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Conchfish 178 - "Final" Thoughts/Summary

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22K views 52 replies 28 participants last post by  bryson 
#1 ·
I think I've fished the skiff enough to give some good feedback for anyone considering building one of these skiffs. Fair warning, this is a pretty long post.

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First, a recap on the design and build process -- when @Chris Morejohn started selling these plans, the Conchfish 16 was the only one available. Following the original lines, I extended the aft section an additional 18" and flattened the curved transom. I also added the large radius corners. The 17.5 that he now offers should be extremely similar, but I haven't seen those plans so I can't say for sure.

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Another deviation that I made was to the floor -- Chris's plans call for stringers and a sole, but in the interest of simplicity (and the perception of more freeboard) I went without any floor at all. I also wanted a large cockpit, but the result of those decisions was a huge unsupported panel (approximately 4ft x 7.5ft) on the hull. I also used H60 instead of H80, so I was concerned about core failure with too much flex. I think it would have been fine for a sheltered-water skiff, but I have to cross some open water occasionally and didn't want to have any doubts.

To eliminate the vibration/flex that I saw during testing, I had to add another layer of core and a significant amount of extra glass. I admittedly went overboard, but I'm pleased with how solid she feels. I took the advice of someone with some software that's geared towards larger boats in big water (1 meter wave height is the smallest option), so I'm sure it was extremely conservative (FOS of 2 and 90% core derating :oops:). However, I like to have the option of towing this boat as a tender, so I did want to consider the possibility of large seas. DISCLAIMER - I have only built this one boat, and my opinion is worth exactly what you paid for it. Do your homework. When in doubt, follow the plans.

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Now that the background is covered... my thoughts and "review" of the hull:

I'm absolutely amazed by this skiff. She floats bonefish shallow even with 3 on board, but will squat when I'm solo on the platform (no surprise there). It balances well and floats pretty level with one on the platform and one on the bow. It poles easily and tracks straight, but I can spin the skiff quickly and silently to give the angler a better shot at a fish. She's also very stable, much more so than I expected. Poling is very quiet -- I don't notice any slap even in very windy conditions, and is also very quiet when staked out from the stern. Another cool fact is that the bow doesn't wander in the current when staked out from the stern. I didn't think about that advantage when planning the big radius stern corners, but it is really convenient.

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She also handles open water very well. I have been pleasantly surprised with the ride and the performance of the spray rails/strakes. There is a little bow steer in following or rear quartering seas, but it's easily manageable. It would be even less noticeable if I had remote steer instead of a tiller. I can stay on plane at very low speeds, which is nice if I have my wife and toddler on board, or if it's a little rough out. I love the fact that this skiff doesn't seem have a "window" where it's unhappy between idle and plane. The 12x4 Bennett Bolt tabs are a little touchy -- I'm getting better at managing them but will probably cut them down to be a little narrower. At full down they are pretty dang sketchy. I can't think of any situation where I would ever need the full surface area of the tab.

Here are a few links for anyone curious:
Build thread (first launch is on pg 14)
First impressions (floor reinforcement and 50hp)

And for those of you that like numbers:
  • With the 30hp, the skiff sat at 3.25" draft at the transom and 2.75"-3" at the bow (with cooler/gear but no anglers on board)
  • With the 50hp and extra reinforcement, the transom was 4.75" but the bow sits at around 2" draft (same load)
  • With a 240# guy on the bow and 160# on the poling platform, draft at the transom was 5.5".
  • If they swapped (240# on the platform), the draft at the transom was 6.5"
  • Hull weight before rigging was 430# (measured on bathroom scales)
  • Top speed in a creek was 36mph with 2 anglers (200# and 160#) and cooler/gear. I didn't have a long straightaway to really let it wind all the way up, but it's close enough. I don't have a tach, and this is with the aluminum Tohatsu 15p prop. I have to barely touch the tabs to eliminate a little porpoising. I'm sure I need to tune some things as far as trim/height/prop, etc. I'm also getting a funny spray, I think due to engine height.
  • Very comfortable cruise at 31-32 in light chop, and fuel burn seems great.
  • My back deck is about 36" from the transom -- I don't need an extension with the Tohatsu multi-function tiller handle. Sitting further aft gives a more comfortable ride too.
  • My front deck is a touch over 7 ft long. I love having the room up there. Plenty of room for storage as well (all life jackets held to the underside of the deck with bungees).
  • Beam at widest point on deck = 75"
  • Beam at waterline (@ transom) = ~56" (estimated due to rounded corners)
  • Length = 17'9"
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Any questions, please let me know. I'm really enjoying getting to fish this skiff, and I'm hoping to get to fish from Chris's Beryllium build this summer to help compare. I would recommend the build process to anyone, but it's important to be honest with yourself about your availability/schedule, your space, your wallet, and your ability. It's completely fine if you don't know how to do something, but be ready to make mistakes and willing to learn from them. You will absolutely end up having to do at least a few things twice (or more) in order to get it right. You will wince as you throw away $$ in the form of kicked resin and cloth that didn't lay down correctly. In the end though (for me), penny pinching and cutting corners will not be worth it. Allow for waste in both your schedule and your budget. My only complaints with the skiff are in areas where I was in a hurry.

It's also really beneficial to have a buddy to not only help with the physical work, but to talk through ideas with and to help bolster morale when things seem to be moving slowly. In my case that was @Lmhanagr -- appreciate the tremendous amount of help buddy! Also, don't underestimate the amount of information available to you online. There are several builds on this forum and on IG that are extremely helpful. Chris's blog has great info as well. There is a pretty great "community" of builders that should be able to either answer any questions you have, or at least point you towards resources that will help you figure it out yourself.

Feel free to request pictures of any specific areas if you're curious. I didn't get too much into the "features" of my boat since I wanted to focus initially on the hull design for those interested in building/buying their own, but I'm more than happy to discuss any/all of that stuff in the rest of the thread. I'm really happy with the design decisions I made. The only things I would change are construction-related, mostly things I could do to save time or make certain areas look a little better.

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If you didn't feel like reading all that, at least read this -- @Chris Morejohn is the man. I'm floored that this is a home built boat every time I look at it or get to take it out. He's created an exceptional design, and laid the foundation for a build process that allows a homebuilder to make their own skiff that performs as well as or better than one pulled from a mold. Buying his plans was one of the best decisions I've made, and I don't think I've ever been more proud of something that I've built. I think that his designs are an amazing blend of artistry and engineering, and I feel fortunate that I was able to bring one of them "to life" in my own way.
 
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#7 ·
Sitting in LA airport waiting for my flight back to BC after finishing my “ Last “build project the 57’ Hawaiian sailing canoe. Ha, I even threw away all my work clothes to make a point.
Reading Brysons post here is very informative for me as designer and for you all that want to build anyone’s design. It takes commitment for sure. My original goal in providing plans and behind the scenes advice was to show people that...... well we-all can build a nice skiff in our own in our backyards, Garages and still stay married. 32 years for me and Rachel.
I have enjoyed Bysons engineering mind set tweaking this design as he went along.
The only way to improve is to keep trying new ideas.
The only thing I still need convincing with are his short trim tabs. I still like tabs with the actuator all the way on the aft edge.
Glad you are happy, and ....ah the checks in the mail.
She’s exactly what was envisioned
 
#8 ·
Sitting in LA airport waiting for my flight back to BC after finishing my “ Last “build project the 57’ Hawaiian sailing canoe. Ha, I even threw away all my work clothes to make a point.
Reading Brysons post here is very informative for me as designer and for you all that want to build anyone’s design. It takes commitment for sure. My original goal in providing plans and behind the scenes advice was to show people that...... well we-all can build a nice skiff in our own in our backyards, Garages and still stay married. 32 years for me and Rachel.
I have enjoyed Bysons engineering mind set tweaking this design as he went along.
The only way to improve is to keep trying new ideas.
The only thing I still need convincing with are his short trim tabs. I still like tabs with the actuator all the way on the aft edge.
Glad you are happy, and ....ah the checks in the mail.
She’s exactly what was envisioned
Chris, I appreciate the response! Thank you again for your help along the way -- I think one of the biggest challenges was staying happily married during the whole build. And I'm with you on the tabs -- I like the small surface area of the short tabs, but the tab angle gets sharp very quickly. Long and thin would be better, but more obtrusive (not that I fish from that end very often). Maybe I'll switch it up one of these days. Hope everything is going well, and wish you the best in your "retirement" :)
 
#14 ·
Great post. Very informative.
i loved watching your build. I have a couple questions.
why did you switch to the 50?
just to get newer or was the 30 under powered?
I thought You had some issues Getting it running right.
Also, what is the purpose of the edge circled here?

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#15 ·
Great post. Very informative.
i loved watching your build. I have a couple questions.
why did you switch to the 50?
just to get newer or was the 30 under powered?
I thought You had some issues Getting it running right.
Also, what is the purpose of the edge circled here?

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Biggest reason was that I kind of wanted a 4 stroke. The 30 was good once I got it all sorted out, but at the end of the day it was still a pull start, manual tilt, 2 stroke. Saw a good deal on the 50hp and jumped on it. Since I like to take my wife and toddler out, the 4 stroke is really nice -- quiet, no smoke/smell, electric start... Kind of hated to gain the extra draft, but it still gets plenty shallow, especially when balanced out.

That step is just for flow separation. If it's not there, the water will try to curl around the transom, causing lots of extra drag. It will also probably cause some weird squirrely behavior, and I'm guessing it would end up causing some spray. At poling speeds the small step doesn't matter, but the water seems to separate nicely when running.
 
#16 ·
@bryson It was an absolute blast to be a part of this build-at least now that we are on this side of things! It was an incredible learning experience that has caused me to look at boats very differently. I too would recommend this project to most who are interested, but Bryson brings up a good point in being honest with yourself as a lot of sacrifices were made.
This boat fishes shallow water incredibly well, and is such a joy to fish. It has put me on two of my best Redfish on the fly, so thank you very much as well Bryson!
🍻
 
#20 ·
@MikeChamp12 the core was 3/4" for the whole skiff, then I added an additional 3/4" when I wanted to stiffen up the floor. I ended up going with approx 2.3mm inner skin (3 x 18 oz) and 3.0mm outer skin (3x10 + 3x18 oz).

Certainly overkill, but the boat feels so solid. There was definitely a weight penalty, but for how I use the skiff it was worth the compromise.

@Rob_Alexander thanks man, yeah absolutely! I'd love to get to check it out, and for you to run around on the Conchfish too.
 
#25 ·
Just got back from a windy week in Islamorada with @Lmhanagr and some other buddies, and I'm beyond impressed with the skiff. Once again, we fished 3 people most days -- brought a beanbag for #3 to ride in the cockpit, while the others sat on the rear deck. One guy even took a nap in some less-than-ideal following/quartering seas. We had to run ocean side twice every day to get to the channel and to get home, and while we still had to wipe our glasses from time to time, we didn't get soaked. The wettest we got was when we ran to Flamingo and back, but even that was nothing a light rain jacket couldn't handle.

It's so amazing to be bonefish shallow (saw a handful but didn't catch any) with 3 guys on board, then pole off the flat and run through slop as well as we did. The boat was quiet with no hull slap, and we poled very close to at least a couple unseen bonefish before they spooked and we finally saw them. Overall the fishing was tough, but the performance of the skiff was phenomenal. We finally put a (small) tarpon on the skiff -- my buddy's first fish ever on the fly, and his second tarpon on any tackle.

I will say that if I lived in the Keys, I would probably have a side console. I love the tiller, and it's not bad on long runs when it's calm, or short bouts of rough water, but long runs in rough water can take a toll. Torn labrum in my left shoulder and an old back injury (fractured L1-L4) don't help, I'm sure. I may be able to "tune" the motor some to make it a little easier, but I haven't messed with it too much yet. One benefit of a wheel that I never really considered until now is that it can also kind of act as a grab handle while running. At the very least, it doesn't take every little input from your hand and use it to turn the skiff. For me, holding the tiller in rough water is kind of like holding a drink in rough water -- you get used to it, but it definitely requires effort to control your body while "floating" your hand.

Anyway, here's a very short video of us running in some chop. It's definitely not the worst we saw (I wouldn't have been able to film in that) but the boat ate it up pretty well. The video doesn't do the conditions much justice, as videos never do, but it's fun to watch anyway. I'm still so happy with almost every aspect of this skiff. I'll say this every chance I get, @Chris Morejohn knocked it out of the park with this design.

 
#28 ·
What a cool ride! You knocked it out of the park! I assume the flood was rock solid?

I’d be curious to take an iPhone and mount it on the boat and take accelerometer measurements while running in different boats to get a real metric on these boats eating up a chop, while others rearranging your molars.
 
#29 ·
What a cool ride! You knocked it out of the park! I assume the flood was rock solid?

I’d be curious to take an iPhone and mount it on the boat and take accelerometer measurements while running in different boats to get a real metric on these boats eating up a chop, while others rearranging your molars.
Thanks man, yes the floor was great. I was really glad I decided to double the core and add all the extra glass to the hull and cockpit floor. For the heavier motor, I also beefed up the transom, especially where it ties into the motorwell and cap. Very happy with it all -- I think that week was about as rough as I'll run it (intentionally) and she felt solid as can be.

Accelerometer data would be interesting, but we can't even get people to give real draft numbers! Would be cool though to measure different boats running side by side in the same conditions. I'm more than willing to get any data, although I don't know the next time I'll consistently be in these conditions. One thing I'll say is that I want finer control over the tabs. It's not quite as twitchy with 3 guys in the boat, but I would still appreciate the ability to make more minor corrections. I think longer/skinnier tabs will help a lot, and I may look at controls different from the toggles, not sure yet.

The sharp bow entry really does well in chop, while still having the ability to trim up and "mush" through really nasty stuff without stuffing it. The bow steer is basically unnoticeable now that I've got a little seat time with this skiff under my belt. I'm still over the moon with this skiff's performance. Only downside is now I can't blame the gear for my lack of catching fish!
 
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