19 ft Speed

[madmax]

Open ocean speed demon.

[Pete Bog]

Well, it's light weight as it is being held up by a stand constructed of PVC pipe. The two dark spots are probably foot rests, unless it's upside down, in which case they could be wheels. But that's not logical. The 4 dots amidships could be for rowing oars, maybe. The rope across the back (assuming the sharply pointed end is the stern) could be for a mainsheet, but I don't see a place to step a mast. Unless it's that black dot on what I thought was the stern and then it would now be the bow. But then the footrests are facing the wrong way. I think my ignorance has overwhelmed me. Again.   I hate when that happens.

[wolfy]

So....did you just get it?  It's a beauty alright!

[madmax]

   LOL.  It's a sit-on-top surf ski.  Kind of a misnomer.   They are mainly a fitness machine.  They race them between islands of Hawaii and from Cali to the Channel Islands.  They can handle surfing pretty big surf in but it's kind of a requirement once you get out.  I can think of a dozen different craft I'd rather surf.  A waveski is made purely for surfing.  They are short and have almost flat bottoms.  The surf ski has a round bottom for speed.  The black dots are foot peddles in the foot wells for steering the rudder.  The stern is pointed toward you.

   It's an older design but the price was right and I'm not looking to race.  I'm fighting the slowly losing battle of the bulge and age.  My weight keeps yo yoing because I still eat like I did at 40.  I've got old man tits and sagging triceps.  My pants won't stay up because my ass disappeared somewhere along the way.  I'm declaring war.  The surfski is meant to be a motivator.

[Pete Bog]

Surf ski. Learn something new every day still holds true. It looks like a better plan than mine. When my pants started falling off my butt, i bought suspenders. That kept the pants up but did nothing for the battle of the bulge. Your battle plan looks like a lot more fun.

[imnukensc]

How wide is that thing, Tony?  Sure looks like it'll slice through the water.  I'm used to SOT kayaks, but I'd have to have dead calm, flat water to try that.  Looks like fun!

[madmax]

19 inches.  It's pretty cool today for swimming in the spring fed rivers here, so I'm going to wait a day or two to take her out.  I used to race K-1 and C-1.  Purely round bottoms but that was long ago and 30lbs lighter.  LOL.

[madmax]

Well my wax job sucks.  I guess I need some old school wax and a buffer.

[crashdive123]

Or a neighborhood kid that needs to earn a few bucks.

[Pete Bog]

19 inches wide and a round bottom. Long graceful curves and must be handled with proper care and skill, or she'll roll you right off. Like many, her picture probably doesn't do her justice.  And that waxing and buffing thing, well... As mentioned earlier, she does look like a beauty.  Yes Sir, a few days getting to know her sounds like fun!    We are still talking about the boat, right?

[wolfy]

So, rotomolded plastic, fiberglass, carbon fiber, Kevlar, Royalex or......?  and what's it weigh?

[madmax]

They call boats she Pete...

wolfy I can't find much info on her.  I know the retailer who sold her.  He's still in business.   I have Kevlar boats and fiberglass ones.  She's light but not carbon fiber light.  I would guess a Kevlar/fiberglass layup.  Again guessing,  but probably a training boat.  Current state of the art racers are 17" wide and one finger pick up light.  They generally don't last long.  One misjudgment on a beach landing in heavy surf and they are trash.

[madmax]

The more research I do the more I am realizing this is a rich man's sport.  Not as bad as sailing but bad.  I come from a aluminum Grumman background.  The canoe Mom bought me for my 12th birthday is in my backyard and still sees water time now and then.

To tell the truth,  I wouldn't cry a river if all I had was my Grumman.  Full circle.

[wolfy]

Since I live a stone's throw from the Missouri River I run into all manner of craft & pilots, from canoes, kayaks, flatboats, pirogues and keelboats to replica steam-powered paddle-wheelers, but one dude and his kayak probably impressed me the most.  He had started in St. Louis and was bound for the Three Forks of the Missouri where the Madison, Gallatin & Jefferson rivers come together in Montana.  That is an UPSTREAM trip, but he seemed well suited to the task, as was his boat.  I had never seen a kayak as long and narrow as this thing was.....21 feet long and 17 inches wide with a v-shaped hull!  If I remember correctly, fully loaded, it only drew 2.5'' at the waterline and was FAST.....even going upstream against a 4.5 mph current.

[wsdstan]

I used to fish the Missouri and some tributary streams over in Montana a lot.  Saw nothing like Wolfy but did see some really neat canoes, kayaks, and rafts in the time we spent below Hauser dam and the stretch upstream from Canyon Ferry.  My only canoe at the moment is a poly.. something.. synthetic that is 14 feet long and 18 years old I think.  It is a nice flatwater boat but dog slow and doesn't turn on a dime.  Part of that problem is the paddler getting too old to carry it so he drags it everywhere. 

No damage except when I tried to drag it into the barn when it was upside down and frozen to the ground.  Them gunnels didn't fare too well but she still floats.

[Pete Bog]

They call boats she Pete...

8 years in Uncle Sam's Yacht Club, learned to waterski behind an airboat, use to sink and submerge the fishing boat so I could practice righting it, empty it and row it home. I've built 3 wooden boats, prefer thole pins to locks and I  learned to sail back in the '70s.

And now you tell me "boats are called 'She' "?

I never knew.

   (_{thought I should include that, just in case you didn't catch the humor})