Custom SeaDek for 17 Tunnel Pathfinder

I recently did some work for Capt. Peter Babb who guides out of the 10,000 Islands and Everglades National Park.  Peter runs this 17T Pathfinder for low water and sight fishing.  Although Maverick Boat Company doesn’t build this particular flats boat anymore, they have a cult following by those who fish out of them.  Peter also runs a Maverick 21 Master Angler.  The boat had been used and fished hard so it was starting to show some signs of aging and needed a little face lift.  Castaway Customs deals with many customers who are looking to take an old boat and make it look new again.  SeaDek is a great product to not only enhance the look of your boat, but also add comfort and traction.  For standard two tone decks we mostly use 6mm foam, but we were looking to get a little extra comfort so we stepped it up and went with an 8mm two tone of Cool Gray over Black.  This color combination is a favorite among customers and really pops nicely with the black border.  The customer decided to cover the areas of the boat that get the most traffic and we also added the undergunnel pads for reel protection and threw in the Pathfinder Tunnel logo to give it that custom touch.  If you need any custom SeaDek work done to your 17T Pathfinder or any of the Maverick Boat Company products feel free to contact me at tyler@castawaycustoms.com.

A wide angle shot of the boat

Another wide angle shot

A neat view from the front of the bow

A wide angle cockpit view

The color combination looks great on this boat

Maverick 17 HPX-V Tender on Garlington Sportfishing Yacht

Castaway Customs just finished a trip down to Islamorada to install custom SeaDek on a Maverick HPX-V sitting on the bow of a Garlington.  The boat captain was tired of slipping on the nonskid and looking for something to make those long days fishing more comfortable.  We decide to deck out everything to give the boat a fresh new look.  We decided to go with a cool gray over storm gray to give it a nice subtle look.  The original carpet in the skiff, although not that old, was starting to fall off and look a little dingy so we also decide to upgrade to SeaDek on the undergunnels.  This is a very popular option on the Maverick line of boats and any flats boat really.  We also decked out a couple of Yeti Coolers with Hogfish logos on them for the boat.  Keep checking back in for a write up on the cockpit of the big boat.  We are working on a neat job for her.  If you are interested in getting any custom SeaDek work done on your boat, no matter how big or small, feel free to contact me at tyler@castawaycustoms.com

The view looking down from the upper helm

A closer look at the full layout

Notice the attention to detail

A neat view from the bow

The floor kit helps to quiet the boat down

No more nasty carpet

Mmmmmm tasty

A view of the Garlington

22 Pathfinder Bay Boat Custom SeaDek

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

SeaDek Under Gunnel Pads

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 the under 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.

18 Egret Rod Lockers

18 Hellsbay Guide

ECC Vantage

Maverick 18 HPX-V

Loop Tackle Carbon Fiber Push Poles

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.

Loop Push Pole Product Testing

Loop Tackle Push Pole Foot

21' Loop Tackle Push Pole

SeaDek Floor Kits

I get many calls asking what is the most common area of a boat that people choose to cover.  The cockpit or floor area would have to be one of the most popular.  SeaDek comes in a variety of colors so we have something that will look good no matter what type of boat you have.  If you have a flats boat or skiff it will dampen sound and allow you sneak up on those spooky schools of fish a little easier.  SeaDek also works great if you are rebuilding or repairing an older boat.  SeaDek works great for covering up spider cracks and chips in your gel coat.  It not only covers, but also seals up the area so you don’t have to worry about moisture.  The cockpit of a boat also gets more traffic than other areas of the boat, so if you your nonskid has worn down or off, SeaDek provides great traction and makes your boat more safe.  We have many templates for floor kits so contact us to see if we have a pattern for your floor.  If we don’t we can line up an appointment to scan your floor.  If you have any questions you can email me at tyler@castawaycustoms.com or contact me at 321-537-2039.

Contender 27T cockpit kit

Gordon 16 Waterman floor kit

Poling and Casting Platform Pads

If you have ever spent any time fishing on a flats boat or skiff, you realize that most of the time is spent on either a poling or casting platform.  You are either poling an angler around on the poling platform, or you are the angler on the bow or casting platform.  SeaDek is a great application for both.  If you are strictly looking for traction our 3mm would work, but most customers choose to go with either 5mm or 6mm SeaDek.  The 5mm is a single color foam and has a nice beveled edge which provides a neat finished look.  If you want to add a little flare you can choose to go with a two color laminated foam.  This allows use to route down through the top layer of foam and engrave logos, it also give the beveled edge a two tone look.  For those who guide or just spend long periods of time on a poling platform and need a little extra cushion our 8mm material will provide that extra comfort.  We have a wide variety of patterns and templates to fit most platform tops.  If we don’t already have a pattern we can either scan it or you can order a template kit and make a template we can work off of.  One way or the other we will meet your needs.  If you have any questions feel free to contact me at tyler@castawaycustoms.com or call me at 321-537-2039.

Custom SeaDek on Bluepoint casting platform

Custom SeaDek on Hellsbay poling platform