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Author Topic: Merkins 222FB rebuild  (Read 4317 times)

May 26, 2016, 09:34:44 AM
Reply #45

merkin222

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Re: Merkins 222FB rebuild
« Reply #45 on: May 26, 2016, 09:34:44 AM »
Hey there 196,

I wouldn't have thought that a push pole could have a place on this boat either, but an old guide I know (fishes a Dorado+tower) said I ought to see how it poles, since he uses a pushpole, when the trolling motor is overkill, to get up on spooky redfish. I tried it and thought it was a capability that I'd like to have too. - Given, you're not going to go into a headwind much, but it's sure nice for directing downwind direction - and it's silent.

The boat has been fishing great. It's comfortable in a light chop, and a wide open platform for fishing multiple anglers. With five of us out fishing for a full day, last week, there was plenty of space and a comfortable ride. Pictures to follow.
Have fish? Will travel.

May 26, 2016, 10:36:01 AM
Reply #46

merkin222

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Re: Merkins 222FB rebuild
« Reply #46 on: May 26, 2016, 10:36:01 AM »
Last shot is Aaron's boat on our run down to the Skyway.
Have fish? Will travel.

May 26, 2016, 02:10:11 PM
Reply #47

florida196

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Re: Merkins 222FB rebuild
« Reply #47 on: May 26, 2016, 02:10:11 PM »
Awesome.  I would have never even have attempted to pole boat of this size.  But the way I described it makes perfect sense.  Keep the photos coming we need more fish pictures on here.  :thumleft:

May 26, 2016, 02:13:09 PM
Reply #48

merkin222

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Re: Merkins 222FB rebuild
« Reply #48 on: May 26, 2016, 02:13:09 PM »
Will do, buddy. Thanks for the kind words.
Tight lines,
Neill
Have fish? Will travel.

May 26, 2016, 06:46:48 PM
Reply #49

Aswaff400

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Re: Merkins 222FB rebuild
« Reply #49 on: May 26, 2016, 06:46:48 PM »
if you look close at the pic of my boat you can see me taking this pic of Neil's boat

Aaron
1996 200 Osprey SOLD
1968 22-2 Flatback SOLD
1993 210 Explorer SOLD
1991 Fountain 31TE SOLD
1989 Fountain 12-meter SOLD
1992 Talon F-20 SOLD
2021 Fountain 38TE QUAD 400's

May 26, 2016, 07:21:23 PM
Reply #50

merkin222

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Re: Merkins 222FB rebuild
« Reply #50 on: May 26, 2016, 07:21:23 PM »
Haha, that's great. Nice shot, Aaron :)
Have fish? Will travel.

October 11, 2017, 09:10:14 PM
Reply #51

Aswaff400

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Re: Merkins 222FB rebuild
« Reply #51 on: October 11, 2017, 09:10:14 PM »
Neill hasn't been on here since finishing his boat, he was fishing the crap out of it until one afternoon this past spring, the boat began running sluggish. opened the bilge hatch and water was rushing in. he beached the boat, closed the thru-hulls, and got most of the water pumped out but it was still coming in. we floated the boat off the beach and dove under, found a 3 ft long crack under the port stringer. shined a light under the deck and found a section of the stringer broke loose. i grabbed my trailer and we retrieved the boat right off the beach... the boat is now nearing completion on a full keel up rebuild with new composite stingers, fuel tanks, deck with storage hatches in deck, new console and tower....
Aaron
1996 200 Osprey SOLD
1968 22-2 Flatback SOLD
1993 210 Explorer SOLD
1991 Fountain 31TE SOLD
1989 Fountain 12-meter SOLD
1992 Talon F-20 SOLD
2021 Fountain 38TE QUAD 400's

October 11, 2017, 10:04:32 PM
Reply #52

merkin222

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Re: Merkins 222FB rebuild
« Reply #52 on: October 11, 2017, 10:04:32 PM »
Yep, it's true. That was a rough day guys...But, I knew the day would come, and so it wasn't a total shock. I had just figured the de-lam would kind of 'reveal itself' over time, and that I'd be able to casually make my plans to do the tear out and rebuild. I didn't know it would show up smack dab in the middle of a trip, in the form of a quickly sinking vessel.

So take heed, you guys surfing these CA boards who want to do a rebuild but decide you'll 'fish her a while until it's absolutely necessary to do the floor and stringers'...In my case, we did a full transom rebuild at the start, and while we were in there we decided that the guts looked good enough to wait on floor and stringers. We were mostly wrong, and it was only luck that this happened while I was a half mile from shore, instead of a couple miles off. I was able to beach the boat and get my people off safely, before water neared the electronics or motor.

Like Aaron said, she's been in rehab here for the last few months with a top-notch shop, taken down to the skin, thickened up in the chines and hullsides, new windows (it's a window boat), composite stringers and bulkheads, new aluminum tank (60gal), and composite deck with new hatch configuration. I have a 6' tower in the works for her, too, so I'm pretty excited to see it come together.

I'll be sure to post up the pics as she comes back online.

Cheers,
Merkin
Have fish? Will travel.

October 12, 2017, 05:04:05 AM
Reply #53

RickK

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Re: Merkins 222FB rebuild
« Reply #53 on: October 12, 2017, 05:04:05 AM »
Glad you were close to shore and you were able to get everyone off.  Could have been real ugly.
I had a crack show up in the keel of my 170 at one of our gatherings.  Barely got back to the ramp and on the trailer. It drained water all the way home...
Rick
1971 "170" with 115 Johnson (It's usable but not 100% finished)

1992 230 Explorer with 250 Yamaha

February 01, 2018, 07:49:57 PM
Reply #54

Aswaff400

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Re: Merkins 222FB rebuild
« Reply #54 on: February 01, 2018, 07:49:57 PM »
Neill, where's the pics??? Lol
Aaron
1996 200 Osprey SOLD
1968 22-2 Flatback SOLD
1993 210 Explorer SOLD
1991 Fountain 31TE SOLD
1989 Fountain 12-meter SOLD
1992 Talon F-20 SOLD
2021 Fountain 38TE QUAD 400's

 

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