The boat was a modern take on the traditional Western river fishing dories that infused the clean lines and flowing curves of low-sided Montana skiffs—typically made of fiberglass at production scale. The boat would be equally at home on the water or in the showroom of a high-end furniture gallery. Two years later, while fishing on the Pere Marquette river (Michigan) with my dad, Jacques, and son Evan, I described the Cajune boat. Six months into the pandemic lockdown, Jacques was looking for a project and excitedly agreed to lead a build.
While Cajune does sell plans, I decided to design the boat, taking heavy inspiration from Cajune, but still allowing me the opportunity to customize the build. Using the computer-aided drafting software Solidworks®, I began to shape the hull – tinkering with form, overall width, and length. River drift boats are flat bottomed with rocker on either end. The flat bottom allows the boat to float in very shallow sections of river while the rocker enables quick pivoting and positioning capability. After running water draft calculations, I settled on a 17' 4" long hull, which should only draw about four inches of water with a 1,200 pound load.
Esta historia es de la edición April 2023 de Cruising World.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición April 2023 de Cruising World.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Off Watch
A1A is not only my favorite Jimmy Buffett album, but it's one of my favorite records ever. If I were marooned on an island and could bring only five CDs with me, this would be one of them
PREPARING A VESSEL FOR SURVEY
Trying to hide a boat's problems never ends well for the seller. Follow these tips to have a successful day
THE WESTERN WAY
Instead of buying a pricey custom canvas awning for my schooner, I made my own \"covered wagon.\"
HIDDEN GEM
BUT ALL AROUND IS A PARADISE FOR SAILORS WHO LOVE TO LINGER AND EXPLORE
Last Man Standing
During the past four decades, the once-thriving business of American production sailboat manufacturing has nearly vanished, and dozens of companies and builders have fallen by the wayside. And then there's Tartan Yachts of northeast Ohio, which, in some aspects, is as vibrant as ever. Longtime Tartan stalwart Tim Jackett, a marine-industry lion in winter still making a stand, might be the central reason why
Boat of the Year 2024
With sweet, early autumn sailing conditions on Chesapeake Bay, a strong fleet of 19 contenders competed for top honors in our annual Boat of the Year competition. Once the spray had settled and the votes were tallied, the judges awarded prizes in seven categories for monohulls and multihulls. The overall winner? The surprising, innovative Jeanneau Yachts 55.
On Watch
Sometimes, a seamanship or safety issue requires sailors to give up and turn around. But other times, it's just fear taking control of a situation that can be handled
Sailor & Galley
This rich, steaming stew from the Pacific Northwest warms chilled sailors' bones and brings back a lifetime of memories.
Seamanship
George Eldridge first published the Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book in 75. Its new edition, published by the sixth generation of his family, is an impressive feat of continuity
Island Time
It's impossible to rank these favorite destinations by beauty. Instead, sailors should set a waypoint based on what they want to experience