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Wakulla River 2/20

Posted: February 20th, 2006, 7:40 pm
by Charles
Finally got the whole crew to the river all at the same time. This was such a monumentous occasion I even drove in to see Scott about livebait. Which reminds me, Scott, what were those things I bought? Blackfins or something like that? I've never used them before, but then I almost never use bait, either. Picked up a couple dozen shrimp, too. Of course by the time I got home and got everybody in the car, then got to the river where I wanted to use them to try for a red, most of the shrimp were goners. The baitfish, however, stayed alive and frisky through the whole trip. :-D

Stayed pretty much right below Lower Bridge the entire time. I got the first bass. Mama caught the biggest, a fat 3 pounder. Things were slow, only three keepers for the entire trip, but we didn't cover much water. Got a biiig mudfish. I've seen them in the river before, but never caught one on this river. For the kids, being kids and more interested in playing than fishing, fishing with Papa probably isn't much fun at times, but he tries. "HEY, CAN YA'LL MAKE ANY MORE NOISE? I DON'T THINK THE FISH IN THE WACISSA HEARD YOU."

Mama is doing battle with her big fish so Papa goes for the landing net and comes up with not only the net but the digital camera, a can of Repel, and a bailing can. "WHAT'S ALL THIS GD CRAP IN THE LANDINGNET?"

I think Dad has a few things to work on. :wink:

Lashed the canoes together when we first started to make Papa's jobs easier and to facilitate sharing the bait. That worked well enough to give me some ideas for a canoe catamaran for future trips like this. :D

Posted: February 20th, 2006, 7:57 pm
by RodBow
CP, a little more noise than when you're by yourself.. 'course you had somebody else to talk with too!

I wish i could have seen this bedlam!

Posted: February 20th, 2006, 8:28 pm
by Charles
You ain't kiddin'. When I'm solo, I mentally berate myself for bumping the side of the canoe with a paddle. :smt013 :wink:

Posted: February 20th, 2006, 8:57 pm
by Eerman
We want pictures of the canoe catamaran...especially being pulled behind the bicycle :thumbup: :thumbup:

Posted: February 20th, 2006, 10:32 pm
by Castaway
Oh yes we gotta see some pics :-D

Posted: February 21st, 2006, 6:35 am
by Charles
Pics may be a while. The canoe cat is still in the idea phase, but I may start on it later this week. I want it to be modular so I can break it down for trailering and storage, but easy to put together at the ramp. I think what I have in mind can be paddled, although with more difficulty than a single canoe, of course; sculled; or I can mount the electric motor I bought last summer for the Redfishing Machine and haven't been using, between the hulls.

Hmm, wonder if the motor would do better pushing from the stern or pulling from the bow. :smt017

It may not be impossible as much as impractical, but trailering this whole thing behind a bicycle is something I hadn't even considered. :-D

Posted: February 21st, 2006, 8:02 am
by mjsigns
For the kids, being kids and more interested in playing than fishing, fishing with Papa probably isn't much fun at times, but he tries.
Charles.. In a nutshell that says it all. If the fish ain't cooperating, the kids will play, my kids do the same thing. I have one (my boy) that simply will not go fishing with me in the winter.

Good to hear you took your mom. I want to take my mom as soon as the trout start to show up in numbers on the flats. we celebrated her 86th birthday on Saturday. I think my Ma would have an absolute blast.

Did you find the camera in the landing net? Next time untangle it and get a few shots to share. I can't imagine three canoes tied together... Sounds like fun :-D

Posted: February 21st, 2006, 8:09 am
by wevans
Sounds like a fun trip Charles :-D remember that if you put a motor on that contraption :o you will have to get it registered and put #s on it :beer:

Posted: February 21st, 2006, 9:30 am
by Sir reel
I think ya might have something there Charles!.... Heck, based on your military history, .... just strap a sheet of MARINE plywood to them two canoes and your good ta go! :D

Posted: February 21st, 2006, 9:35 am
by tin can
I'm thinkin a sleeve and pin system for easy dismantleing, a sheet of plywood over the top, and ya have a small, stable catamaran. Put the motor on the front and pull the rig. Better handling and maneuverability. Might wanna consider a rudder. :-D

Posted: February 21st, 2006, 9:42 am
by weaver brown
The Polynesians went from Bora Bora to Hawaii in 90' canoe catamarans.

Posted: February 21st, 2006, 9:18 pm
by Charles
mjsigns wrote:Good to hear you took your mom.
Tell your Mom Happy Birthday for me. :thumbup:
Mama in this report is my wife, the kid's Mom, not my Mom. I was writting that in the third person for both the wife and I. Sorry if it was confusing. :oops:
I take my Mom fishing to remind me why I don't want to be a guide. :wink:
wevans wrote:........remember that if you put a motor on that contraption :o you will have to get it registered and put #s on it :beer:
Yeah, I've been thinking of that. If I put two canoes together are they now one boat or two? Can I just register one of them? If I register one would I have to put the same numbers on both?
Rather than try to figure it out, I think I'll just register them both.
Sir reel wrote:I think ya might have something there Charles!.... Heck, based on your military history, .... just strap a sheet of MARINE plywood to them two canoes and your good ta go! :D
Har, Har, Har. :wink: :beer:
Actually I was thinking of doing this on the cheap. There's still plenty of storm debris from Dennis laying around. The other thing is, I wasn't thinking of making this wide enough to require a deck between the canoes. Maybe just a couple of inches between the widest point of the hulls.
tin can wrote:I'm thinkin a sleeve and pin system for easy dismantleing, a sheet of plywood over the top, and ya have a small, stable catamaran. Put the motor on the front and pull the rig. Better handling and maneuverability. Might wanna consider a rudder. :-D
What I had in mind is not that complicated. Three boards with strategically cut notches and drilled holes and a handful of big Zip-Ties. :wink:
The fore and aft boards can serve as motor mounts.
Having the motor on the front would make for better handling and maneuverablility, but how would it affect top end performance, WOT? :o :wink: :smt005
weaver brown wrote:The Polynesians went from Bora Bora to Hawaii in 90' canoe catamarans.
So a 14 1/2' foot canoe catamaran should be able to navigate Upper Bridge/Lower Bridge/St. Marks Fort and from Live Oak Island to the Scallop Bar on nice days when the season's in. :wink:
Which reminds me, I'm also kind of wondering how well a rig like this would sail.

DBL . CANOE

Posted: February 21st, 2006, 9:54 pm
by FUTCHCAIRO
HEY CHARLES, BACK IN THE LATE FORTIES I TOOK 2 CANOES AND 4 2X2 CYPRESS BOARDS AND CLAMPED TWO BOARDS AT THE FRONT ABOUT 3' AND ABOUT 3' FROM THE BACK. DRILLED A 1 1/2" HOLE IN A PIECE OF 2X8 AND CLAMPED THE 2X8 ABOUT 1/3 THE WAY BACK FROM THE FRONT TO BOTH OF THE CANOE'S. USED A PIECE OF FENCE TOP RAIL STUCK DOWN IN THE HOLE IN THE 2X8 , TIED A OLD TABLE CLOTH TO THE TOP OF THE RAIL AND THE BOTTOM. TIED A PIECE OF ROPE TO THE BACK OF THE TABLE CLOTH AND BOY DID WE DO SOME SAILIN. I NEVER TOOK THE CANOES APART AGAIN, BUT I DID BUY A GOOD SAIL AND RUDDER WE STILL USE THAT THING WHEN WE TAKE THE GRANDKIDS DOWN TO THE LAKE.
PA (AKA) THE OLD MAN OF THE SEA :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :D :D :D

Posted: February 22nd, 2006, 6:44 am
by Charles
That sounds great, Pa. :thumbup:

That sounds almost exactly like what I had in mind. Can you post some pics?

How did you determine where to position the mast? :D

Posted: February 22nd, 2006, 3:26 pm
by weaver brown
You can get sailing kits from Old Town. Maybe from other places.