Not gone fishin'. Yet.

I have always been slightly nervous about fishing from my skiff Snarleyow, fearing that if I caught a big one I might be dragged in - as you can see from the masthead, she is rather slender. I have a line and some lures for mackerel but have so far never used them.
So I looked with wonder at the fish Kurt Beacham manages to haul out of Victoria Harbour, British Columbia, from his Whitehall Spirit 14. The Spirit 14 is a little wider than my Chippendale Sprite and also has buoyancy chambers which must be reassuring.
Kurt, who manages the fibreglass production at the makers of the Spirit, Whitehall Rowing and Sail, snagged a 35lb halibut recently which was apparently something of a struggle. If I had caught it I would have gone over the side without a doubt.

Things might be easier with the novel rowing boat designed and built by Gary Baigent in New Zealand, featured in Duckworks Magazine. It has a big gutter down to the stern, so a fisherman can haul a catch over the stern and up the boat without capsizing. Frankly brilliant. Apparently it also enables you to board the boat over the stern when pushing off from the beach.
Another nice touch is the cutout in the bulkhead immediately behind the oarsman so you don't knock yourself when you lean back.
Must remember to pack the fishing line next time I go out.
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