OT- For you Old Salts in the Forum

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Sat May 31, 2008 2:42 am

As many of you know June 15 will be the first anniversary of my Dad's passing. Among other things he left me his 15' Pearson Rowing Dory. This boat had sat on his pier for several years unused and neglected. I replaced the corroded chromed plated zinc oarlocks with a new set of bronze ones, very pretty. I also repaired and painted dry-rotted wood, and replaced the seals to the watertight compartments which were full of old rain water. I mounted 3 rod holders though 2 at a time is a handful enough, with the center heavy duty holder for heavy weight rod for large offshore gamesters. I took her out for the first time this afternoon after completing refurbishments today. Took her out several miles offshore in choppy seas but she was dry, a pleasure to row, so nice in fact that I rowed her 8 miles this afternoon before I knew it. I had flashbacks going back 40 years rowing out here with Dad. I know he rests peacefully but I felt he was there with me, I guess he was... in my heart. Thank you Dad, I'll take good care of your Dory and put her to good use like I know you wanted.

I saw this endandered Ae'o or Hawaiian Stilt Bird when I came back into shore, Dad always liked these shorebirds.

Hagler · Post by **Hagler** » Sat May 31, 2008 2:48 am

Ganjiro,

That's a neat boat. What a story and memories of your dad, too. Man, that scenery is so pretty. You are blessed. Thanks for sharing.

Shawn

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Sat May 31, 2008 2:56 am

So what with being in command of two sea-worthy vessels, have you been elevated to Commodore or to Admiral Gi?

I know it would be difficult in HI, but you really need some kind of turret mounted artillery to defend your fleet.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sat May 31, 2008 6:00 am

Very nice Ji. Great pictures too.

nemhed · Post by **nemhed** » Sat May 31, 2008 6:15 am

Great pictures, that looks like one awesome boat! Good work!

Noah Zark · Post by **Noah Zark** » Sat May 31, 2008 6:24 am

A great way to honor the memory of your father, and to cherish the memories of your shared experiences.

Beautiful work!

Noah

rjohns94 · Post by **rjohns94** » Sat May 31, 2008 7:13 am

well done.

20cows · Post by **20cows** » Sat May 31, 2008 7:18 am

You have done well!

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Sat May 31, 2008 7:52 am

Well done Ji.

Great pictures. Would love to visit there someday.

Post by **Hobie** » Sat May 31, 2008 8:00 am

You are blessed in so many ways...

I love the good old rowing boats (as you know). Thanks for sharing!

Andrew · Post by **Andrew** » Sat May 31, 2008 8:00 am

That boat looks spectacular, Ji. I hope you have many more memories made in it.

ceb · Post by **ceb** » Sat May 31, 2008 8:54 am

What a beautiful boat, and a beautiful part of the world. You done a wonderful job. Your dad would be proud!

cshold · Post by **cshold** » Sat May 31, 2008 9:14 am

WOW!! I like

Very neat boat.
Which Hawaiian island is this?

airedaleman · Post by **airedaleman** » Sat May 31, 2008 9:31 am

...and I'll see you one day in Fiddlers Green...

God bless, Ji. I know how you feel.

Post by **Old Savage** » Sat May 31, 2008 9:46 am

Great story - great pictures. Enjoy - very nice job.

DixieBoy · Post by **DixieBoy** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:14 am

Ganjiro - I also thank you for sharing this with us. I'll bet your Dad would be proud of how you've made the dory ship-shape again. God bless ya ! - DixieBoy

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:30 am

Thanks Ji

Last summer a young couple rowed my old Aeolus Bank Dory from Elfin Cove to White Sulpher Hot Springs and back again. Everything went well and they had a great time.

I'm glad to see you have your Dad's boat commissioned and get to enjoy her. It's great memories with every stroke...

Grizz

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:39 am

Very cool!

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:46 am

Beautiful craft, Bro......is it stable in rough stuff without the outrigger? Easy to cartop? Appox weight? I'm going to need a light, one man (with a crappy back) rig someday soon.

stretch · Post by **stretch** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:48 am

Nice boat. Well done.

hfcable · Post by **hfcable** » Sat May 31, 2008 11:05 am

wonderful Ji !!

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Sat May 31, 2008 1:33 pm

Ganjiro,
I walk alone through bear& cougar country all the time........unafraid.
I am amazed at your courage, the sight of those waves just scares the you know what out of me!
You go out in the OCEAN, in those little boats.
INCREDIBLE!

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Sat May 31, 2008 1:37 pm

BlaineG wrote:Beautiful craft, Bro......is it stable in rough stuff without the outrigger? Easy to cartop? Appox weight? I'm going to need a light, one man (with a crappy back) rig someday soon.

Dories are extremely seaworthy though they are a tad tipsy for those not used to dories due to her narrow beam and flair. Her gunwales will almost touch the water but go not further without effort. Her tipsiness actually makes her more seaworthy especially in a beam sea, an outrigger defeating this trait. In rough seas she is much drier riding than either of my outrigger canoes. Yesterday there was 5' seas, a steady 15 knot wind with wind chop and this Dory was dry as a bone in the bilge, my canoes I would be constantly bailing in similar sea conditions. She is a seaworthy craft and a joy to row as Grizz can testify to.
I have never hauled this boat on top a vehicle. This boat has been sitting on my Dad's pier ever since he bought her over 15 years ago. He had her upright so she was filled with rainwater and her wood thwart dry-rotted. I repaired the dry-rot, painted the thwart, and keep her on the pier bottom up now. I'm not sure how much she weighs but i'm guessing about 75 pounds. This backyard pier is about 4' above the water but I have no problem getting her up on top and turned over by myself. Also there is a sand bar at the mouth of the stream I live on and dragging her across this sand bar takes light effort. I have 2 herniated discs and am scheduled for a 3rd surgery in the near future and I can handle this boat fine, I would see no problem car-topping her singlehandedly.
This Dory is a Gloucester type Dory made by Pearson of Moss Landing, California on Monterey Bay (beautiful place), but there is a Gig Harbor Boat Works of Gig Harbor, Washington closer to your neck of the woods who makes a beautiful little Swampscott type Dory that you might like. They also make many other fine seaworthy row boats. Another option which I believe is the lightest weight due to the use of Kevlar in it's construction is the Vermont Fishing Dory made by Adirondack Guideboats, Inc. of Charlotte, Vermont. Even though from the east coast this boat is might be a better deal, and the design is more stable than most traditional Dories. You can't go wrong with any of these Dories in my opinion and experience. I have attached links to Pearson, Gig Harbor, and Adirondack, hope that helps.
http://www.pearsonunlimited.com/DorySpecs.html
http://www.ghboats.com/16_dory.shtm
http://www.adirondack-guide-boat.com/ve ... gdory.html

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Sat May 31, 2008 1:45 pm

Grizz wrote:Thanks Ji

Last summer a young couple rowed my old Aeolus Bank Dory from Elfin Cove to White Sulpher Hot Springs and back again. Everything went well and they had a great time.

I'm glad to see you have your Dad's boat commissioned and get to enjoy her. It's great memories with every stroke...

Grizz

I still have the picture of your Aeolus Dory you gave me years ago the one with your kids in it, my Dad was pretty thrilled and nostalgic when he saw it, and amazed she was still going strong, and I'm amazed she's STILL going strong. Thanks for sharing that.

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Sat May 31, 2008 2:48 pm

Ji,
You sure are tweaking my salt receptors. If I ever get over there you gotta take me fishin.
One them rod holder hold this thing?

This is a 12/0 on a 130# class homemade rod. One of the last rods I built years ago when I was fishing some offshore tournaments.

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Sat May 31, 2008 4:29 pm

Nate Kiowa Jones wrote:Ji,
You sure are tweaking my salt receptors. If I ever get over there you gotta take me fishin.
One them rod holder hold this thing?

This is a 12/0 on a 130# class homemade rod. One of the last rods I built years ago when I was fishing some offshore tournaments.

Steve, that's an awesome setup you have, does the rod have the old style wood butt? I love the old Penn Senator reels, I still have 2- 9/0s my Dad bought me back in the early 70s, and I have them mounted on old fiberglass wood butt rods I inherited from a friend on Maui who passed away several years ago. I had to replace the rollers on the guides, and i've rebuilt the reels numerous times over the years. Everyone loves the gold anodized Internationals but I prefer the workhorse Senators. I'm installing solid flush mount rod holders on my outrigger canoe for my heavy trolling rods so I'm ready when the large (150+ pound) Yellowfin Tuna start running in lmid summer.

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Sat May 31, 2008 6:04 pm

Hi Ji,
That's a black & gold anodized Aftco aluminum but.

Here's the silver version under a Daiwa 900 (same size as the 9/0) The rod is one of the old #50 class Fenwick yellow glass blanks with Aftco Rollers. I built this one, too.

Here's a better pic. Those fish are all threads.

Mutt · Post by **Mutt** » Sat May 31, 2008 6:54 pm

Your Dad would be proud ....MUTT......

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Sat May 31, 2008 10:21 pm

Noah Zark wrote:A great way to honor the memory of your father, and to cherish the memories of your shared experiences.

Beautiful work!

Noah

+1

BTW - I like "Commodore Ji"!

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 12:12 am

Aloha Steve, that fish wrap pattern is amazing, you'd have no problem keeping busy here in the islands doing custom rod wrapping. Seems like nowadays every boat wants their unique pattern matching rod set, allot of people with money burning holes in their pockets. You are gifted in many fields. You gotta take a deep sea fishing vacation to keep in touch with the sea.

Nate Kiowa Jones · Post by **Nate Kiowa Jones** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 3:06 am

GANJIRO wrote:Aloha Steve, that fish wrap pattern is amazing, you'd have no problem keeping busy here in the islands doing custom rod wrapping. Seems like nowadays every boat wants their unique pattern matching rod set, allot of people with money burning holes in their pockets. You are gifted in many fields. You gotta take a deep sea fishing vacation to keep in touch with the sea.

Thanks Ji,
That fish wrap rod is kinda like some of my gun projects. I have way too much time in them? I have so much time in them I would have to charge 10X the going rate to break even.
I still get to go fishing. I have a friend near New Orleans that fishes out of South Louisiana and I go with him.

Do you know any of the longcasters over there? I have an old friend that is a world champion long distance caster and he has been over there a few time putting on clinics for some of those guys. His name is Jerry Valentine.

http://www.linter.org/stories/casting.htm

nemhed · Post by **nemhed** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 7:58 am

Ji, tell us what it's like to tie into a 150+ lbs Yellowfin while sitting out in the open ocean in a canoe.

RKrodle · Post by **RKrodle** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:10 am

Very Cool Dude

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 12:38 pm

You guys are insane!
150 pounds of fish would be able to pull that boat! ( I think? )

brucew44guns · Post by **brucew44guns** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 1:19 pm

JI, the boat is nice, but someone could steal the boat. But the nice things you talk about concerning your dad, the obvious great relationship you two had, and the undertones of deep respect I hear in your words about your father, they can't be stolen and are in fact priceless. Your dad has left you with far more than a boat, but even that is pretty cool!!! Thanks.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:03 pm

Ji,
Very good. Looks like a quality boat. Makes me miss the big water.

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:30 pm

Nate Kiowa Jones wrote: I still get to go fishing. I have a friend near New Orleans that fishes out of South Louisiana and I go with him.

Do you know any of the longcasters over there? I have an old friend that is a world champion long distance caster and he has been over there a few time putting on clinics for some of those guys. His name is Jerry Valentine.

http://www.linter.org/stories/casting.htm

Aloha Steve, Most likely I've met Jerry as I used to attend these clinics and casting competitions when I was younger 20+ years ago and into shore fishing for out Giant Trevally (Ulua in Hawaiian).
I've always wanted to fish those offshore oil platforms off the La. coast, pelagics nearby, and snappers below, been subscribing to Saltwater Sportsman since 1972. The Gulf has a nice variety of fish including several types of tunas, you lucky guy you.

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:36 pm

nemhed wrote:Ji, tell us what it's like to tie into a 150+ lbs Yellowfin while sitting out in the open ocean in a canoe.

mescalero1 wrote:You guys are insane!
150 pounds of fish would be able to pull that boat! ( I think? )

My outrigger canoe is new to me launched just this past December, but I have hooked into many large tunas in my 13'7" SEARS Gamefisher aluminum skiff (designed for calm lakes not open ocean), and been taken for a "Nantucket Sleigh Ride" on a few occasions. Hopefully I'll catch something sizable this summer as the big Yellowfins migrate thru the islands. Last time I had my canoe out I did see a shark as long as my boat which is 17' long, pretty cool.

GANJIRO · Post by **GANJIRO** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 5:40 pm

MAHALO for all the kind words and comments, I'll report again when I catch something worth bragging about.

dr walker · Post by **dr walker** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 6:22 pm

Thats great Ji, a great memorial for your father. Boat looks well set-up.
Thanks for sharing beautiful pictures.

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 7:00 pm

Shark as long as the boat!!!
Holy !@#$
Thats it, not for this New Mexican!

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 7:30 pm

Nice restoration on that dory and your father would be proud.

I longline after dark off the Okaloosa Fishing Pier in Fort Walton Beach,Florida

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 7:47 pm

mescalero1 may enjoy this picture of a shark I caught on the Panama city Beach, Florida fishing pier in July/2001

!

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 7:50 pm

My Thai grandaughter...the shark made great green curry and sour bamboo

!

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 7:54 pm

One more reason not to go near the water

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 8:08 pm

Okloosa Island Beachsand is snow white powder and the water so clear....

mescalero1 · Post by **mescalero1** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 9:37 pm

Well,
That IS pretty, it's the stuff underneath that freaks me out.

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 10:40 pm

Yup,some of them critters are scary.......

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Sun Jun 01, 2008 10:46 pm

Thats awesome I knw your old man was up there smilling.

cnjarvis · Post by **cnjarvis** » Mon Jun 02, 2008 8:58 am