Offshore Sportfishing Motorsailer, innovations & alternatives

The answer to whether noise attracts or repels fish would be, it depends ! On the species particularly. I know from experience that for most game fish, the strike rate is better if the trolled baits/lures are well behind the boat, as much as 200 metres even. That suggests to me that the fish are spooked by the proximity of the boat.

Mr Efficiency, You have squarely nailed the answer, "It depends".
If there is any hard and fast rules on the subject they have eluded me for many years.
Sure some boats raise fish better than others, and I have both caught and not caught a large number of gamefish on a wide variety of boats.
This is the allure of fishing, and exactly why the sport is not called "catching".
My motto is "If you don't go, you'll not know" so wake me early, eh?
 
A recent inquiry I received just today,..

I came across your website after googling about fishing from catamarans.

Similar setup was used for Offshore Hunter, refer to attached article which got me thinking.

Very interesting points you have made, will continue reading material on your site.


sailing-to-bigfish-adventures.jpg


SAILING TO A WORLD OF BIG FISH ADVENTURES
Part 1: The creation of Offshore Hunter
Many of us dream of travelling the world, chasing the biggest marlin at the world’s best hotspots.

Norwegian businessman Morten Ruud made that dream a reality, designing and building a unique sailing gameboat to enable it. Having now completed stage one of his round-the-world odyssey, Morten shares the creation of his dream and the first wave of his remarkable big fish successes.

BlueWater Issue 131 | BlueWater Boats n Sports Fishing Magazine https://bluewatermag.com.au/subscriptions/past-issues/bluewater-issue-131/
 

Attachments

I have written several messages to the editor of that BlueWater magazine, and he plans to do a second article on that vessel. AND he is interested in discussing some of my concepts after he finishes a trip to visit an old fishing friend in Tahiti. Looking forward to that.
 
Never heard back from this magazine editor who initially expressed an interest in more about this subject?...but then someone on another forum commented that was nothing new form this author
 
A recent inquiry I received just today,..




sailing-to-bigfish-adventures.jpg


SAILING TO A WORLD OF BIG FISH ADVENTURES
Part 1: The creation of Offshore Hunter

Many of us dream of travelling the world, chasing the biggest marlin at the world’s best hotspots.

Norwegian businessman Morten Ruud made that dream a reality, designing and building a unique sailing gameboat to enable it. Having now completed stage one of his round-the-world odyssey, Morten shares the creation of his dream and the first wave of his remarkable big fish successes.

BlueWater Issue 131 | BlueWater Boats n Sports Fishing Magazine https://bluewatermag.com.au/subscriptions/past-issues/bluewater-issue-131/
 
I provided my gamefishing design years ago, a short time after Lock Crowther designed Tara Vana for the Bora Bora gentleman,..

Gamefishing Design - a 65' mast-aft sailing catamaran. https://runningtideyachts.com/gamefishing/

I never understood why more gamefishing guys ever made some serious inquires to building such a vessel. I've been giving some new thoughts on a new version of such a vessel, and in particular one of the 2 versions I am thinking about will utilize an A-frame sailing rig that will stand straight up rather than canted forward like my original one. I have documented in the past a good number of A-frame rigs that have turned out quite successful.
But mine will still have ALL 3 roller furling sails, ....excluding any traditional mainsail

If some new person wishes to move forward on such a project there is a good lesson that might be learned by this project documented on this subject thread where the gentleman took an older cruising cat design and modified to build his sportsfisher. Modifying an older vessel for testing purposes could be a WHOLE LOT cheaper than building anew,..plus the end product could likely be sold off for a good amount over what he paid for the older used boat utilized for testing/convincing purposes.

Offshore Hunter (posting # 21 above}
Offshore Sportfishing Motorsailer, innovations & alternatives https://www.boatdesign.net/threads/offshore-sportfishing-motorsailer-innovations-alternatives.14900/page-2#post-945233
 
Lots of good ideas on this vessel 'Offshore Hunter' !

PS: BTW I did finally receive a reply form the creator of Offshore Hunter
Hi Brian
Sorry fir the late answer.
I sold my boat in 2018 to a kiwi guy, Hugo Maclean. He did the pacific 3-4 year, caught nice number om marlin. He sold it to a kiwi family, think the still have the boat.
We ended up in Australia after 3,5 year with 35.000 nm on the log. Released approx. 150 blue marlin. Biggest one from Ascension Island, probably a grander, but we call it 950+.
 
Interesting reply to that fishing deck pictured above (from a yachting forum).
Your multi-hulls are extremely interesting and I think your designs are pretty much spot on. I also agree that a trimaran, though not as maneuverable as a twin-engined cat, could well do the job. Inherently, there is much to be said for three hulls as against two.

However, might I suggest that large billfish (in particular) are more commonly (and preferably) handled alongside a vessel, not athwartships across the transom. Two overriding concerns by a diligent crew who release their fish are (1) to keep the fish swimming into a flow of water thus ensuring an oxygenated supply of water, and (2) to keep the fish out of the props. When a large billfish is on the leader it can characteristically surge forwards, often in sympathy with the pull of leader. If at the back of the boat, this will often lead a fish into the props, particularly if the fish is aqua-planing with pectoral fins rigidly outstretched. Might I respectfully suggest a retractable steel-rung platform, as used on board tuna pole-boats, that can be lowered outboard alongside the stern sections of the hull in the closing stages of a battle with a fish ? It could do double duty as a boarding/dive platform and tender-berth at anchor.
 
Interesting reply to that fishing deck pictured above (from a yachting forum).
This is good input, obviously from an experienced fisherman.
You don’t want to be leadering a hot Marlin into the transom!
The sugar scoops deck portion could be extended to 8-10’ and lowered to thigh high to aid in bringing large billfish alongside.
I like the flybridge, but it could be much smaller for better visibility from it, and ditch that radar arch.
There seems to be 0 forward visibility from the lower helm station?
 
@kapD,
That particular sketch of mine was added onto a Dynarig cat of mine, so that upper station and radar arch would NOT be a suggestion for the gamefisher.

Rather the arrangement on Offshore Hunter (posting 21 above) would be entertained.






 
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