What a nice boat and set-up you put together. Looking forward to seeing the splash soon.
Dave
SK14 in Cape Cod
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Re: SK14 in Cape Cod
Got some fake sea deck off amazon for 84 bucks a sheet, used 2. cant go wrong. ran my wires in between the sea deck so i wasn't tripping over em.... used some 4200 to glue some cleats into the back to secure the gas tank down too.
I cant say enough good things about the wetlander bottom paint. I went with their 2 part primer and topcoat. the boat SLIDES OFF THE DRY BUNKS IF IT ISN"T LEVEL
its pretty easy to launch to say the least. putting back on the trailer is just as easy, as my bottom strakes help align the boat to bunks perfectly. I'm getting better driving with the trailer, yesterday i even backed mini boat into the garage!
my hi-tech rod holders seem to work well so far. some gear ties on the grab rails keep em in place fine...
i learned a TON with this boat. its totally overbuilt and on the heavy side, but its rides very nice...
this thing is the ultimate one man fishing machine. put a trolling motor on it and you can fish on this thing all day long solo. with the 6 gallon tank is has a range of like..... WAY MORE then anyone would ever need
splashed twice so far. I have some video but dont know where to host it up, not putting it on youtube.
goes 24 with just me. it doesnt sink with my me, my wife, and our 100 lb dog but.... it sure aint built for all that weight.
I'm already eyeing up my next build......
has anyone put a small poling platform on a FS 14LS?
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Re: SK14 in Cape Cod
That's a beauty, nicer than mine. I especially like your little console and sea deck look. Mine is set up with a 5 hp Tohatsu propane and minn kota trolling motor with spot lock. Sure is a nice solo fishing platform in flat water. Water will come over the bow in a chop or big wake from another boat, but it immediately rolls right out the rear scupper. Will do 10 mph with both me and my wife aboard, but it's really a solo guy. Sweet design
Dougster
Dougster
Re: SK14 in Cape Cod
Very nice!!!! Jeff
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Re: SK14 in Cape Cod
Mini boat went on its first adventure! 3,250 miles of adventure....
We decided to go down to pine island / fort myers area and explore a little. I couldn't be happier with how mini boat handled and fished. We were able to cross the sound, get up into lots of creeks and skinny water, and find some quiet places that we had all to ourselves. We caught loads of small snook and trout, 1-2 bigger snook ( but lost a big 40" to the mangroves). I got a handful of reds, ladyfish, and a sheepsheads.
I jumped 3 tarpon all week, which was awesome. There is no hope of landing them on a 9 wt in the mangroves. I was hoping to find some babies like 5-10 lbs. nope. 4' tarpon all day long, I was totally undergunned, but it was awesome none the less.
the best part of mini boating was taking my wife with me and having her watch a 4' tarpon going nuts 10' from the boat.
the biggest issue with mini boat was ..... other boaters are morons.
We decided to go down to pine island / fort myers area and explore a little. I couldn't be happier with how mini boat handled and fished. We were able to cross the sound, get up into lots of creeks and skinny water, and find some quiet places that we had all to ourselves. We caught loads of small snook and trout, 1-2 bigger snook ( but lost a big 40" to the mangroves). I got a handful of reds, ladyfish, and a sheepsheads.
I jumped 3 tarpon all week, which was awesome. There is no hope of landing them on a 9 wt in the mangroves. I was hoping to find some babies like 5-10 lbs. nope. 4' tarpon all day long, I was totally undergunned, but it was awesome none the less.
the best part of mini boating was taking my wife with me and having her watch a 4' tarpon going nuts 10' from the boat.
the biggest issue with mini boat was ..... other boaters are morons.
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Re: SK14 in Cape Cod
thanks! I must have read all your builds like 10 times! thanks for posting such details all the time!Dougster wrote: ↑Fri Apr 23, 2021 9:29 am That's a beauty, nicer than mine. I especially like your little console and sea deck look. Mine is set up with a 5 hp Tohatsu propane and minn kota trolling motor with spot lock. Sure is a nice solo fishing platform in flat water. Water will come over the bow in a chop or big wake from another boat, but it immediately rolls right out the rear scupper. Will do 10 mph with both me and my wife aboard, but it's really a solo guy. Sweet design
Dougster
I definitely need a trolling motor up front. the weight would help balance the fact that my gas tank is behind me as well. Im debating cutting up mini boat and figuring out a better placement for a smaller gas tank. We ran all over the sound fishing 6 hrs every day, I used 3 gallons of gas all week long.
Re: SK14 in Cape Cod
Color me green, that's awesome!
There are only two seasons in Vermont: boating season, and boat-building season.
Completed Paul Butler 14' Clark Fork Drifter
Completed Jacques Mertens FS14LS + 10%, Build Thread
Started Iain Oughtred Tammie Norrie
Completed Paul Butler 14' Clark Fork Drifter
Completed Jacques Mertens FS14LS + 10%, Build Thread
Started Iain Oughtred Tammie Norrie
Re: SK14 in Cape Cod
RE trolling motor. It seems to handle the weight on the nose just fine. I use a 50AH AGM battery up front with it for the Minn Kota Riptide troll mtr and no problems. A lithum battery would be better and will eventually replace the AGM. You sure out fished me on yours so far!
Dougster
Dougster
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Re: SK14 in Cape Cod
I have no doubt it will handle the trolling motor just fine. The boat handles better with my wife in it then with just me. the weight up front will be nice.
running outside with my wife up front
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFgSf66gK0g
running in the back in 3'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvgDb84Uldw
pushing into the kayak zone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWvqiXOXPLQ
so based on my SK14 experience, im building a FS18 next. I was debated between the LM-18 and FS-18, but after fishing out of mini boat for the week, it should be more then stable for me and my wife with our dog too.
running outside with my wife up front
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFgSf66gK0g
running in the back in 3'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvgDb84Uldw
pushing into the kayak zone
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWvqiXOXPLQ
so based on my SK14 experience, im building a FS18 next. I was debated between the LM-18 and FS-18, but after fishing out of mini boat for the week, it should be more then stable for me and my wife with our dog too.
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