Rigging

Paul's Simmons Sea Skiff 18

Rigging

06/03/06

This will be where I show finishing up the boat and rigging considerations,changes of mind and heart at the last minute etc.

I am not going to paint the bottom until after sea trial. If I need to wedge,hollow or modify in any way to get optimum performance from this over powered hull,I dont want to have to remove paint.If it is unruly at speed,I will add speed strakes to the bottom on either side of the keel. I will put trim tabs on it before I ever put one of those fins on the outboard

I have finished the wiring and essentially had to build a wiring harness for this boat/motor. All joints are soldered and shrink tubed and the harness is sleeved and in a watertight poly casing.I was able to utilize the factory color codes.

I have decided I am going to get all the aluminum parts white powder coated. It's more subtle looking on the older style of this boat. More utility looking I think.The marine graded coating we use is quite durable. You can burn the clear coating over the white with a propane torch but you can't touch the color with it. Even after the torch treatment,it's still a pain to sand off of the part. Sofar,on the parts and towers we have used it on,no blistering around fasteners or failures anywhere else after 2 years or so.It should be noted that special care is taken to isolate disimilar metal fasteners from the parts. This would include drilling the fastener holes oversize so that the coating doesn't get broken out when the screws are driven in.Screws bedded in 5200 sealant only thus far. No nylon washers.

So close!

Notice the little water flow indicator tube.

It stops the pisser from squirting inside the boat.

Here is the removeable front seat. The 25 gal portable baitwell fits part way under the console and under this seat.When we get to the fishing spot,the chair can be moved to the front deck exposing the baitwell. Otherwise,the chair provides shade for the baitwell and a secure seat for the passenger under way.

The console is made this way so I can put my feet under it while driving. I am shorter so I sit further forward on the seat. The seat is big enough so that a taller person can do the same by sitting further back. This enabled me to not to have to sit so far back in the boat or to have so much space between helm seat and console.

The front seat is detached by removing the pins which are held in by a bungee.

I know this is highly unusual to see a boat configured in this way but I needed the boat open and accessible and yet durable. I wanted access to the entire bilge area for cleaning out the limber holes and to facilitate drying it out after washing etc. The baitwell wouldn't have been large enough in a console that fit this boat and it would have blocked alot of the deck/bilge for service.

It's all stickered and legal so any day now.Wish me luck. I will post photos on the water ASAP.

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