Mainly for the North Carolina Boating Group

Thought the group in NC may like to see some images from 1974.

Morehead City Yacht Basin during the '74 Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament (that is yours truly in the black shirt and yellow cap standing behind my boat, Sundancer)

Sundancer coming home with fish flag flying

Sundancer going home into the channel to MCYB from late fall king mackeral fishing.* My late wife in the cockpit.* One son asleep on the flybridge with me and another sleeping down below.

Sundancer anchored at Cape Lookout* She is anchored in 30' of water.* We could jump off one side of the boat into 3' of water.



-- Edited by Moonstruck on Sunday 7th of August 2011 05:28:52 PM


-- Edited by Moonstruck on Sunday 7th of August 2011 05:32:44 PM

Moonstruck wrote:
Thought the group in NC may like to see some images from 1974.
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I wish the* rest of us could see them! Are they in color?

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SeaHorse II wrote:Moonstruck wrote:
Thought the group in NC may like to see some images from 1974.
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I wish the* rest of us could see them! Are they in color?

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*Sorry, they're just for the North Carolina Group.

The Good Old Days---- Love the Salty Dog!

JohnP

Nice...

JohnP wrote:
The Good Old Days---- Love the Salty Dog!

JohnP

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*Yeah, fuel was 64 cents/gal.

We had a 12 channel VHF, a flashing depth finder that printed a paper picture of the bottom, and an RDF to find our way home after a long day of fishing about 60 miles offshore on the 100 fathom curve.* We somehow made it back avoiding the treacherous shoals of the Outer Banks.* We used the AM station on Radio Island behind Beaufort Inlet for homing.* A null could get you in about 5 degrees.* You just had to keep doing it as you got close to Cape Lookout shoals.* The bouy at the end of the shoals we called the knuckle bouy because it was about a knuckles distance out on the chart.* When we found it, we knew we would be OK.

Boy was that a fun time!*


-- Edited by Moonstruck on Monday 8th of August 2011 08:18:56 AM

Nice Pictures!* We're off to Beaufort on Friday for the 2011 edition of Pirate Invasion!* How long has it been since you stopped off in Beaufort??

Besslb wrote:
Nice Pictures!* We're off to Beaufort on Friday for the 2011 edition of Pirate Invasion!* How long has it been since you stopped off in Beaufort??

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*Fall of 2007.* We stayed a night at the Town Docks then moved over to MCYB for a couple of nights.* We took the courtesy car to look at some condo projects that I was involved in the development of back in the 70s.* They were still there and looked good.* They were some of the first condos developed on Atlantic Beach and Pine Knoll Shores.* It's had to believe that I was 30 years old then.

Looks like we're going to have great weather for the Pirate Weekend!* Beaufort is such a cute little town.* Too expensive to visit often, but being on the town dock is the best way to experience the weekend!

We drove down the island this past weekend.* There are a couple new HUGE hotel/condo/conf centers near Salter Path and Indian Beach that you can see from the waterway.* Too big for this island...but good navigation markers.

Don,

I worked at Uniflite when that boat was designed.....by Keith Walton. I ran photo chase boat (of my own design) and took pics of the 28' plug w various ballast .....bow heavy, stern heavy, light and overloaded ect. But my last job at Uniflite was to move equipment around to bring the boats to float level without a list. I was more of a draftsman than an engineer and I was'nt that great at that either. Uniflite was one of the best built boats in the NW at that time.

nomadwilly wrote:
Don,

I worked at Uniflite when that boat was designed.....by Keith Walton. I ran photo chase boat (of my own design) and took pics of the 28' plug w various ballast .....bow heavy, stern heavy, light and overloaded ect. But my last job at Uniflite was to move equipment around to bring the boats to float level without a list. I was more of a draftsman than an engineer and I was'nt that great at that either. Uniflite was one of the best built boats in the NW at that time.

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*Eric, my boat was built at the Swansboro, NC plant.* All the people there were great.* Steve Harris was the national sales manager.* Because I was fishing some tournaments, someone from the Uniflite plant would be waiting at the slip when I came in.* If the boat needed anything, they would call the plant and have it brought up.* They replaced the Bennett Trim tab system one night.* All this was no charge to me.* We were next to the Hatterascal, the Hatteras factory boat.* They accused me of being the Uniflite factory boat.* The Hatteras guys were great and supplied me with most of our bait.

The boat was bullet proof.* The local Trojan Yacht dealer fished with me in a tournament*one day.* That is the day we were in 19' seas in the Gulf Stream.* Remember now that I was in my very early 30s.* The boat didn't even shutter.* The Trojan dealer said he didn't have a boat on the yard that could take that kind of beating without damage. The boat came through iin great shape.* We were pretty beat up.*

If I were looking for a project boat to rebuild, I would have no problem considering a Uniflite.* You guys built a hell of a boat.

I have another Uniflite story to tell you at another time.

Eric here is the boat at sea from another angle.* You can readily see the deep forefoot and sharp entry.* It didn't give much reserve bouyancy, but it made for a great ride in a head sea.* Just trim it out of the water for a quartering or following sea.* I would sink the stern as deeply as I could to run an inlet.

The second photo shows how the reversed chines knocked down and flattened*the spray and made for a dry ride.

*

*

Don, Bullett proof is the correct term. Owned a 28' Salty Dog Express,72, that I purchased in 1987 in Ma*and sold here in Fl., last November. Great boat, took everything and kept going. I used the" Outrigger" till 2000,when I redid everything and moved south.

Now I own a Parie 29, much different boat, but fo fishing I loved the Unflite.Thanks for the memories. We were traveling doown the ICW,near Swansboro,waiting for the swing bridge, when another boater came along side. Seemed he had worked at the Swansboro plant and was still keen on the boats.

Eric you guys did build a hell of a boat.

*

John

nomadwilly wrote:
Don,

I worked at Uniflite when that boat was designed.....by Keith Walton. I ran photo chase boat (of my own design) and took pics of the 28' plug w various ballast .....bow heavy, stern heavy, light and overloaded ect. But my last job at Uniflite was to move equipment around to bring the boats to float level without a list. I was more of a draftsman than an engineer and I was'nt that great at that either. Uniflite was one of the best built boats in the NW at that time.

Click to expand...

*Eric, here is that other Uniflite story.* My boat was docked at Morehead City Yacht Basin next to the slip used by Hatteras Yachts when they were fishing tournaments or doing sea trials on their yachts built at New Bern.

One morning I awoke to find a 31' Uniflite docked next to Sun Dancer.* That was a surprise.* When the owner came on the dock, we introduced ourselves.* I said that he must be pretty special for James, the dockmaster, to put him in the Hatteras slip.* He chuckled and said I guess I am.* He was president of Hatteras Yachts that was owned by AMF Brunswick.* I asked him why the Uniflite.* He said that it was his personal boat* He had been president of Colt Arms.* I asked why the large round bow hatch cover.* As you know the 31' Uniflite hull was used on the river patrol boats in Viet Nam.* He said that he had bought the boat from Colt after they were through using it for a test bed for the twin 50 cal, machine gun turret that would drop right in to the round hole.* He said firing both guns at the same time could move the boat side ways.* Now there is a real bow thruster or topside pod drive.* He was a vey nice guy that we got to know him and his wife as they would come down.* Sometimes we would go to breakfast together at the Light House Restaurant.* We had interesting times on the Carolina coast.

Great story!* You should come visit the NC coast for more interesting times!* If you wait too long, we might make it south before you make it north!*

nomadwilly wrote:
I worked at Uniflite when that boat was designed.....by Keith Walton. I ran photo chase boat (of my own design) and took pics of the 28' plug w various ballast

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The first boat I ever fished in Hawaii in was a 28' Uniflite.* It was purchased new by the owner of the flying school where I got most of my ratings.* It was barged over to Honolulu*and then he and I installed the outriggers, fighting chair, etc.

Very well built boat but a terrible design for the open ocean in Hawaii.* It had two Chrysler counter-rotating*gas engines in it but the water in Hawaii is so rough you couldn't plane the boat or it would pound your teeth out.* As well as break the boat.* Jim was in a hurry one day and tried putting it on the plane in the open ocean outside Kaneohe Bay.* The boat fell off a swell and hit so hard it broke a couple of hull stringers. So all that power was wasted--- you couldn't run the boat much*faster than trolling speed except inside the protection of the reef.

And since you couldn't go fast, you had to go slow which meant that hull just snapped us around something fierce as it rolled and wallowed in the swells with the wind*waves on top of them.

So, very bad boat for what we were trying to do with it.* We caught lots of nice fish with it, my largest being a 330 pound marlin (Jim beat me two weeks later with a 1,150 pound marlin).* So I had good times on the boat but it was the wrong boat to be using.* Jim finally gave up on it three years or so*after buying it and had a displacement single-engine diesel boat custom built for him in Seattle.* I fished on it with him a few times before I left Hawaii and it was a whole different ball game.* Much nicer ride, much more economical, much better suited for the water over there.

Nothing against the Uniflite-- it was obviously a well designed, well made boat.* It was just the wrong boat for where we were and*what we were doing.

Marin wrote:
Nothing against the Uniflite-- it was obviously a well designed, well made boat.* It was just the wrong boat for where we were and*what we were doing.

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*Right you are.* As we were talking about work boats in the other thread being built for the area they work in.* The only boat built for jumping off huge seas is a deep V racing hull similar to a Bertram.* I was in 4,6,8,12 and even 19' seas with the Uniflite.* Did I jump off them.* No, took them at an angle with a good turn of speed, but slowed going off the face.* On steep ones in the shallow waters of the shoals, I would come off the face in reverse and some throttle.* The power was good for climbing the backs of the swells.* I did jump off one going into Beaufort Inlet.* The waves were breaking.* I was riding the back of one when a curler started gaining on me.* I poured the coals to it and jumped off the one I was on.* We went airborn.* When the boat dropped some of the fumes got out of the carburators and set off the alarm.* By then we were safely beside Coast Guard Station Ft. Macon.* No damage to the boat, but t did hit hard.* I was very glad to have the speed and a good boat.* A displacement boat that day would have been pooped.

In those days, I was young and probablya little more foolish than today.* We fished in some rough stuff.* I had friends with a 28 and 31 Bertrams.* They beat me in a following sea.* I beat them in a head sea.* The Uniflite was much drier. The 31 Bertram was especially* wet.* Fishing on it in*12' seas near the jetty at Cape lookout I cracked 4 teeth and cut clean through my lower lip.* We still finshed fishing.* As i say young and foolish.* If you fish much off the Outer Banks, you will accumulate stories.*

Moonstruck wrote:If you fish much off the Outer Banks, you will accumulate stories.*

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That's another one of those places that's intrigued me for a long time.* The Outer Banks. Long before I got into boating I remember reading in some magazine or other about surf fishing out there (I think I'm thinking of the right place).* That sounded really interesting and challenging, as much for the vehicle you needed to do it as the fishing itself.

While I've never had the opportunity to visit the coast there, my understanding is that the place described in that magazine is no longer like that.* Tons of tourists, traffic, and everything that goes with all of that.* During a visit a few years ago with good friends who live in North Carolina I sort of hinted at the notion of perhaps going out to visit the coast.* They rolled their eyes and said it used to be great but now it's just a giant frustration, at least in the tourist season.

Maybe it's better in the winter.

Marin wrote:Moonstruck wrote:If you fish much off the Outer Banks, you will accumulate stories.*

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That's another one of those places that's intrigued me for a long time.* The Outer Banks. Long before I got into boating I remember reading in some magazine or other about surf fishing out there (I think I'm thinking of the right place).* That sounded really interesting and challenging, as much for the vehicle you needed to do it as the fishing itself.

While I've never had the opportunity to visit the coast there, my understanding is that the place described in that magazine is no longer like that.* Tons of tourists, traffic, and everything that goes with all of that.* During a visit a few years ago with good friends who live in North Carolina I sort of hinted at the notion of perhaps going out to visit the coast.* They rolled their eyes and said it used to be great but now it's just a giant frustration, at least in the tourist season.

Maybe it's better in the winter.

*You're thinking of the right place.* I used to do allot of surf fishing out there.* Day time for spotted sea trout and night time for drum (red fish).* After moving back to Tennessee we got nastalgic for our good times.* Fixed a rod rack for the bumper of our 4 wheel drive surburban,* loaded up the family and fishing gear and headed out.* When we topped the sand dune just below the point at Hattera, it looked like a Wal-Mart parking lot.* We turned around and went back to the mountains to camp.

The Cape Lookout National Sea Shore and the Core Banks are not that way as they are only reachable by ferry or private boat.* You can ferry a 4 wheel drive over and stay at one of the few fishing camps.* Rudamentry accomodations at best, but the fishing is superb.* The hook at Cape Lookout is one of my favorite places and holds special memories of my family playing among the dunes and water.* I am hoping Tom and Bess will report on the number of boats anchoring there now.* I would hate to go and be disappointed like at Hatteras.

Besslb wrote:
Great story!* You should come visit the NC coast for more interesting times!* If you wait too long, we might make it south before you make it north!*

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*Bess you know that we were headed that way this spring.* The storms that ripped through the South did major damage to the mountain cabin.* By the time we got that straightened it was too late to really have any time on the Chesapeake.* So, we cut the trip short at Hilton Head Island, SC.

After moving the boat back South, we are planning a few trips over to the Bahamas.* Looks like we will move back North in the spring of 2013.* Hopefully, the plan works, and we will spend a few days in NC.* In the meantime, come on down if you can.

Marin, I put my other boat up for my avatar.* It is a '78 25' Blackfin center console fisherman.* It is powered by a Cat 3208T.* It is torquey and the weight is well balanced.* It is fully restored, and is one tough boat.* I have owned it for 22 years.* It is a deep V, and tracks extremeley well in a following sea.* My wife ran it at 24 knots between Perdido Pass, AL and Horn Island pass, MS.* That's 100 miles in a 4' steep following sea.* She sat on the leaning post (no seat), and we had a great ride.* I was shooting some videos.

We ran with another boat that was flatter in the aft sections.* They complained about the constant corrections needed.* We hardly touched the whell except for course changes.

I have been thinking of selling the Cat engine, and repowering with a more modern lighter weight diesel.* Probably won't, but thinking about it.

Don,

Would love to see more pics. Especially the hull. Especially aft. Other than Yanmar what new diesels are exceptionally light? I'd be looking at gas engines myself. So smooth, quiet, powerful and light. Deep Vs had/have a reputation for wandering at slow speeds but I love my 18' Winner deep V. It makes tight figure eight turns extremely well. It does require more power and can't be light and dosn'nt seem to ride as smooth as I think it should but that's most likely a problem of my expectations.

nomadwilly wrote:
Don,

Would love to see more pics. Especially the hull. Especially aft. Other than Yanmar what new diesels are exceptionally light? I'd be looking at gas engines myself. So smooth, quiet, powerful and light. Deep Vs had/have a reputation for wandering at slow speeds but I love my 18' Winner deep V. It makes tight figure eight turns extremely well. It does require more power and can't be light and dosn'nt seem to ride as smooth as I think it should but that's most likely a problem of my expectations.

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*You are right, Eric.* Thinking about the Yanmar 315 hp.* It's about 900# lighter than the Cat with 15 more HP.* Should pick the cruise up to about 30 knots.* I Usually cruise the Cat at twenty four hundred for about twenty two to twenty three knots* sometimes we run at 2600 for about 25-26 knots.* She is proped to turn 2800.

I think the V is 22 degrees.* Very comfortable and solid ride.* The Cat is so torquey in that size boat that there is a definite learning curve in handling and backing.* However, she is very predictable, and you have to give her the way she does things.* When you are not trying to fight it, it is a joy to handle.* I delite in watching people who think they are good boat handlers try it with her.* She is going to have her own way.

I do have pictures from the restoration, but they are not digital.* To many to scan.* I may take them to Wal-Mart for that.* We'll see.

Don,

Why not the 370 HP*6LYA -STP?* Isn't it the same as a 315 HP*6LY family.

*



*


-- Edited by JD on Thursday 18th of August 2011 06:11:22 AM

Moonstruck wrote:
I have been thinking of selling the Cat engine, and repowering with a more modern lighter weight diesel.* Probably won't, but thinking about it.

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******* Given the performance of the boat that you described, I wouldn't touch it! The 3208 is a proven, bullet proof engine (I've had 3- 3208s over the years) and, yes, they're heavy, but performance is the main concern, not adding another 3-5 knots of cruising speed.

JD wrote:
Don,

Why not the 370 HP*6LYA -STP?* Isn't it the same as a 315 HP*6LY family.

*



*

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*JD and Carl,* The 370 Yanmar won't fit.* I have a source for the 315 for a factory rebuilt unit.* I figure the cost to be about 20 boat units.* That's after selling the Cat.* Probably not worth it, but something to think about.* I put nearly 30 in the do over with new electronics and custom built T top*to fit my*son who is 6'6" tall.* I* can't locate the pictures of the rebuild right off.* We pulled*out a*5 gal bucket*full of old wiring.* The hull and*deck was rejelcoated with new nonskid.* Spray rails installed.* New cushions and head in the cuddy.* A new holding tank and corian top for the bait center.* All wood stripped and 10 coats of varnish.* It's my toy.* I*have it in Tennessee docked on the lake in a covered slip.* It is crying to get back to salt water.* However, I am doing a few projects on it before taking it*back to the coast.

Still trying to find the pictures.*

You are right Walt.* I think it comes under the heading of not leaving well enough alone.* The pictures of the restoration are still elusive.* Now, I don't want to hear any crap about my organizational skills. (I know they suck)* However, a couple of pictures of the boat out of the water did turn up.* Due to my superior computer skills, they have*been scanned.* Eric had asked for them.* The one from the stern is before restoration.* The other is on the trailer.* You can probably imagine, it is a very heavy boat.**Looks like about a 22 degree deadrise.

By the way, some of you guys like Charles may recognize the picture on the trailer being at Sam's at Orange Beach.* Everybody that fishes goes to Sam's.

*



-- Edited by Moonstruck on Thursday 18th of August 2011 04:09:28 PM



-- Edited by Moonstruck on Thursday 18th of August 2011 04:58:09 PM


-- Edited by Moonstruck on Friday 19th of August 2011 09:12:29 AM

Moon, that boat is the Shi-it.* I'd love to shoot my local non-navicable inlet in that rig.* Piece of Cake.*

[edit] in case that came across wrong, the [****] is an extreme compliment.


-- Edited by Egregious on Thursday 18th of August 2011 08:18:43 PM

Egregious wrote:
Moon, that boat is the Shi-it.* I'd love to shoot my local non-navicable inlet in that rig.* Piece of Cake.*

[edit] in case that came across wrong, the [****] is an extreme compliment.



-- Edited by Egregious on Thursday 18th of August 2011 08:18:43 PM

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*You have a good eye.* Anybody that knows Perdido Pass knows how nasty it can get when the seas oppose the tiide.* As one guy said, "I never understood that boat until I saw you blasting your way in the pass".* Rode great and true.


-- Edited by Moonstruck on Thursday 18th of August 2011 08:48:12 PM

Wonderful Don!!! That hull is deep and heavy yes and I think it would benefit from loosing 1000#. It would be nice to get those chines up closer to the WL. My Winner is fairly light for the type and her chine is 1/4" above the WL empty boat w fuel. The more I think about it the more I think your BF is too heavy. I'd sure love to have a smaller version of her. Looks like somebody put a rather serious spray rail fwd. I'll bet the water really flies in the sloppy and nasty but prolly gobs of fun. Thanks much much for the pics and comments Don.