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In Search of a Great Fishing Boat - Part I
by Tom Davis

     I bought my first fishing boat almost 30 years ago. It was a 17-foot Hourston Glasscraft and it was powered by a 120-hp Mercruiser inboard/outboard. At the time, that model, along with the very rare 18-foot 140-hp Hourstons, was highly valued by avid sports anglers. The demand for Hourstons was particularly strong among those who fished the unpredictable waters along Vancouver Island's exposed western shoreline and narrow wind-prone inlets. They were popular because they were heavy, durable and stable. In other words, the boats were usually capable of taking rougher water than the boat operators were prepared to risk travelling through. Many of those Hourstons are still operational, which speaks well of the workmanship that went into their construction.

      My experiences with this boat were positive and rewarding. In spite of its size, which created cramped conditions with more than two people onboard, it fished and performed well. It could have used a deeper hull design to smooth out the ride in situations when the chop ran short and steep, but this was a minor inconvenience compared to the boat's overall performance. As well as standing up to the normal demands from steady use, it acted as a transport vessel for our weeklong fishing excursions into remote West Coast inlets. On these trips we stuffed it full with camping gear, tents, fishing tackle, food, water and the occasional case of beer, along with our frozen baits, all of our gas and oil, small coolers and the big fish-box loaded with ice. In was common to add over 1,000 pounds to the weight of the boat. By the time the gear was stored away there was only a small entry hole left in order to crawl under the hardtop where the controls were located. Occasionally we would try for one more fish on the return trips. When we did hook into a nice salmon it made playing and landing the fish quite challenging.

      Most of these previously-difficult-to-reach fishing locations are now accessible by road and are dotted with fly-in fishing camps, but in the 1970s, a trip to the west coast of Vancouver Island was an adventure. The Hourston, with one memorable exception, always got us to our destination and back home without any trouble. On one return trip to Gold River, the boat was packing a lot of extra weight in salmon. We were enjoying a leisurely 25-mile run back to the ramp when my fishing partner decided to relieve himself. Once he got into the back of the boat, he noticed that there was a lot of water sloshing around. When I went back to have a look, I found that the engine well was half full of water and more was running from the toilet located under one of the fold-down seats. The boat was so loaded down that the toilet shut-off valve had failed. Fortunately, the bilge pump and the fact that the engine had enough power to get the boat on the plane kept us out of trouble. The Hourston was not perfect, but it was an awfully good fishing boat, and at times I still regret selling it.

      When I purchased my next boat, a 21.5-foot Cal Glass, I chose comfort and space over some key design qualities. In terms of the glasswork and finishing craftsmanship, it was much inferior to the Hourston I had just sold. However, I had been on the boat a number of times and it fished like crazy, so in spite of the obvious flaws I bought it anyway. Also, I had started to date a girl who seemed to like both boating and fishing, and we were sharing these activities with a group of friends who were also boat owners. The Cal Glass with stove, table, sink, more size, standing headroom and a modest-sized V-berth offered the additional benefits that were adequate for those needs.

      The weaknesses of the Cal Glass were readily apparent in the poor-quality finishing work and its limitations in nasty weather. The last trait became frighteningly obvious while participating in a winter salmon-fishing tournament hosted by Rosario Resort on Orcas Island.

      When we arrived at the resort the weather was pleasant, but throughout the first day of the derby and into the next night it turned vicious. It was so rough overnight that one of the larger boats sunk at its mooring buoy. On the second morning of the derby, the southeast wind was still strong, but it had subsided enough for the participants to go fishing. While running down Eastsound and directly into the wind the boat performed well. We had decided to fish the calm waters in front of the Orcas Island ferry dock. This area was fully protected from the wind by Lopez Island. However, at some point we had to turn and quarter across the weather in order to reach the protected channel. In doing so, the Cal Glass took a terrific beating from the combination of southeast winds and an outgoing tide. It seemed to flex like an accordion each time we hit a standing wave. I can still see my wife's hands riveted to the galley table in anticipation of the next hull-shuddering impact. Even though we reached calm water within a few minutes, the decision to leave the dock that morning was unwise. While the Cal Glass served as an adequate fishing boat for a few more years, I never again put it into that type of weather. Ironically, I have been in lots of nasty stuff since then in similar-sized, and in some cases, smaller boats. Sea Rays, Double Eagles, Pursuits, Grady Whites, Bertrams and Whalers all took the same conditions with relative ease.

      In many respects, these descriptions of two entirely different small boats illustrate the problems that confront potential boat owners, particularly when budget constraints put an upper limit on price. That scenario will invariably force compromises. What should be sacrificed in order to meet competing demands? It is a tough question to answer. If the boat is going to be used almost exclusively for fishing, then make your choice based on the set of criteria that apply to fishing needs. If, on the other hand, there are family issues that dictate more space, sleeping, cooking and storage considerations, then its fishing performance features may rank second. However, the buyer should never sacrifice quality. If the issue is money, it's better to buy smaller than go for a larger boat that lacks the toughness and durability to provide a safe fishing or cruising platform.

      Where the boat is to be used and the variety of weather conditions that prevail in the region are two of the most important considerations when making a buying decision. Vessel size does not necessarily equate to seaworthiness and has absolutely nothing to do with design quality.

      Great Lakes' salmon anglers generally need large sturdy boats over 20 feet in length. In fact, the average Great Lakes' salmon boat is probably closer to 30 feet long. These craft must be able to handle the tough conditions that the big lakes produce. The rough water of the Great Lakes can be very different from ocean rough water. The waves tend to be steep and the troughs short.

      Regardless of the difference, bad weather on Lake Michigan is no less dangerous than bad weather off the California coast. In fact, I have spent many days on the Great Lakes in conditions that stayed rough in spite of relatively light winds and clear skies. Much of the big lake salmon fleet is made up of charter vessels. They need solid boats that are larger on average to provide comfort and a sense of security for their clients.

      The coastline of California has a number of salmon fishing hotspots that are either located many miles offshore or along the exposed and often unforgiving coastline. In these areas, the fishing conditions are nearly always influenced by a prevailing onshore wind. Consequently, spending any amount of time in these waters requires a stable and reliable boat underfoot.

      I recently spoke with Jim Koregelos, a good friend of mine who used to fish commercially for salmon and tuna along the California coast using recreational-styled fishing boats. He would often travel 50 miles offshore in search of fish. I asked Jim about his favourite boat and remarkably he ranked his 17-foot Whaler Montauk as his number one offshore boat. He did admit that it could be a hard ride running into the weather, but on the return trip in a following sea the Montauk was the best boat he had ever owned. Jim gave up that type of fishing 20 years ago, but his son currently uses the same Montauk to sportfish for salmon and tuna.

      I have also been aboard some pretty decent small boats. One of the best was a 15-foot Livingston, owned by Terry Lambert from Bremerton, Washington. In the early 1990s, Terry made annual pilgrimages to Barkley Sound during August for the area's fabulous chinook salmon fishery. On one particular trip, he invited myself and my brother-in-law to fish with him.

      For about a 10-year period ending in the middle 1990s, the Barkley Sound/Alberni Inlet fishery was phenomenal. With a four chinook daily limit and a possession limit of eight fish, anglers could run up some very big numbers. The salmon were so numerous that even with generous bag limits and lots of fishing pressure it was hard to put a dent into the overall return of fish. Heavy sport, commercial and Native fishing normally took place for a six-week period and even so over 100,000 chinooks often returned to the Stamp River and the Roberston Creek hatchery each year.

      On the first morning of our trip, the three of us took a full limit of 12 chinooks, ranging between 20 and 35 pounds. These fish added at least 300 pounds to the total weight of the boat. The Livingston handled the extra weight with relative ease. The stability of the boat was quite remarkable, even while playing and netting the fish when at least two of us would be hanging over one side of the boat. Constant weight shifts barely affected the hull position in the water. Although we did not encounter any rough weather, the ride suggested that the Livingston was solid and probably capable of handling the heavy stuff if necessary.

      I now use a 20-foot Bertram inboard/outboard as my primary fishing boat. It was one of the first Bertrams built by Canoe Cove Marina during the late 1960s. Between 25 to 30 versions of this model were constructed, and to my knowledge most of them are still operating along the West Coast. The Bertram is a tough, durable, yet simple design that has the weight and the ride to handle some pretty awful weather. It was also built for fishing with common sense features that complement rather than impede the angling experience. A past fishing partner of mine called this boat "bulletproof" and after nearly 35 years of constant use it continues to live up to that reputation.

      The big snowstorm of 1996, which affected much of Washington State and the southern part of British Columbia, destroyed scores of major buildings, including many of the marinas in the region. When I made contact with the staff at Canoe Cove I was told that the boathouse had collapsed and that my boat was underwater. I was devastated. It took two days before I was able to dig out and travel on the roads. When I got to the marina what I could see through the boathouse debris showed that the Bertram was still afloat.

      In fact, it was all that was holding the crushed boathouse above water. When the work crew finally cut away the rubble, the boat popped up like a cork. The exterior damage was limited to the canvas top, one side window, some scratches and scrapes to the gelcoat and a bent cockpit railing. That experience confirmed its "bulletproof" rating.

      Shortly after buying my Glasscraft I thought it would be a great idea to design the ideal fishing boat. Thirty years have passed and I have yet to put any serious thought towards that goal. There is a good reason for this. I doubt if there is one single design that is best for every fishing situation or that will be right in every region of the country. However, there are a lot of good boats in all size classes with important features that turn a boat into a real fishing machine. In next month's edition of The Rod Tip I am going to examine some of the features that contribute to putting together a great package, with special attention on the cockpit area and how to set it up properly.