have some great times ahead!! good luck & if I can help answer any questions please feel free to ask. Am already thinking about the next one (LOL) Jacqes needs to post plans for a power cat!

[BilltheCat]

Hey - I know that ramp!!!

Congratulations - looks sweet - that quiet 4-stroke is perfect for the Rainbow. Enjoy.

Dave

[stickystuff]

Very nice. I wished I had known you were there. I only live a fw miles from the Ramp In Dunnellon. Have launched there many times. Also excellent fishing on the river.

[Yoda]

Boy alegath, now you're reaping the rewards. Enjoy. What a great looking finsh to all that work. Thanks again for posting pics of the steering for me. Here the Tohatsu is in the box on the garage floor just waiting now. What a smooth quite engine. The dealer set it up and ran it when I picked it up. I'm doing bottom coats this morning while we have a break in our heat wave. Post your fishing adventures for us, O.K.