Blue Water Skiff

The listing

This boat is a Western 16 ( 15' 7") known as a competent near shore skiff with a deep vee, ocean shear and wide width. A friend I know has taken his same boat 25 miles offshore many times. Bought it 5 years ago as a bass boat, trailered and used in fresh water only, no leaks, solid motor with controls, low hours and well maintained by the commercial fishing boat captain owner. I stripped it bare and riveted 2"aluminum strip on both sides of the keel at the bow from the factory bow piece back nearly 4 feet to beef up the keel for beaching. Pettit primer and antifoul on bottom, Bluefin blue paint on the sides... 4coats, dark tan inside from Home Depot for perfect match touch up. I've worked on boats for years, and did a 5 yr project yacht interior for a Billionaire. I've put those wood and metal working skills to use on this boat..... Lowered decks to the chine for max gunnel height, rebuilt w marine ply, flush hatches w aluminum edges and oversized aluminum hinges. Added a solid foredeck, attached a custom anchor holder w roller for one hand anchor launch. Under foredeck shelf is way useful and a bullet proof chain box and anchor holder. Under that first hatch has another smaller second anchor holder at the very forward most point and room for a 3gal fuel tank and gear. The hatch at the step covers another gear stow area but is designed to be a large insulated cold fish box or giant cooler with a PVC easy clean liner. Port side at the middle seat was lowered to just cover a battery for minimal height and easy step over, trimmed w hardwood on the sides for look and durability. All the bottom bracing ribs have been extended to the gunnel cap all around is in a larger boat. The gunnel caps are an aluminum plate with an inside trim edge capped with mahogany. A very solid polished aluminum railing sweeps up from mid cap to a bow peak with the nav light mounted on top, wires run through rail. A solid lobster davit mounts to the foredeck brace when needed, great for hoisting finds when diving, and a 4 step West Marine folding ladder for boarding. The transom rebuild is amazing.... A huge piece of 1/4 in aluminum box beam was used , solidly bolted through the transom wood corner to corner with sections of the top removed both sides of the motor to create a motor well for following sea. Drain plugs on both sides exit the water and center top and ends are still a solid box beam making it a super strong transom and well . Capped the front edge w aluminum tube and braced with another box beam to the floor 1/4" plate attached to the keel , floor and the back seat box. Two custom polished aluminum adjustable rod holders sit on either side of the motor well. A large double aluminum tube straddles this brace and bolts on as a tall sampson post for wakeboarding. The back seat box is full height and large. Attached to the deck and front of the back seat box is a removable, 3 position adjustable leaning post seat w folding back and a triple rod holder. The center console is lockable as are all hatches, a panel on the right switches 2 bilge pumps, nav lights, zone lights under the gunnel, and bait pump. Inside is a Blue Seas control switch and fuse panel, 2 batteries at the base with a removable shelf and plenty of room for valuables. The console is plywood and aluminum wrapped in acrylic plastic for the look of fiberglass and scratches polish out. Trimmed in teak on the wheel face, mahogany on the edges and step, formica on top all sealed with urethane. A tinted windshield tops the console protecting the Lowrance fish reveal 7, a sweet unit The T Top is removable and stows for trailering. It's VERY solidly attached the console middle seat, and side bracing with a heavy aluminum bar on both front and back bolted through all across so you can hang on to the TTop rail all the way to the Coronados and back w/o a worry. 3 fuel tanks for the trip one 12 gal and two 3 gal tanks and a 5 gal tote. The trailer is da kind..... It's an over built galv channe