Where I paddle and fish!

[Jim Hatch]

Hi Folks,

Earlier this year I took a photographer and writer
from the Charleston Post & Courier on a day trip
paddling some of my favorite waters. Here is the
article and pictures they published. It was to
promote the Berkeley Blueways website and book I had
just spent two years developing.
Article: http://www.charleston.net/assets/webPag ... =localnews
Pictures: http://newsfiles.charleston.net/paddle_web/index.htm

Warm regards, Jim

[dixieangler]

That's great, Jim. I saw the bass boat photo and was wondering, how does your low-riding yak handle those big bass boat wakes?

[Jim Hatch]

Hey Robert,

Actually, my Adirondack has handled waves up to about
three foot on occasion riding smoothly over them with
a minimum of slop entering the kayak. I was impressed. Heavier homebuilts provided a totally
different result for me.*G* The state of the art of
todays equipment is great!*G* Warm regards, Jim

[CharlieJ]

Jim- nice pics. What does that Adirondack weigh? My homebuilt is gonna tip the scales at about 32 pounds for a 13 foot yak which looks quite like the green one labeled as belonging to Wayne White.

Yours sure does sit lower than mine will though. No windage on THAT boat eh?

[Jim Hatch]

Hey Charlie,

Thanks! My original homebuilt was 3/8 plywood.*G*
Probably weighed 75 pounds. Adirondack is about 48
pounds. Comfortable boat for sure. Sounds like
your homebuilt is super light. Great feature for
toting.*G* Hope you are going to provide some pictures to whet our appetites.*G* Plenty of
interest on homebuilts here. Tell us more. Warm
regards, Jim

[CharlieJ]

Check out the thread - "New guy has paddling question"-
I posted some pics there just the other day.

But they are B and B Yacht design Birder 13s. I'm building two of them My wifes weighed 24 pounds before I added the deck. Mine was 26. Decks are less than 1/2 sheet of 4 MM Okume. I glued in the carlins today- alls left is the coamings and painting them. Then I can go fishin

My wife will be using her's to photo birds, etc for her paintings. She's an artist. I hope this is ok, but here's a link to her website- www.griffthart.com

I build boats for a living by the way.

[Jim Hatch]

Hey Charlie,

Good looking boats. Nice job! Lots of interest here
on homebuilts. Great having a professional on board.
Hope we can count on you for advice from time to time.*G* Couldn't get your wifes link to work.
Would love to see some of her work. Warm regards,
Jim

[CharlieJ]

Thank you sir. I'd be most happy to offer any advice I can on building. As a paddler I'm just beginning. I've been wanting that kayak for several years but this is the first time I've had time, money and space all come together at once. Also a real novice fly fishing in salt water. I haven't used anything BUT a fly rod in fresh water for years. Well- other than an ultra light spinner now and again.

You couldn't get to her site because I misspelled it- I left out the second "i" This one works- I made sure

www.griffithart.com

[Jim Hatch]

Hey Charlie,

This link worked fine. I love your wifes work. I did
a lot of shore bird and marine photograpy in another
life.*G* I have a favorite brown pelican shot I'd
share with her but the negative was borrowed for a
print and lost. She is quite talented. Thanks for
sharing. Warm regards, Jim

[Micropteris]

You got to love those bald cypress trees. I wish we had them up here. They must be great to fish around.