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Bluesky Catamaran Taking form #12637423 02/20/18 05:12 PM
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Brad R Offline OP
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See pic at bottom.

Introduced last summer and close to shipping now, this one is a joint effort between Bluesky Boatworks and Jackson Kayak.

Is it a kayak? Hmm!!! Well, mono hulls and catamarans both can be sailboats, so...

It is chock full of great fishing attributes, no doubt about it:

1) It can be taken apart in a matter of minutes if necessary. Or, its 48" width will still allow it to slide up in the bed of a truck;
2) It has built-in carrying wheels, so no more $250 after-market carts/Landing gears;
3) It has a true bass boat sort of raised seat that swivels for 360 degree fishing;
4) It has storage in both of the hulls;
5) It has a giant rudder for good turning;
6) It has a place for an outboard or a TM;
7) It comes with the Jackson Pedal Drive, a 12 to 1 gearing as opposed to Native's 10 to 1.;
8) Size-wise, it is essentially the length of a PA 14 or Jackson Big Rig at around 13 feet, just, 10" wider.
I could go on and on. But, I could see this as a really fine vessel for fishing deeper water since it is super stable, also great for sight fishing and all presentations where you want to be up higher.

Options will be endless but the angler model will come ready to fish. But, one will be able to get a sail for it soon, other things, too, have been mentioned.

If these come in priced in the same range as the big PAs, they should achieve some market penetration.

Brad


Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: Brad R] #12639049 02/21/18 03:39 PM
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RealBigReel Offline
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I think there will be people that find this nice but I have several concerns.
The weight at 170 lbs is heavy. Which means you won't be dragging this upstream in any sort of current. And it won't run in skinny water either way.
48" wide will not load in my S10 assembled.
MSRP at $3499.00 will put it well out of reach for most.

Last edited by RealBigReel; 02/24/18 08:44 PM.

RealBigReel
I don't go too fast but I go pretty far.
Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: RealBigReel] #12639974 02/21/18 11:58 PM
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Brad R Offline OP
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Originally Posted By: RealBigReel
I think there will be people that find this nice but I have several concerns.
The weight at 170 lbs is heavy. Which means you won't be dragging this upstream in any sort of current. And it won't run in skinny water either either way.
48" wide will not load in my S10 assembled.
MSRP at $3499.00 will put it well out of reach for most.


Agreed. The draft is only 5" (but, how much loaded?) so I think it'll handle skinny water okay; but, the weight will be limiting. I had no idea it is coming in at 170 lbs. First comments I think suggested 130 lbs. That is a big miss.

I think a PA 14 is around 150 lbs. so this is breaking new ground on the top end of weight, likely up there with that big Hobie Tandem kayak. This big 360 Angler will be no fun portaging, that is for sure. Too, if going down river, the width might allow you to get snagged between the two hulls. That'd be tough to get un-pinned from in a current.

One big advantage to pulling this thing around will be two handles where you can stand between the hulls and be in a position sort of like lifting a wheelbarrow. It'd be interesting to see what the "tongue weight" is in its standard configuration.

Where I see it as a possible solution would be for deeper water fishing on lakes, well, lakes in general. This will likely dial up more as an alternative to bass busters, jon boats, etc.

Brad

Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: Brad R] #12640681 02/22/18 10:48 AM
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Not many people do any real portaging, at least more than from the boat ramp to the water. The weight is of minimal concern also, there are lots of big heavy yaks out there, pa, titan, frontier etc. Price is definitely in the upper end market and that may hurt it some but generally if it performs people will buy it. I wonder how it will perform in open water in our texas wind. That for me is a big deal. Sitting up so high means at least you will catch a lot of wind. It doesnt really look like a boat you can paddle. It has some cool features. I think options in the market are great for the sport. I think a tandem version would be awesome.


Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: Brad R] #12641374 02/22/18 06:13 PM
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A good rule of angling philosophy is not to interfere with another fisherman's ways of being happy, unless you want to be hated.
Zane Grey, Tales of Fishes, 1919

https://vimeo.com/73372194
https://vimeo.com/72859045

Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: lconn4] #12642245 02/23/18 02:07 AM
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I've heard 7 or 8 MPH and, if so, it'll help retailers move some inventory. But, that might be hyperbole, pre-release baloney.

It does have a 12 to 1 gearing ratio. Hmm?

My general interest has been regarding getting something that one might be able to use in deeper water: get there quicker, set up and anchor out . . . and not get run over. And, I like the idea of having 2 good modes of power: pedal and a power option. A third, paddling, man, that'd be tough! I think a little 2.5 HP outboard would likely be a good option.

That 400 lbs. capacity "looks" about right to me. They have a few short clips on the manufacturer's website and the two hulls are sunk down pretty with single occupants and not all that much visible gear.

Brad

Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: Brad R] #12642279 02/23/18 02:19 AM
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If you're wanting a not-a-kayak to power with an outboard the L4Expedition is cheaper, lighter, and has a higher weight capacity.


"Water is life's matter and matrix, mother and medium. There is no life without water." -Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." - Heraclitus
Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: Neumie] #12642681 02/23/18 01:01 PM
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Brad R Offline OP
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Excellent!

I have seen a few guys fishing SUPs up in our cove. I love them and this one you've posted the link to would be super nice.

It is actually very close in its dimensions and other statistics to my Meyers Sportspal. An S-13 or S-15 would still be my choice for the sorts of fishing from something like this: at half the price. More applications, too, for adding power, etc.

Has our "sport" morphed into some very interesting areas or what? More to come, too.

Brad

Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: Brad R] #12643628 02/23/18 09:48 PM
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Seeing the crazy changes in the last 10-12 years is wild. I remember 35 years ago when there was no "kayak fishing"


Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: Brad R] #12645265 02/24/18 08:56 PM
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Originally Posted By: Brad R
Originally Posted By: RealBigReel
I think there will be people that find this nice but I have several concerns.
The weight at 170 lbs is heavy. Which means you won't be dragging this upstream in any sort of current. And it won't run in skinny water either either way.
48" wide will not load in my S10 assembled.
MSRP at $3499.00 will put it well out of reach for most.


Agreed. The draft is only 5" (but, how much loaded?) so I think it'll handle skinny water okay; but, the weight will be limiting. I had no idea it is coming in at 170 lbs. First comments I think suggested 130 lbs. That is a big miss.

I think a PA 14 is around 150 lbs. so this is breaking new ground on the top end of weight, likely up there with that big Hobie Tandem kayak. This big 360 Angler will be no fun portaging, that is for sure. Too, if going down river, the width might allow you to get snagged between the two hulls. That'd be tough to get un-pinned from in a current.

One big advantage to pulling this thing around will be two handles where you can stand between the hulls and be in a position sort of like lifting a wheelbarrow. It'd be interesting to see what the "tongue weight" is in its standard configuration.

Where I see it as a possible solution would be for deeper water fishing on lakes, well, lakes in general. This will likely dial up more as an alternative to bass busters, jon boats, etc.

Brad


My unloaded draft is less than an inch in my river kayak HYBRID, and dragging that is plenty tough enough if there is any flow at all. I would suggest that 5 inches draft drag upstream in any current at all would be undoable.

As to "tongue weight". There is approximately 2.5 times as much length in front of the wheels as behind, but there is also most of the major weight in front of the wheels. That "tongue weight" is going to be in excess of 70 lbs.


RealBigReel
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Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: RealBigReel] #12645336 02/24/18 09:51 PM
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Originally Posted By: RealBigReel
Originally Posted By: Brad R
Originally Posted By: RealBigReel
I think there will be people that find this nice but I have several concerns.
The weight at 170 lbs is heavy. Which means you won't be dragging this upstream in any sort of current. And it won't run in skinny water either either way.
48" wide will not load in my S10 assembled.
MSRP at $3499.00 will put it well out of reach for most.


Agreed. The draft is only 5" (but, how much loaded?) so I think it'll handle skinny water okay; but, the weight will be limiting. I had no idea it is coming in at 170 lbs. First comments I think suggested 130 lbs. That is a big miss.

I think a PA 14 is around 150 lbs. so this is breaking new ground on the top end of weight, likely up there with that big Hobie Tandem kayak. This big 360 Angler will be no fun portaging, that is for sure. Too, if going down river, the width might allow you to get snagged between the two hulls. That'd be tough to get un-pinned from in a current.

One big advantage to pulling this thing around will be two handles where you can stand between the hulls and be in a position sort of like lifting a wheelbarrow. It'd be interesting to see what the "tongue weight" is in its standard configuration.

Where I see it as a possible solution would be for deeper water fishing on lakes, well, lakes in general. This will likely dial up more as an alternative to bass busters, jon boats, etc.

Brad


My unloaded draft is less than an inch in my river kayak HYBRID, and dragging that is plenty tough enough if there is any flow at all. I would suggest that 5 inches draft drag upstream in any current at all would be undoable.

As to "tongue weight". There is approximately 2.5 times as much length in front of the wheels as behind, but there is also most of the major weight in front of the wheels. That "tongue weight" is going to be in excess of 70 lbs.


Your unloaded draft is likely about where my Meyers S-15 would dial in. It has an incredibly flat bottom at around 67 lbs. 38" width and 15' 3" length.

I think it would float on wet grass.

5" draft would create a huge amount of resistance from any current, for sure, perhaps helped a bit by the fact that it has a true catamaran hull configuration, so a lot of its weight is up and out of the water. Still, this would not be the vessel for many circumstances.

At least for trailers, a tongue weight of 9 to 15% is desirable according to a Google source. Here, there won't be an actual trailer as the 360, itself, is the "trailer" and the user absorbs the weight like a bumper hitch. Oddly, but correct in terms of math, if someone carries around a large ice chest as noted this vessel is capable of, as long as it is behind the wheels, the total load goes up, the tongue weight goes down.

My guess is most guys in a boat like this will pull up pretty close and just drop it off a few feet from the water making it not a big deal. If someone has to "walk in" somewhere, say on a small lake, tongue weight is going to be a big deal.

Brad

Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: Brad R] #12645829 02/25/18 05:14 AM
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What is the pitch and diameter of the prop compared to the native? That info would fill in the rest of the value of the pedal to prop ratio.

The sea cycle ( http://www.sea-cycle.com/sea-cycle ) is an absolute racer in the water but sucks to fish from since it was designed for speed, light weight and transportability. I have logged many hours on one wishing for any kind of workable surface at all.. There have been several Canada to Mexico offshore trips in the books proving the seaworthiness of small light pedal driven catamarans.

There will definitly be a crowd that this is a very good fit for. Best of luck with it !

Last edited by Carver; 02/25/18 02:37 PM.

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Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: Brad R] #12646724 02/26/18 01:18 AM
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I don't know that prop stat. Agreed, though, that it would add some information.

Wow! the website you pointed us to shows that catamaran has a top end speed of 12.8 MPH. Pretty impressive speed.

Brad

Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: Brad R] #12648289 02/27/18 12:07 AM
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Originally Posted By: Brad R
I don't know that prop stat. Agreed, though, that it would add some information.

Wow! the website you pointed us to shows that catamaran has a top end speed of 12.8 MPH. Pretty impressive speed.

Brad


The add says it is "rated for 12.8 MPH". Doesn't mean you can peddle it that fast. Just means it won't fall apart if it is going that fast.


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Re: Bluesky Catamaran Taking form [Re: RealBigReel] #12648998 02/27/18 01:22 PM
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Originally Posted By: RealBigReel
Originally Posted By: Brad R
I don't know that prop stat. Agreed, though, that it would add some information.

Wow! the website you pointed us to shows that catamaran has a top end speed of 12.8 MPH. Pretty impressive speed.

Brad


The add says it is "rated for 12.8 MPH". Doesn't mean you can peddle it that fast. Just means it won't fall apart if it is going that fast.


Well, in the same sentence it also states that it is "rated" for 550 lbs. so I think they are using the term to represent maximums in both cases, likely some sort of hull speed maximum on the latter. Certainly not a "fall apart" threshold speed.

What is hard to know is whether it indicates a speed for one or two pedalers. But, anyway, this would be sort of saying the top speed of a particular bike is XX MPH. It always depends on who the rider of the bike is.

12.8 MPH is really moving along . . . I wonder if that speed is really attainable in that particular vessel? Again, it could be based on hull speed calcs.

Brad

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