Having a boat built.... guess i'm to picky and wasn't satisfied with any production boat. If you have idea's about what makes the perfect boat, please share them. Of course I have my ideas and they are already about 50% complete on the project but i'd sure hate to miss that one "MUST HAVE" design element in the build. Gonna be chasing crappie off the front and catfish out the back. Love to hear from other fisherman!! Currently working with a 22' length, 80" floor, 30" side height, forward dual console with walk thru windshield, 125 gallon stern livewell and 35 gallon front livewell. Tell me what i'm missing.

One thing I do not have figured out is interior lights. Thinking waterproof strip LED's. Any suggestions on brand and how many feet of LED strip i need to light it up? I'm open to other lighting options. Tell me what ya think.

Super Cool! Nick Goodman had one made. It has been about 2011 (June 2011 CTC Kids Catfish Tourney at Running Branch Marina on Lake Limestone), but as I recall, it was a flat bottom. His brother Jody was over CTC (Central Texas Cafish). I forget the length,. but he built the walls (side & rest of the boat) higher than normal. I guess to escape high waves better. As he was having it built, he had plans to rob his motor off his other boat. Many said it would not run as fast & be much slower, as this one might be nicknamed more of a "barge". However, after putting it all together, the rumors were quelled as it outperformed what others had thought.

OK, as to me, my hints or suggestions ...

If you might run set lines, at all, if right handed, set up the starboard (right) side for that. If left handed, then Port (left side). They would include strategic cleats to assist, in the front on that side (1) and 2 along the side of running them.

For Dip Nets & gaffs, plus 4# sledge Hammer, I assemble some concoction of Schedule 40 PVC Tees or Sweeping Tees (1 1/2"), so I can stab the dipnets, etc. into them & have them standing & easy to grab the appropriate one. I have 5 different nets I use, 3 gaffs & 1 hammer. You could also have them made with tubular aluminum I guess. But they do make it handy & easy for grabbing the appropriate tool for the fish at hand.

Top. If you have not thought about it, you can make some sort of sturdy roof squared "U" frames that mount on each side & swing up. Along with some sort of lock bar or pin. As to what type of material or canopy, there are many options. Due to the many variables along the pathway, as well as the sun's destructive rays, I found it easiest to just use the cheaper tarps & replace as needed. You can get one custom made, but one bad "hit" can rip it fast. You could get it made with snaps for easy attach & distatch. You could even make the squared "U"s to take off with a pin, to place out of your way if not wanted or needed. I can tell you this, in some nasty weather, it makes the fishing trip much more pleasurable.

On the front end, I find that mounting a few treated boards up there help to cushion accidental front end disasters. They can be at level, below, or above depending on the situations to be encountered.

Similar to the dipnets holders, I a also going to be making a dispenser for fish tools, such as certain hook liers, measuring sticks, and such. Sort of like a bucket with slots for the tools to go in like the dipnets do, so I can see the end & know which to grab easily. The proper tool grabbed fast enough can make all the difference. If you want to get fancy, you could make it Lazy Susan style- on a swivel rotating base. Or perhaps set on a swing arm that you could bring near you when needed & out of the way when needed closer.

Also, my boss, made a mount to go over his motor, to place one ice chest in, to get out of his way on the deck, if the spare room is needed. I think that wason his previous boat.

That's it for now.

Very cool! May I ask who is doing the work? I've been thinking about something like this for a while.

Nice

I was wondering who was doing the build as well. It looks like exactly what I've been wanting. If you throw a castnet a lot have them make the front deck where it drains so you don't have Shad slime running all over the boat. Wash down pump is also something nice to think about in a catboat. What gauge material are you using?

A company near Peoria IL, AAD Custom Welding and Boats. They have a FB page and they post as they progress through the build. They have a ton of pics in the Photos section of their page. Its full on custom, you design the hull and the whole lot. I gave them a drawing with everything laid out to the inch. Pretty scary, I was about a year researching builders, then paying a lot of attention to other boats i'm around, finally resulted in an order of what I consider a hybrid containing all the things i like about several different boats. The bottom of the hull and the transom are 3/16" thick and the sides are 1/8". For comparison a SeaArk is 1/8" everywhere, so just a little heavier built. They are booked for about a year right now, so if you decide you wanna go their way, you have time to do your research.

1 of them good air ride kinda seats on the passenger side so I am fresh when we get to the spot when you take me out ! Keep on posting with the updates !

Awesome post. Would love to see the finished product!

Nice!! What engine you gonna put on it?

Great project. i would Insulate the livewells if possible.

Fourstroke 225 Mercury

trlrman..... should i go ahead with a mini fridge and light snack bar near your air ride pedistal to keep you comfortable as we chauffeur round the lake? I do look forward to a trip with you on the new ride!!

A place to crawl my big self back into the boat, also hang the motor and talon anchors.

That is so cool. Only one thing better is to say you built it yourself but that takes some serious time and skills!! Cant wait to see finished product. Hope she is everything you dreamed her to be.