I got a call from one of the owners of Inshore Power Boats, simply referred to as IPB. He was going to build a duck hunting boat and wanted to use our camo SeaDek to deck out the boat. The nice thing about an IPB is the many different options and ways to build it out. You basically have a blank canvas and if you have an idea, they can make it happen. This boat is just an example of what they can do. They added KC headlamps, gun box, poling platform, mud motor, custom grab bar, and of course the army camo SeaDek with custom duck logos to top it off. Check out a few of the pics of the SeaDek before the boat was fully rigged out and a picture of the boat rigged out, dog not included. If you are interested in having Castaway Customs deck out your hunting boat, IPB, or any boat for that matter, give us a call at 321-537-2039 or shoot me an email at tyler@castawaycustoms.com.
The IPB ready to hunt
The IPB before Camo SeaDek
The IPB after Camo SeaDek
Castaway Customs puts that custom touch on your boat
Florida Sport Fishing Magazine recently made a trip to the SeaDek factory for their “Made in Florida” series. This article features business around the state that actually manufacture and produce products in the state. The article goes through and informs people a little more about what all goes into making a great product. Castaway Customs work is featured on the front page of the article. The boat that is decked out is Capt. Chris Wittman’s Lake and Bay Boca Grande. Chris fished the ESPN Redfish Cup out of the boat last year. Check out that article that starts on page 129. To get your boat decked out contact me at tyler@castawaycustoms.com or give me a call at 321-537-2039.
Check out page 129 in Florida Sport Fishing Magazine
When working on a flats boat, one of the most common SeaDek projects is under gunnel pads. They protect rods and reels while running the boat and also add a very nice custom look to the boat. I have worked on most boats so I have templates for most under gunnel pads. Whether you have a Hellsbay, Maverick, Hewes, ECC, Dolphin, Egret, you name it and I should have a template for it. Some manufactures put stock carpet on the under gunnels and it is easy to replace the carpet with SeaDek. If you have nothing on theunder gunnel of your skiff, it is even easier to apply SeaDek because you don’t have to bother removing the old carpet. I also work in close relation with many manufactures so if you are ordering a new skiff give me a call and I can get the pads installed directly from the factory so they are on the boat when you come and pick it up. Take a look at some pictures of under gunnel pads, we can do many different color options as well as logos to really give your boat that custom look. Contact me today at 321-537-2039 or by email at tyler@castawaycustoms.com to have SeaDek under gunnel pads made for your flats boat.
Castaway Customs now is carrying anodized aluminum push pole holders. They add a very nice look to your skiff and do a great job of holding your push pole. Whether you are using a Stiffy push pole, LoopTackle push pole, Biscayne push pole, Moonlighter push pole, or any other brand, they will work. They are simple to install and light weight. One of the pieces has a hole machined to put a bungee to make sure you push pole stays attached while running or driving down the highway. They sell for the $170.00 and shipping is free. Call 321-537-2039 today to order a set push pole holders for your boat.
Having a flats boat or skiff without a push pole is like being up the creek without a paddle. A good push pole is a must in order to quietly sneak up and stalk schools of fish. Whether you are stalking bonefish and redfish on the flats, or staking out on the edge of channels for tarpon or permit a good push pole is a necessity. There are a few different options as far as push poles are concerned. Stiffy push poles, from my experience, are probably the most widely used and accepted brand throughout the state of Florida and I’m assuming that statement would be true across the board no matter where you are located. Moonlighter and and Biscayne also produces both fiberglass and carbon fiber push poles. Which push pole to buy depends upon your personal preference, price range, and location. Some people like a very stiff push pole while others like a push pole with slightly more flex to it. The only real way to decide which works best for you is to try them out for yourself. Another thing to consider with purchasing a push pole is where the pole is located. Due to the size of the push poles, shipping can be very expensive and add to the cost, so that is something to keep in mind.
New to the push pole game is Loop Tackle. Loop has been around for a while in the fly fishing world and made a name for themselves making fly fishing rods and reels. They are now producing a multi-piece carbon fiber push pole. In general I think most people always been a little leery of multi-piece push poles. Depending upon who assembles them, and how they are assembled they have been known to leak and allow water to intrude into the pole which adds weight and is annoying. Push poles also take a lot stress and abuse, most people only put a ferrule into a pole to repair it and are afraid of breaking a multi-piece poles which have multiple ferrules. Once again this comes down to the person assembling. Depending upon which epoxy they use, how long they let it cure, and several other factors, this can literally make or break a pole, no pun intended. Luckily for everyone, most every Loop Tackle push pole that is around or assembled is put together by Joe Welbourn from Carbon Marine. Joe specializes in carbon fiber products for the marine industry and specializes in working with epoxies and composites.
I recently picked up one of these poles to try out for myself. I choose to use a 21′ push pole which is constructed of 4 separate pieces made out of carbon fiber. I have poled with a Temple Fork Outfitters multi-piece pole, and in my opinion the pole had to much flex and felt to “whippy”. The TFO pole is quite a bit cheaper though, so for people on a budget or those who don’t pole all the time, it may be a great option. As soon as I picked up the Loop Tackle push pole, I knew it felt better. They come with two different grips, one is ribbed similar to a Stiffy Hybrid push pole, but the ribs aren’t quite a large. The other finish is smoother. Both the smooth and ribbed finish have shark skin texture to them. This shark skin texture is smooth when sliding the pole through your hands and gives you good grip when pushing. It took me a little while to get use to it, but it helps if the pole is wet. I tested out the pole poling around the Hellsbay Skate. The pole worked great and I poled several miles into and with the wind. Overall the performance of the pole was great. For the Hellsbay Skate which is just under 13′ the 21′ push pole worked great, but the nice thing is the poles can be made up to 25′ . I’m sure the the longer you extend the pole the flex characteristics may slightly change, but the flex in the 21′ pole seemed perfect.
I liked the poles so much that I decided to add it to the product lines carried by Castaway Customs. If you are looking for a push pole feel free to call me at 321-537-2039 or email me at tyler@castawaycustoms.com and I can get you exact pricing or answer any of your questions.
Check out the new redfish die cut pads by Castaway Customs. A simple yet versatile product that can used in many applications. They work great as a fly holder, or to stick any lures or jigs in. We have them in any of the colors of SeaDek. They have the same peel and stick adhesive so you can use them anywhere. They work great as a reel pad on the undergunnel of any boat or skiff. They also look great so you can stick them anywhere as decoration. It has the same great traction of SeaDek so you can use them as a trailer step pad or on any step for traction. We will coming out with many other species shortly, so let us know what you would like and we will get started working on it. To order a pair please contact me at tyler@castawaycustoms or feel free to give me a call at 321-537-2039.
Castaway Customs is happy to have teamed up with the HT Series for the redfish and bass tournaments for 2010. The HT Series has been around for a while now and got started in bass tournaments. The formats over the the past few years have changed and with the ESPN Redfish Cup folding in 2010, HT Series has stepped up for next year. On the redfishing side of things there will be a 2 day pro events called the HT Cup as well as 1 day amateur events called the HT Series. Both the pro and amateur events will be run from Florida to Texas and as far North as South Carolina. The HT Cup and HT Series events will conclude towards the end of October out in Venice Louisiana for the championships. Castaway Customs will be attending a few of the events throughout the year so keep and eye out. Castaway Customs recently decked out the weigh in stage in SeaDek. Check out some of the pictures of the stage and a little one day event put together up in Titusville, FL near Mosquito Lagoon. Despite the bad weather there was a decent turnout of anglers and first place was taken home by tournament veterans Mark Sepe and Scott Guthrie. Check out http://www.htseries.com/ for more information and keep checking back for updates.
The HT Series stage before the SeaDek install
The HT Series stage after the SeaDek install
The HT Series stage being setup and leveled
The trailer rig with the foldout stage and weighin table setup
The Titusville event winners Mark Sepe and Scott Guthrie
If you have ever been digging for grouper or fished off of any offshore boat without coaming bolsters you will know it by the end of the day when your thighs are covered in bruises. Bare fiberglass isn’t a very comfortable surface and that is why many people cover the area you lean against while fighting a fish in the cockpit of their boats. Traditional coaming bolsters are made of foam and vinyl, much like a seat cushion. The problem with vinyl is it requires some up keep and also tends to mold and mildew after a while. Traditional coaming bolsters are very expensive and also require drilling many holes in the boat to attach the pad. SeaDek coaming bolsters take care of all the problems associated with traditional bolsters. Since SeaDek bolsters are made of a UV protected EVA foam formulated for the marine environment, you don’t have to worry about them fading, cracking, or mildewing like a vinyl bolster would. The EVA foam is also a closed cell foam so if you were to accidentally stick a gaff into it, you not have to worry about the pads absorbing or holding water. The application, like all SeaDek products, is an easy peel and stick application so it takes no time to make your boat more comfortable. Check out the video below to see how easy the installation is. We can manufacture the coaming bolsters in any of the stock SeaDek colors so we can make something that will look great on your boat. Castaway Customs carries stock sizes bolsters and specializes in custom applications. Feel free to contact us with dimensions of your boat for a quote. You can reach me at tyler@castawaycustoms.com.
Castaway Customs specializes in making custom products that help set your boat apart from the rest. If you already have artwork provided or have a concept you can email to us. We have many semi custom logos to choose from and have the abilities to create any custom logo whether it be for strictly for your SeaDek pad or if you want new boat lettering. Castaway Customs works in close relation with BoldWater who has been a staple for design work in the marine industry for over 10 years. Check out a few of the recent logos we have done recently. If you would like to purchase a pad with a stock or custom logo, please contact us at tyler@castawaycustoms.com.
While teak adds a very classic look to a boat, there are major downsides. One of the major issues is the cost. Teak is a very expensive wood and installing teak on a boat is very labor intensive therefore will set you back a good amount. The other downside to real teak is the amount of time and labor it takes to keep it looking good. It can be a full time job keeping it oiled up. While teak use to be one of your only options now there are many different faux teak options. The nice thing about faux teak is it gives you the look of teak without the maintenance and most of all without breaking the bank. There are different faux teak options out there, but many of them will still cost you around $50 per square foot installed, about half of the cost of real teak. SeaDek’s faux teak runs about half of the cost of other faux teak materials while still provide the comfort, traction, and durability that SeaDek is known for. Whether you are looking to cover the cockpit of a sportfishing boat or the interior cabin on a cabin cruiser, the faux teak SeaDek is a great option from every standpoint. Castaway Customs specializes in custom SeaDek applications and can design and install custom faux teak in your boat. Take a look at some of my recent work and feel free to contact me at tyler@castawaycustoms.com if you have any questions or for a price quote.
Before and After Boats, Custom SeaDek, Hunting Boats, Inshore Boats, SeaDek, SeaDek Floor Kits | admin | 
January 23, 2010 12:00 am | 
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