I have been refurbing and customizing a 15’6 classic Riverhawk. There have been plenty of hurdles and headaches keeping her from completion. Since the new Yammi is still in the shop with a broken rod I borrowed an old 5Hp motor and called Cory to get on the water for the maiden voyage. I knew the motor ran but that was it and we didnt really know how the boat would handle. The 5 pushed her at 10knts on plane( i can twait to get a 15) …when we got to the flat the boat was SUPER stable really easy and quiet to pole tracked well and floated in literally nothing.
The Borrowed motor dies as I throttled down to our spot and would not start back up. We pushed around fishing and tried to crank it every min or so. Since we only had about 45 mins of good light we sucked it up and called tow boat . While we waited Corey pushed me in a good looking pocket and I hooked up with a cruiser on a small shrimp fly… I was Really Really pumped!!! after all the work on this boat and the motor dieing this was one of the most memorable Redfish I have ever hooked up with…
Also first time throwing my new Helios 7wt…That rod is amazing No Joke!!
Finally Tow Boat arrives to smiling faces.
Once the RiverHawk is completely done I will do a detailed Post about the build… It has been a real fun project.
hahahah, nailed ya…the hoodoo Dr. worked and musta cured the ol boy!! you were right Hooch, great backdrop for photo!
you look like you are doing “the robot” in the 1st pic…
The hoo doo Dr. might have thrown out the JuJu… This fish was a serious slump buster!! Thats my gettin Tight Hooked up robot dance so get use to seeing it. Im still shocked about how well that little boat poles and fishes come spring those grass fish are in serious trouble.
Here she is. The motor is an old E rude 8 I am waiting on the newer 15 to get outta the shop for a little more get up and go. Fished the high tides last weekend and this boat is a grass machine. Floats so shalow and if you get stuck or need get over a bar you just get out and pick it up. The boat is so light that a beam wind can be a pain in the as. I think this is the beginning of a Micro obsession for me.
Here are a couple build pictures.
BEFORE
After
Still gotta add some sea deck and gonna get a rubber rub rail because the metal on is pretty oud when you put the pole down on it.
for the front we built in a frame with a little trial and error of pressure treated 2x4. there are two horizonal rods holders that are 4 long PVC pipes to protect fly rods. (only one set was in for the pics) then we placed a sheet of marine ply wood cut to fit over the frame back to the end of the first seat and glasses over that.
I didnt spring for the interlux. I had to mix colors to make the green i wanted and didnt want to trial and error that with the expensive interlux. I used regular rustoleum marine paint brush and tip a few coats with fine sanding in between. It look s pretty good.
