Lafitte Skiff

[seedtick]

A Louisiana tradition..........Shortly after World War II, a boat builder in south Louisiana began building smaller, lighter, faster shrimp boats. Good quality plywood became available and the boats became popular. Soon folks were asking for a skiff "like they have in Lafitte". Even though the design remained essentially the same, Lafitte skiffs of today are generally built of aluminum or fiberglass. We recently convinced a retired boat builder to help build "just one more". This one out of sinker cypress. Like the original skiffs, no plans, no drawings...........by hand and by eye. Attached are the first steps, if there is interest I'll post more of the progress.
http://http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p9e688bd3a7175507b879df87c7ca11bc/f10834fa.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p4011767e391d25ba8d6bf0c21a84488f/f10834f6.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p7b16fa35cbec7618f06a5c7819e570df/f10834f1.jpg

[Thad]

Great! Please do!!

[GregH]

By all means- please post more pix!!!

[dcobbett]

I'm very interested and would like to see more. This is an aspect of boat building that I think is special in terms of both design and construction.

[Old Bingey]

That's wonderful. Thank you Seedtick. Whew what a name.

In case some of you don't know, seedticks are the larvae of ticks. They are very small and don't have but six legs and they are pure hell. They get on you in a wad and quickly migrate all over you and, though they are almost invisibly small, they bite like they were as big around as a dime. Pine oil used to be the only thing that would kill them that wouldn't hurt you worse than them. Gasoline is one other possibility but is not recommended for all parts of the body.

[pipefitter]

Hats off to you for convincing him to do one more.

[jimendel]

I would be very interested to see this boat being built- thanks for posting pictures of it.

[Lewisboats]

Originally posted by Old Bingey:
Gasoline is one other possibility but is not recommended for all parts of the body.Also not recommended for absent minded smokers, 'course the ticks don't like fire either :D

Steve

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Definitely post more pics.

[Bruce Hooke]

Cool project!

By the way, here's the first image...the URL was a little messed up (there was an extra http:) at the start...

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p9e688bd3a7175507b879df87c7ca11bc/f10834fa.jpg

[la.pirogue]

rare, most were flat bottom and plywood.you have a small vee and cypress.what is the projected size? nice photos, please continual. pirogue

[wyndham]

More, more,more!!!!!

[Old Bingey]

Seedtick,

Who is the builder. It ain't Mr. Tom Colvin is it?

[seedtick]

Thanks for the comments
Seedtick is an old nickname I aquired when I worked in a barbershop as a kid. The barber called me that because I was small and stuck close to the job. In those days if you didn't have a double name like Jim Bo or Billy Bob, you had a nickname. I guess seedtick was better than booger.
The skiff will end up about 23 feet long and nearly 8 feet wide.
No it's not Tom Colvin, but I'll tell him you think he's a retired old boatbuilder the next time I see him. The master boatbuilder teaching the technique is Rodney Cheramie.

Anyway hers' a couple of shots of the installed side ribs

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p94126e5f0ff4f1f335fd56d5e6960dfc/f0ff37d8.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/pf402c139207b281b1571f7a911ecd5fc/f0ff37d5.jpg

[wyndham]

Fascinating. How are the floors/frames fastened to the keel? Are the frames just lapped and mechanically fastened at the chine?

[seedtick]

At this point the bottom ribs are nailed to the keel. There will be a "sister" rib about 2 feet long at each of the bottom ribs at the keel. The sister ribs will be nailed and bolted to the bottom ribs and the bottom ribs will be bolted to the keel. The outside of the bottom rib and bottom of the side rib are lapped and nailed and will be bolted also. No glue used as yet in case of a future need for repairs. It's also somewhat flexible, giving the boat builder the option of tweaking the shape as the boat is built.

[wyndham]

no chine log?

[seedtick]

Chine gets notched in later. I believe that he doesn't want to stiffen it up until the deck beams are in place.

[wyndham]

Very cool boat. I look forward to seeing it progress. Please continue to post pictures, and have a merry christmas.

[nedL]

Woderful! Looking forward to more. smile.gif

[Old Bingey]

This is probably more appropriate in the "misuse of tools" section but notching for chines after the frames and floors are put together is common in the South. One man I knew used a big angle grinder... with a naked ten inch sawblade to do that. He also used that same thing to bevel frames... whew.

[pipefitter]

The boat builder I knew here in Florida built his boats in the same way.He called it "stick building". Everything was done by eye and feel and at an amazing speed for a one man crew. I watched him build a 44ft grouper boat in this exact same way. The boat ended up being known as quite a boat after it had brought him back thru tropical storms. When everyone was back in port he was always the last in and usually with another distressed vessel in tow. Is this exact method that made me believe I could build a boat myself.
He knew all the attributes that made a fine working vessel no matter what scale. Even the ideal size of boat for the Gulf. That's what prompted me to choose the Simmons. T.Simmons looked to me to be one of these kind of builders.His boat's fashion and construction looked to be close to this mentality.Common sense over documented laws of correctness. Beautiful job and I envy you for being able to be a part of that. I can smell that damned cypress from here.

[seedtick]

Here's a couple of shots with the front ribs installed.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p656f17f49ff2dc15d12b7e08ba6ce530/f0f9bbe5.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/pc1048178dd346220d1f2e45613d035f8/f0f9bae7.jpg

[Ed Neal]

You are a lucky man to witness this boatbuilding approach. I hope you are thinking about an article for WoodenBoat covering the process.

[jimendel]

I like that curve in the bow ribs, that should make for a dry ride in the rough crap.

[seedtick]

Here's a few more shots, these showing the supports for the decks.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p6de8ac8563e02ffc6aa5f7f4bf24b31d/f0f9bae6.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid198/pa66347e9a30095c65e1ea4730553610f/f0dfbc35.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid198/p2368035c1007b489dc250e4035e265c6/f0c5d81e.jpg

[Vince Hoffmann]

That's looking like a neat little boat! Keep the pictures coming!

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

I will be honest it's time like this i miss Oyster. :(

Nice work. http://www.woodenboat-ubb.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif

[seedtick]

Decks going on..............

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid198/p5324ffc38a688d0daad189d11e0da299/f0c5c9bc.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid198/p40ed8fd6fec576fd44937ffd13366fac/f0c5c9b5.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid198/p947d3124a532831f1e50b903d0d4a0d8/f0c5c9a7.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid198/pa075378ff5a225ba1521fcecdff3bb3d/f0c5c99e.jpg

[pipefitter]

Nice pictures yet again.The builder seems to be making good progress. Are you or anyone helping or is he building it by himself? Is the planking on the stern glued in the joints or caulked? If so,what is he using for adhesive/sealant?

What is going to be used for power?

[ 01-06-2006, 02:42 AM: Message edited by: pipefitter ]

[wyndham]

This is fascinating. How are strips fastened? Are they edge nailed to each other and to the carlins and deck beams? Are the glued? I can't ever remember seeing a boat decked before it was planked.

[seedtick]

There are two of us helping the boat builder. We are also trying to not only document the process but also understand it. Our main goal is to preserve and pass on the traditional boatbuilding techniques of the area.

5200 below the waterline, Titebond III above.

150 Hp outboard. You lose working space on the fantail but gain maneuverability and space inside the boat.

Glued, edge nailed to each other and also to the supports

The decks are put on first to stiffen the structure (ribs) so you don't have to worry about the planking twisting the boat out of shape during application.

Thanks for you interest.........

[seedtick]

starting on sides, finished with chine

starting to look like a boat...........

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid199/pa275d4171dad52d2b37ba75740ef7fed/f0a5c1f5.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid199/p702bcb206845c581c02681411b88c955/f0a5c1ed.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid199/p2f55489130a627b169d150c67f119cb8/f0a5bfd2.jpg

[pipefitter]

That it is. You guys are making good time on it and it sure looks nice.Doesn't look like the fairing work will be overwhelming either.Thats going to be an awesome boat for sure. Amazing how much stiffness the sheer deck adds.Are you going to cover it with glass? Maybe thats a stupid question since I only saw boats of that type with plywood and glass on them.Only parts I ever saw strip built was the serious part of the flare towards the stem.

[seedtick]

We thought about covering it with glass but then decided that we would only be adding some abrasion resistance at a high cost. Also don't have that much experience with glass and didn't want to mess up. We've had good luck with spar varnish over epoxy on smaller boats so that's what we'll use here.

Plywood and paint was popular because it was available, light and cheap. This is all cypress in part to showcase the beauty of first growth cypress. There's a whole generation out there (and more coming along) that have never seen or touched the type of wood that we have the privilege of working with.

[nedL]

Looking really good! Thanks for the updates. smile.gif

[ 01-10-2006, 12:26 PM: Message edited by: nedL ]

[seedtick]

one side in place.........

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid199/p0db7feb2679895b5c8f989ce6332cc37/f09c60ac.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid199/pd55add9969f43ba101cadddbb76e6b7d/f09c60a9.jpg

[nedL]

Beautiful! :D

[Bill Perkins]

That's really interesting , what tools are being used, anything unusual? It seems like the strip planked deck functions like a harpin .That get's me thinking about a discussion we had a long time ago about why harpins were used in the West coast lumber schooners built of Fir . Maybe they were a construction aid in that case as well , so the stiff planking could be forced on without distorting the hull framework ?

[ 01-12-2006, 09:13 AM: Message edited by: Bill Perkins ]

[wyndham]

This is by far the most interesting string in a long time. What agreat way to build a boat,by eye and instinct apparently. Are the plamks nailed or screwed?
Won't you need more protection on the topsides than just paint or varnish? Is Titebond water proof or are you counting on the nails to do the work. If so why glue the strips at all/ I'm not questioning your method I'm just trying to understand the logic.
Please keep the pictures coming.

[pipefitter]

When the builder started this boat,did he make any drawings? The builder I know used to get an idea in his head. He would then make his own graph on paper with 1" squares and reason his hull shape on this first.On boats he used to build all the time,he just had the parts and methods memorized.Like the frames,he would know that for the flare,each frame graduated by so much fair curve per length of each frame.1/2" in 3ft,next might be 3/4" in 3ft etc.Did this builder build this same hull many times or did he make changes or improvements every boat he built?Did he have patterns and jigs from previous builds? Alot of the mullet boats where I grew up were rather homely in appearance.Definitely function over beauty but the guy that I know built beautiful working boats.I was the kid in the boat that threw the weight out when his arm would go up upon sighting a school of fish.The weight was what started the net going over the rear.One man would pull the weighted side of the net and the other the floats pulling the fish out as the net was hauled and stacked for the next strike.
Thats what this thread reminds me of.The builder I knew was either building a boat for someone or himself,mending nets or actually fishing the boats he had built.The pictures seedtick has posted here reminded me of this.Florida in the late 60's and early 70's was a great place to grow up around Boca Grande before it got yuppified.I was down there a couple years ago and vowed never to go back. Boca Grande is all condos now and no more visible signs of boats being built.Before,one always knew of someone building one alot in the ways depicted in these pictures from small net skiffs to offshore grouper and shrimp boats.
Seedtick,do you think this will be the only type of this boat that you build, or are you going to continue sharing what you are learning with others from here on out?Are others still building these boats?

[Dave Fleming]

Better balance the planking...one strake for each side, continue alternating, rather than doing one side almost to completion.

[seedtick]

I'll try to answer the questions, if I don't explain it enough, ask again.

Power tools used are planer, table saw and bandsaw. Handtools are typical hammer, handsaw, c-clamps, hand plane, etc. Most unusual tool is the hatchet. I come from several generations of carpenters/woodworkers and I've never seen a man use a hatchet like this builder. When he shaves wood with a hatchet, it curls just like coming off a plane. Not sure what a harpin is, sorry.

Planks are nailed (316SS ring shank) and glued. Our boats don't stay in the water/weather 24/7. When not in use they're sheltered. A good quality spar marine varnish easily lasts 5+ years in that service. Titebond III passes some sort of fancy ANSI test for water resistance that involves boiling in water for four hours. Not sure how that applies to use on boats but I guess it means if I want to use the hull for a giant crawfish boiler, I'll get a few sacks thru before it falls apart. Seriously though, I'm not sure how "waterproof" any glue is but we've used this stuff before with good results. Again the boats don't stay in the water or outside for long periods. Nails and glue is kind of like belt and suspenders. If you want to be sure your pants to stay up, use both.

The builder had no drawings, if you look back at the earlier photos you'll see some ~3/4 X 1" strips at the chine and also at the top of the side ribs (I believe ya'll call this the sheer). They run from the bow stem to the transom. We pushed, pulled, flexed and moved these strips until the builder got them into the shape that he wanted. The ribs were fit to these strips. I'm sure he had numbers in his head from previous boats but no patterns or jigs. In fact, after he'd cut a board, e.g. a curved rib, we'd transfer that to 1/4" plywood and make a pattern. This boat is a one of a kind. Typical skiffs of this size were plywood hulled, now they're aluminum or fiberglass. Most folks don't want to pay for this type of boat. Productivity is low compared to popping a fiberglass hull out of a mold every day. Cost is relatively high, you can't buy first growth cypress at the local Home Depot and this boat requires considerable skill to build. We're happy to share what we've learned. No sense in learning traditional techniques unless you're willing to share.

Builder claims alternating planking isn't necessary because of the decking and support already installed. This is his technique, he's built wooden boats for 50+ years. We're doing it his way. Not trying to say his way is the only way, just that this boat is his way.

thanks for the interest

[Hal Forsen]

Way Cool!
HF

[Dave Fleming]

It do have some saaaweeet lines, that's for sure.

If'n the man has been doin' it that way for that long...ain't gonna argue wit' him.

[High C]

Spectacular!

I spent a few of summers on Lafitte skiffs as a young man, but none as pretty as that! Great lines. :cool:

[htom]

Sweet. And going together quickly!

[Bill Perkins]

A close up of the hatchet would be nice if you get a chance .I'm betting that didn't come from Home Depoe either .

[pipefitter]

Maybe the cost is high for the builder compared to building in glass or aluminum but not expensive for what it would cost to buy a plastic boat.Glass boats are nearly what it costs to buy a house or a new vette. The finish on the vette would be perfect and most glass boats finish looks like crap.Even if you figure in the labor you are probably still way ahead of the game.The damned motors are what's expensive.

[seedtick]

another side, ready for the bottom

BTW, I believe the hatchet is called a lath hatchet. Hammerhead opposite the blade, flat across the top.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p32897aef7218099df86a6951a0327b7c/f08a1faf.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p9956b5bf9a59a8fbb52d9e655ca7096c/f08a1fab.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p7b71176bfbf3b443937090e8dd1ff962/f08a1fa7.jpg

[seedtick]

bottom planks starting

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/pfe4c61a16579c1fad39205f0d5ca4b1f/f07ce16c.jpg

[Dave Fleming]

Damn, that is some sexy shape!

Can't wait to see it in profile.

[pipefitter]

Other than what appears via search to be per builders own touch, this is what I found including to what seems to be the same idea. Not to say seedticks boat looks like this but here is a variation of.

http://areafocus.com/la-fisheries-museum/images/lafitte-skiff-fisheries-museum.jpg

[ 01-21-2006, 07:01 PM: Message edited by: pipefitter ]

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

A fantastic thread Seedtick, thanks.. :cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

[seedtick]

nice pics........

Emile "Bill" Dufrene (1909-1992)of Lafitte, LA is known as the father of the Lafitte Skiff. The design has been tweaked over the years, but remains basically the same. Here's one he built in 1987, five years before he died.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p4ff6ddfee3c270721470bbaf58b192a7/f077204d.jpg

[pipefitter]

Maybe your project will create a following such as has been seen with the Simmons Sea Skiff.Thanks for the info and the updates. Great job.

[Bill Perkins]

I found this last night in Harry Suchers "Simplified boat building ".

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p9c541ce1a027cc704c459c44e3f2b6b0/f0766ddd.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/pa0134b12c12b6d8c1c648c3d3bb307ee/f0766dde.jpg

Mr. Sucher traveled the coasts taking off the lines of good work boats . Maybe some old timers in Lafitte remember him passing through .Hope you'll measure this boat before she leaves the shop .

A note on the drawing :

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/pef7790b2127c8fd603bbbe12112c030c/f074799c.jpg .

The table of offsets are clearly legible if you zoom in .You'll see a measured station was taken at every other frame , or 2 ft . OC .

[seedtick]

Here's the last of the bottom getting planked and the fantail being decked.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/pe8e6da936671b78105ab9ec4ada87192/f06a1cfd.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p3696d1d31f3965ea2df0df9cc1d86ea0/f06a1d05.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/pb03491385de3ada7e27d79af38d21c76/f06a1cf8.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p8597c586f031d73aaabb5aa4f2926b04/f06a1cf7.jpg

[DavesFlatsBoat]

Lollygag isn't part of your vocabulary! What beautiful boat! Your pictures are super, the process is completely documented and (more important) understandable. I'll leave replicable to more skilled builder than I.

[wyndham]

Looks like the planks are fastened with nails? Bronze ring shank?
What is between the lanks? They look tight butted and I can't see any caulk or bevel. I see some gunk that looks likes Bobdo but I can't beleive thats what it is. Is the hull going to glassed or just painted. Did I already ask you that?
This is a great string. If you have more pictures please post.

[seedtick]

316 SS ring shank nails
5200 below the waterline, Titebond III above

[seedtick]

forgot last question......

planning on three coats epoxy resin topped off with three or more coats of varnish

thanks

[jimendel]

seedtick, what kind of power will be installed, inboard/outboard or outboard? What kind of horsepower and speed capability? That boat is built tough, bet she'll slam through chop real nice. I'd love to own a boat like that one.

[seedtick]

150 Hp outboard, expect to run into the 40's (mph), depending on final load. Kangaroo, nets, ice chest, etc. all tend to slow it down a bit.

[la.pirogue]

a shoe-box,is a shoe-box,is a shoe-box.it ant so. Mr. Cheramie is showing a typical workboat with nice lines being built by a boatbuilder into a classic traditional boat with gracefull curves by a master boatbuilder. thanks for sharing this with us. your getting the real thing. keith

[seedtick]

trimming it out

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/pc654cb16dd45f7d26a887c938987ee6d/f05d2b42.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p20cb68555771b706740e2754824c96e5/f05d2b3f.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p66cc6806b71870d5306eed1101815446/f05d2b3b.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/pac60800937b9baedda70e37c1e616e1c/f05d2b34.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/pd557a8a73e278036cac582afb1d9c0b1/f05d2b31.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p1c837bf35669a0c564a99edd905dc9fc/f05d2b23.jpg

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

What a great thread. ;) Thanks Seedtick. :cool:

[joejapan]

.
Jeeeze, you sure don't waste any time building; how many people do you have working on that thing ?

It's almost too pretty to put paint all over it. :D

[seedtick]

thanks for the compliments from everyone....

three folks total working on the boat

don't worry, it won't be painted. You won't believe what that old cypress looks like when it's varnished

[pipefitter]

Cypress is beautiful wood finished clear. Very nice boat indeed.

[seedtick]

We got it on a trailer, kissed the master boat builder and his wife goodbye and brought it home for final finishing and building the console. It was an awesome ride from start to this point, just hope we can retain most of what we saw.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/p6f6fff1214f79b77cb8e724824ae5fad/f05d21f9.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid200/pdf6fdce2aad0a555812805e731d5f323/f05d21f5.jpg

The weather here in south Louisiana is bad enough so we won't be spreading much epoxy or varnish until later in the year. I'll post pictures when we start up. We'll put this skiff on the back burner for now and start on the next boat. It's a big flat bottomed bateau with an old gas inboard engine. They were called putt-putts from the sound of the engine.

[L.W. Baxter]

We'll put this skiff on the back burner for now Aww shucks!

Thanks for the show. Great stuff.

[Mike Vogdes]

Seedtick, thanks for sharing this wonderfull project. As mentioned earlier, this would make a great Woodenboat piece, sure hope the powers are eavesdropping. I remember 30 years ago a fella in southern Maryland building a deadrise work boat by "rack of eye" no plans... will never forget that.

[Roger Stouff]

What an incredible project. From a fellow Louisianian, I'm delighted to see someone taking up the traditional boat building methods here. Bravo!

[wyndham]

Seedtick, thanks so much this has been an all time great thread. Of course you now ralise that the next boat must be as well documented.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

In my opinion this thread is a WB piece. Excellent Seedtick. This thread is why I come here. ;) :cool: :cool:

[dcobbett]

Thank you. I think it's just about the most interesting thread I've ever followed on this forum. Hope you can find the time to come back to it when you get back to the project.

[joe68fishbait]

Originally posted by seedtick:
A Louisiana tradition..........Shortly after World War II, a boat builder in south Louisiana began building smaller, lighter, faster shrimp boats. Good quality plywood became available and the boats became popular. Soon folks were asking for a skiff "like they have in Lafitte". Even though the design remained essentially the same, Lafitte skiffs of today are generally built of aluminum or fiberglass. We recently convinced a retired boat builder to help build "just one more". This one out of sinker cypress. Like the original skiffs, no plans, no drawings...........by hand and by eye. Attached are the first steps, if there is interest I'll post more of the progress.
http://http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p9e688bd3a7175507b879df87c7ca11bc/f10834fa.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p4011767e391d25ba8d6bf0c21a84488f/f10834f6.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p7b16fa35cbec7618f06a5c7819e570df/f10834f1.jpg

[Budreaux]

Seedtick;
I'm a railroader in Wyoming about to retire and move back home to the Gulf Coast. I want to do shrimping during my retirement, but can't find anyone to build a Lafitte skiff like yours.

The Internet search engines prove fruitless; either everyone has given up on it, or the links no longer exist. What happened here? Can you e-mail me anyone willing to do the work you did; I expected to have a fiberglass or aluminum hull. One lady in Harvey told me, "We're the only one that builds Lafitte skiffs."

So I said, "But, you just told me you don't build them anymore."

She said, "That's correct."

"Well then you don't build them either...duh!"

[Dave Fleming]

The photo that is not showing in the post above.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid197/p9e688bd3a7175507b879df87c7ca11bc/f10834fa.jpg

[Paulyboy]

I remember in 1981 when living in Nawlins, driving by a housae with a glass boat under construction in the front yard. I drove by this house across from the quarter, in Gretna, on my way to work. After the third day, i realized they had made a complete glass hull using a mold, or form, or whatever. The next day I pulled in and talked to the guy who lived there. He told me they were building a Lafitte skiff so one of his work buddies could get to the shrimping in the bayous near Harvey. He told me that each year three of them would take a vacation and build a boat, and this was the third year, so all three buddies were going to have identical boats. Wow!

[erster]

Seetick, is your website still online? Thanks

[Big T]

I recently bought an original Dufrene but it isn't a Lafite Skiff. 44' X 15' cruiser with 2 BR each with bath/shower. All cypress. Made in 1965. Got a V903M Cummins diesel that is 295hp. I am taking it to Bayou La Batre, Ala. to Landry Boat Workd for a facelift but it is in pretty good shape. Any info on this boat that you can share with me would be greatly appreciated.

[geronimo74]

I wish I could see the pix can some one advise?I have a stick built skiff too

[geronimo74]

were did the thumbs down come from???

[Lewisboats]

I think it is because the pictures are not there anymore. :(

[Greno]

The Seedtick guy and his friend build pirogues in Denham Springs, LA. His friend is named Keith Felder from what I can remember. He has a website. I met them at the boat show in Madisonville years ago. I remember meeting one of them anyway. They used to post on a pirogue form quite often.

keithspirogues.com is the website.

[seedtick]

we're not dead, just don't come by very much

the original pictures were on imagestation, which as you know, decided to stop hosting pictures - pity

i'm now hooked up with photobucket, so if there's anything in particular you want to see, let me know

[gofish]

Hey
Can anybody tell me why I can't view pics on this forum? I left click the pic icons and select view pic but never get it.
Thank for the help-Sorry for the diversion

[geronimo74]

seed tick,I
would love to see some of the pics of your build,I'getting ready to repair 21 X7.5 ft mullet skiff that needs a little strengthening and i'd like to see how others aare built,my boat was built with just enough so if it got confiscated by the law for a fish violation they didn't have a lotof $ in it,thats how some of the boys build them now.:)

[seedtick]

got some pics here

http://www.neilbank.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=5454

the guy that wanted it decided he wanted a cabin - kind of different but that's what he wanted

[jclays]

How come I cant see the pictures on this thread???Help....

[Saltiguy]

Great boat.
I didn't realize Mr. Chermie designed small stuff. I first heard of him at the Naval college when they were first developing the stealth class of ships. Chermie had designed one vessel at that time - a fast patrol boat that was virtually invisible. I went aboard in New London. Very spooky. You could walk on it and feel it, but you couldn't see it. The crew had to wear special foil laminated suits.