Old School A Year Later

[Keith Knecht]

If you go to Keith Knecht in member galleries you can see a few pictures of the bracket and swim platform that is being installed.  I know you guys wanted me to keep the inboard but when it's through, I think you'll like it.  I'm having a heck of a time uploading the correct pictures so I don't have the one that show the stringers in the bracket and those stringers are attached to the original stringers inside the hull.  Maybe another month or two and I'll have some nicer pictures for you.  I have a half tower with only upperstation controls ready to go in.  The tower deck is 41 inches up so I doubt that I'll get nose bleed.

[captdave]

Looks good man, I am in need of swim platform for my full transom as well, but I have a porta.

[Keith Knecht]

Thanks captdave,

The kind I have wouldn't work.  It's really neat though.  It has oval cutouts  for the water to pass through so it wont "plop" so bad when the boat is going up and down while at rest and a recessed place for a three step boarding ladder.

[billh1963]

Looks like you've done a lot of work and have plenty more to go.....good luck!  

[Keith Knecht]

The old school will soon be unrecognizable.  I added a few more pics to my gallery.  I wish I could say that I am doing the work but that wouldn't be true.  I've done some rough work on it but the bulk of the work is being done by Egmont Boat Works.  For all of you that were wishing for a new 222, they have just finished their proto type of the Egmont 23 a boat very similar to the 222.  Some of the parts being used on my boat come from the Egmont 23 molds. It differs from the Shaffers, Gauses, and Durado in that it has an integrated fiberglass bracket and swim platform rather that a portabracket.  In my opnion, a much better setup.  Hope to start rigging the motor in the next two weeks.  I will definitely be involved in that.

[LilRichard]

In my opnion, a much better setup.

Can you elaborate on why that is a better setup, and for what kind of use?

[Keith Knecht]

I never took physics in high school but I do understand the principle of a lever.  The origional and also later versions of the 222 Osprey were hulls designed to have the weight of the motor sitting directly over the transom.  When that weight is shifted back beyond the transom via a portabracket it works like a lever lifting the bow.  People compensate for this by trying to move weight foward in the boat by various means.  The fact remains that when using the portabracket, the hull remains unchanged and it was not designed to have the weight where has been moved.  When the boat is given throttle it tends to squat and there is nothing between the hull and the motor to prevent that.  The fiberglass bracket that has been installed on the Old School is an extension of the hull. It changes the entire dynamics of the hull.  It does not, however go completely down even with the bottom of the hull.  This bracket traps air for additional floatation and has surface area that must be pushed down into the water to allow the bow to raise.  It's a little like putting the motor back on the transom or the new extended transom.  The fact that it is not down completely flush with the original hull allows the motor to sit in a little cleaner water.  The swim platform that is joined to the bracket gives you a nice place to walk if you have to get a big fish around the motor.  It's a clear path except for the main rigging tube which can be stepped over easily.  Not so with the portabracket with two swim platforms on either side.  And, no pumps, wiring, relays, bolts, plates, fluids to run out or break down.  The fiberglass bracket does allow you to install a jackplate directly  to it if you just have to get in unbelievably skinny water.

[John Jones]

http://www.egmontboatworks.com/

[Keith Knecht]

That's it.  You'd never know it but I'm on the far side of the console oposite side from Bill Miller.  If anyone is seriously interested I can arrange a sea trial.  They ain't cheep though.  Base boat w/o motor or trailer is around 56K.  One rigged with ttop like in the picture but w/o motor and trailer is about 76K.  You wouldn't believe how beautiful it is.  Two 45 gallon live wells with the ability to pump 2700 gph through them. It has two underwater water led cluster lights built into the hull.  Don't get me started.

[RickK]

Man, that's a lot of money for a bay/near shore boat
You can see the low freeboard in the pic - below knee at the CC.

Keith - are you coming to the get-together?  You can come to the Ft. Desoto ramp, call us and we'll pick you up and bring you back when you're ready.

[LilRichard]

Man, that's a lot of money for a bay/near shore boat
You can see the low freeboard in the pic - below knee at the CC.

Not  really - I agree it's a little crazy, but the Scheaffers and Gauses go for more than that.  Anyone got an estimate on a 26 gause?  $110?

[LilRichard]

BTW, is Miller getting one?  Or is he sticking to his flatback?

[RickK]

Not  really - I agree it's a little crazy, but the Scheaffers and Gauses go for more than that.  Anyone got an estimate on a 26 gause?  $110?

I realize that all boats are out of line as far as cost goes, but IMHO that's still WAY too much to pay for a bay boat - this boat @ $100k w/motor.  That's insane for a 23 ft CC.  I guess that is why I have old boats.  
Again, my $.02

[slippery73]

Saw the egmont at the johns pass tournament a week ago. Looks like a nice boat, but for 80k I think id take an avenger 25'. Every aspect of the hull on the egmont looks likes an aquasport, loolks like a spalsh of a 72'-77' 22-2. From the specs though its stretched a little. It had a neat looking leaning post baitwell, i'd like to see some closeups on that.

[slippery73]

Seems like that fiberglass bracket is asking for trouble down the road. Might be a little better for getting up on plane, but if its going to crack, delaminate, etc. 10 years down the road than why? I'd go with what proven.