» Helm Pad

Custom SeaDek on Sea Hunt BX 22 Pro

admin — Wed, 18 May 2011 02:42:01 +0000

In the world of boating you have several types of boats. Many of them are very specific such as technical poling skiffs on one end of the spectrum and large sport fishing boats on the other end. For the average boater, either one of these options aren’t what they are searching for. A very popular style style boat and the staple of many boat manufactures are the models that appeal to a larger audience. The bay boat market is huge especially in Florida because of the versatility it offers. While you may not be able to pole it on a shallow flat in Mosquito Lagoon, you can use a trolling motor to run deeper edges or bars searching for fish. The higher freeboard also allows you traverse open water safely and comfortably. A bay boat also makes a great family boat because you can carry more people and many of them are setup with flip up and forward seating to make it comfortable for the wife and kids. Those added comforts were the draw for this particular customer and he decide to go one step further in order to make his boat a little more comfortable and safe for the family by adding custom SeaDek. On this particular job the owner had a few issues with slipping on the deck so the non skid provided by the SeaDek, even when wet, had great appeal. For standard deck and floor applications either a single color 5mm or a two tone 6mm, a combination of two 3mm colors combined, are what Castaway Customs recommends. This particular customer was looking for something that would provide a little more cushion for his family to layout on the decks of the boat, so we decided to go with an 8mm thickness. The cool gray over black color combination is very popular and looked great as it added some slight contrast. Whether you are looking to completely deck out a boat or simply just add a helm pad or some coaming bolsters, if you are looking to add any SeaDek to your bay boat whether it be a Sea Hunt like this particular boat or any other brand like a Pathfinder, contact Castaway Customs at tyler@castawaycustoms.com.

The front deck before SeaDek install

The front deck after Custom SeaDek

The slippery rear deck

SeaDek non skid added

The helm area

No more cooler sliding around

Custom SeaDek for Estero Fire Department Boat

admin — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:18:56 +0000

I recently got a call from Capt. Glen Brownlee who works for Estero Fire Rescue down in Lee County; I did some work for a few friends of his and he thought it would be a great idea to add custom SeaDek to the work boat in order to make it more comfortable and safe while on the water. SeaDek provides an excellent traction even when wet and makes for a safe working environment. The boat is a 22′ Boca Grande built by Panga Marine in Sarasota, FL. The Panga hull design is a tried and true design and real workhorse that has proven itself throughout Central America. The customer decided to go with a single 5mm Storm Gray material which is a good application for the floor, front deck, and gunnel tops of the boat. We went with a 10mm helm pad to add a little extra cushion when running through some rough water. If you are interested in having custom SeaDek designed and installed in your boat you can contact me at tyler@castawaycustoms.com.

Panga Marine 22' Boca Grande

The front deck with 5mm Storm Gray

A view of the cockpit

A 10mm helm pad

The rear cockpit floor

31 Fountain Tournament Edition Custom SeaDek

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:35:07 +0000

Got a call from a customer who wanted to deck out pretty much his entire 31 Fountain. The offshore center console was pretty much gutted when he purchased it so he was rebuilding the way he wanted to adding some nice custom touches. The boat was recently wrapped so the customer wanted something darker and brighter than our stock caribbean blue color to help accent his boat wrap. Fortunately we had enough of a custom color laying around to make what he wanted. A few nice features on this boat are the thicker helm pad with the Fountain logo to offer more cushioning and comfort while driving. We also decided to cover the floor, steps, and cuddy area with 8mm foam which was a combination of the 3mm brighter blue over our 5mm stock caribbean blue. This not only helps reduce fatigue, but also works excellent as a traction. Another very popular option I have done on several boats lately is a pad for the top of the console. This helps to keep things like your iPhone from sliding around when underway. If you are interested in having custom SeaDek designed and installed you can contact me at tyler@castawaycustoms.com.

A custom 13mm helm pad with the Fountain Boats logo

A console pad stops things from sliding around

A view looking at the entry way to the cuddy cabin

The pads on top of the cuddy cabin help assure footing when throwing a cast net of the bow for live baits

Steps pads going to the top of the cuddy cabin

22 Pathfinder Bay Boat Custom SeaDek

admin — Thu, 27 May 2010 14:19:41 +0000

If there is a staple in boating industry for bay boats, it has the be the Pathfinder bay boat. The 22 Pathfinder is one of the models built out of the same factory that produces the Maverick flats boats and also the Hewes line of skiffs. It seems like no matter where I’m on the road working, or on the water fishing I always seem to see a Pathfinder bay boat. While there are a few different styles of the 22 Pathfinder, this particular boat is just the standard model. The customer was looking for a way to make his time on the water more comfortable and also give his boat a fresh new look. Castaway Customs designed a floor kit to cover the entire cockpit of the boat including the helm pad area and also under the leaning post to provide a cooler pad. Check out the before and after pictures to see what a difference the SeaDek makes. We decided to cover everything in 8mm cool gray over storm gray. While many customer choose black as a bottom color, this particular boat didn’t have very many black accents so the subtle change from the cool gray to storm gray was a nice clean look. If you are interested in having any custom SeaDek work done to your boat you can contact me at tyler@castawaycustoms.com or by phone at 321-537-2039.

Front deck before SeaDek

Front deck after SeaDek

Rear deck before SeaDek

Rear deck after SeaDek

Cockpit floor before SeaDek

Cockpit floor after SeaDek

Helm area with console foot pads

Cooler pad and rear cockpit floor

Overview from bow to stern

Cruisers Yachts Teak and Holly Marine Flooring

admin — Thu, 13 May 2010 20:21:28 +0000

This was another job I completed on my trip up to New England. This particular boat was located in Mystic, Connecticut. The model is a 3570 Cruisers Yacht. The owner had carpet in the boat which ended up holding dirt and moisture. He decided to go with the faux teak and holly SeaDek to replace the carpet. On a previous project the owner had installed some Amtico teak and holly plywood flooring in the cabin of the boat so I designed the teak to match the width of the previously installed material. As you can see from the pictures it ended up looking great and matching quite nicely with interior flooring. In the future the owner plans on doing the swim platform to match the cockpit of the boat. SeaDek is a great addition to any cabin cruiser style boat and will make you boating experience more enjoyable. For more information on custom SeaDek products feel free to contact me at tyler@castawaycustoms.com, or give me a call at 321-537-2039.

Cockpit view of the teak and holly SeaDek

Another view of the seating area

The head area on the boat is another great option for SeaDek

The helm pad in faux teak looks great

Custom SeaDek on Ranger Banshee Extreme

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 18:05:57 +0000

I got a call the other day from Travis Tucker who runs a Ranger Banshee Extreme and fishes many redfish tournaments. Travis had seen my custom SeaDek work on another boat and knew that is what he wanted on his boat. We organized a time a place and place to meet up so I could scan the boat to make sure everything fit perfectly. We completely covered the boat from the cockpit and decks to the poling platform and Yeti Cooler. He will now have an easier time sneaking up on those spooky redfish in tournaments and also be nice and comfortable after a long day on the water. Here are a few before and after shots, that really emphasize the difference that custom SeaDek can make to your skiff. If you are interested in decking out your boat, big or small, give me shout at 321-537-2039 or shoot me an email at tyler@castawaycustoms.com.

This is a before shot of the front deck

This is an after shot of the front deck. The Ranger logo and ruler stick really set it off.

This is a before shot of the cockpit of the boat.

This is an after shot of the cockpit. We changed out the stock side gunnel pads to match the rest of the boat.

Before SeaDek on the Yeti Cooler and rear deck

After adding SeaDek to the Yeti Cooler and rear deck

Trick out your Maverick HPX-T or Maverick HPX-V

admin — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 03:57:27 +0000

Maverick Boats have been a staple in the shallow water boating market since the beginning. There is a lot of history behind the skiff company and if boats could talk there are some Maverick boats with stories that could keep us entertained all night. I have fished with Capt Benny Blanco down in Flamingo on his Maverick HPX-T and have a few great stories of my own. The HPX-T is a tunnel hull boat that can cross extremely shallow water and jump up on plane very quickly. The boat is a fairly flat bottomed skiff so crossing open or rough waters in not ideal in this skiff. That is where the HPX-V comes into play. The Maverick HPX-V is a proven hull designed used and abused by guides and charter captains throughout the world. While it isn’t made for extremely skinny water, it will get you home safely when the wind and seas kick up. I deal with a lot of customers who have Maverick Boats and they ask me what are some of the more popular options as far as SeaDek and boating accessories are concerned. On any poling skiff, my first recommendation is to SeaDek their poling platforms and their casting platform, if they have one. Castaway Customs provides custom aluminum work as well as SeaDek so if you need a casting platform made, feel free to contact us.

A nice example of a custom casting platform on the bow of a Maverick HPX-T

For those who don’t have a casting platform and looking to kill two birds with one stone, a Yeti Cooler is a great option. The coolers are stable enough to stand on and fish while doing a great job of keeping things cold. A 35 QT Yeti Tundra cooler fits nicely in front of the console on either Maverick and easily can hold a trips worth of food and drinks. If you are looking a little larger cooler the 45 QT Yeti Tundra can be turned to run length wise in the cockpit and it still fits nicely in front of the console.

Yeti Tundra Coolers work great as a casting platform

Maverick Boats have used carpet for a long time on the under gunnel areas on their boats. One of the most common jobs I do on Mavericks is replacing that old carpet with SeaDek. Unfortunately from boat to boat placement of the rod holders seem to vary slightly so there isn’t a one size fits all kit. If you would like to order a set for your boat, just contact me and I can work through the details with you. We can do almost any logos you would like on the under gunnel areas and this really dresses the boat up nicely.

The owner of Maverick Boats, Scott Deal's personal boat

Maverick Boats are known for being very stealthy and quite, but one thing that ruin it is a client or friend stomping around in the boat. We all have been on a boat with someone who isn’t exactly light footed. A cockpit kit for the floor of the boat dampens sound and makes it more stealthy when trying to sneek up on a school of skittish fish. Most layouts for our floor kits cover the helm area of the boat creating a helm pad and making it more comfortable when driving the boat also.

17 HPX-V floor kit

Depending upon where you are fishing in your Maverick sometimes staking out with your push pole isn’t a good option. For instance, many places in Mosquito Lagoon have a harder sand bottom and trying to stake off with the push pole wont work. If you are fishing down in the Everglades over a soft or muddy bottom, a push pole may work out just fine. Either way, we always find ourselves in situations where having the capability to stake out is nice. A great shallow water anchor system I recommend to my clients is the Wang Anchor. There are different mounting systems depending upon you need. They make a transom mount system and also a quick release deck mount system. Both systems have their place in certain instances. Even just purchasing the pole works great and you can just tie off to the pole with a rope. The 3/4″ solid fiberglass pole penetrates hard bottom easily allowing you to stakeout and it can easily be stored in the under gunnel rod tubes of your Maverick.

This is the transom mount system on a HPX-V

Every technical poling skiff needs one thing and that is a push pole. Castaway Customs has you covered there also as we carry many different push poles. The pole that I’m currently using and for the price can’t be beat is a Loop push pole. The Loop push pole is made from carbon fiber and is extremely stiff and lightweight. It can also be made up to 25′ 9″ allowing you to pole more efficiently.

The Loop push poles work great

When it comes to tricking out your skiff, these are only a few of the most popular options and products my customers ask for. The possibilities are endless and many time the only limits are created by the size of your pockets. No matter what type of skiff you have, just remember that the purpose is to get out on the water and make some stories of your own.

Custom SeaDek on Triton Bay Boat and Viking Sport Fishing Boat

admin — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 03:55:22 +0000

Had the opportunity to meet and work with the owner of Deltran Battery Tender. He owns a Triton 24 LTS Pro bay boat and also a 53 Viking sport fishing boat. He decide that he wanted to do work on both of his boat. On the Triton bay boat, he already had a SeaDek helm pad, and decided he wanted to cover the entire front deck. On his larger boat, after taking a look at it we realized that there were many different applications for custom SeaDek. He has a 250 QT Yeti Tundra cooler that he uses as a fish box, and also a seat in the cockpit of the boat. we decided to go with a 13mm pad to add extra cushioning for comfort and also put the name of his boat into the pad for that custom touch. Another great application in the cockpit of the boat that we decided to cover were the step box and also the steps going into the cabin of the boat. Once we climbed up the ladder into the upper station of the boat we realized that the upper helm as well as the forward seating area floor would be a nice addition. Check out the pics and if you are interested in any custom SeaDek work feel free to contact me.

Triton 24 LTS Front Deck

250 QT Yeti Tundra Cooler Pad

54 Viking Upper Station Helm

54 Viking Upper Station Seating

SeaDek Helm Pads

admin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:37:56 +0000

SeaDek helm pads are designed to provide you a comforting time on the water. Helm pads vary in thickness depending upon your application and needs. Stock helm pads are 15mm thick, but we make them in a wide variety of thicknesses also. We also offer our pads in a wide varitey of colors so you will be able to find something that looks great at the helm of your boat. While we sell stock SeaDek helm pads on our webstore, we also specialize in custom SeaDek helm pads. So if you don’t see a size that fits your boat or just want a custom logo contact us and we will get you all taken care of. We specialize is custom logos and design so if you just want one of our stock fish designs, the name of your fishing team, or name of your boat that is not a problem at all. Shoot me an email at tyler@castawaycustoms.com or feel free to give me a call at 321-537-2039 for more information.

Stock SeaDek Small Helm Pad

Custom 33' Hydrasport Helm Pad

Custom Logo for Surfari Charters

Which Thickness SeaDek?

admin — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 04:22:24 +0000

SeaDek comes in a varitey of different thicknesses. This is nice because it allows you to custom tailor a pad to your needs and application. Our 3mm foam is the thinnest sheets avaliable. If you are looking only for traction a 3mm pad may suit your needs. The 3mm works great for knife cutting do-it yourself projects. It is to thin to be routed on our CNC machine for custom applications so a knife cut edge is the only option. The next step up in thickness is our 5mm sheets. The 5mm sheets are kind of a standard and what have been around since the beginning. Having the extra thickness provides not only traction, but added comfort as well. Anything that is 5mm or thicker can be routed on the CNC machines giving the pad a nice beveled edge and adding a more finished look to any project. The next step up is our 10mm sheets. Once you move up to a 10mm pad or thicker you are most likely looking at a thickness for something like a helm pad which provides extra cushioning. The great thing about SeaDek is all of these different thicknesses can be laminated together to give you even more options in thickness. Laminating two different colors of foam together also allow the contrast needed to create logos in the pads while giving the pad a two tone border which really sets it off. For example you can laminate a 3mm piece of Storm Gray foam over 3mm Midnight Black to give you a 6mm piece of foam. Take a look at the picture below to see what a nice look 6mm foam can provide.

3mm Storm Gray over 3mm Black

For a helm pad for a larger center console boat, we use 13mm or 15mm. I try to us a combination of 3mm foam as the top layer on any pads with logos so the routed logos stay fairly shallow in depth. Stock SeaDek helm pads consist of a 15mm foam. Take a look at the picture below to see 5mm White laminated over 10mm Storm Gray in a stock helm pad.

5mm White over 10mm Storm Gray

No matter what type of boat you have or the application of boating you do, having different thicknesses allows us to create products that will suit your needs. Castaway Customs specializes in custom products so if you have any questions or would like to purchase any custom or stock SeaDek products please contact me at tyler@castawaycustoms.com or feel free to give me a call at 321-537-2039.