FishWisher the Boat
…a cozy little retreat on the water and a great little fishing machine.
September 25, 2007
This is a sad announcement, but due to my aching bones and advancing age… FishWisher the boat has been SOLD!
(…and looking back on this story nearly 10 years later, I can honestly say that this sale was one of the dumbest things I have ever done! This boat was the best, most well equipped boat I have ever owned.)
The new owners of FishWisher, father and son Mark and Austin Edwards – who are as likeable and active in the outdoors as a family can be – wave as they prepare to tow their new boat home.
It is a bittersweet time for FishWisher the guy, but times change as we get older and I know this is what is best for me at this time.
I miss my baby, there’s no doubt of that. But I don’t regret selling her as it was the right thing to do at this time of my life. In March of 2008, I bought a smaller Klamath boat, FishWisher II, that was easier for me to maintain and handle at the ramps, but was just too small for Delta use. I now have the stout North River boat, but I’ll always remember the great adventures I experienced aboard my beloved Fishwisher I !
With canvas in place over the cockpit.
FishWisher at Korth’s Pirate’s Lair on the San Joaquin River, June 2001
C-Dorys are wonderful little boats built with economy in mind. The dory, by definition, is a boat with a narrow, flat bottom, high bow, and flaring sides. The flat bottom is the opposite of a deep V boat. There is little substance to push through the water, so it is an economical boat to power.
It has been likened to a “water Jeep” by some owners. They are rugged, built for hard use and very economical.
C-Dorys are built in Washington State. The very first one was delivered to Alaska – via water! They are quite common in Alaska due to their cabins and ability to handle pretty rough water.
Here’s more about my baby, FishWisher:
Stern view at Vieira’s dock.
Specifications:
A 1987 22′ C-Dory Angler
All components are Year 2000 or newer: 2000 Suzuki 70 HP 4 stroke, 4 cyl EFI engine
Honda 8 HP Kicker w/TrollMaster
JRC 1500 radar
Autohelm Sportpilot Autopilot by Raytheon
Bottomline 6500 Sonar, Sidefinder, GPS, Chartplotter
2nd Sonar sidefinder w/aiming transducer (Portable)
Horizon AM/FM/Tape Radio
Horizon VHF Marine Radio
Horizon Loudhailer/Monitor
XM Satellite Radio Cradle
Toyotomi closed combustion heater
Bimini for cockpit
Simpson Delta anchor system, 100 ft. chain
Horizon 600 remote windlass
Scotty electric downriggers (2)
Troll Master trolling motor control
2003 Pacific galvanized tandem trailer.
Cabin Photos:
The Helm
Screens are (left) Bottomline 6500 FF/GPS/Chartplotter and (right) JRC 1500 Radar Screen. Below are gauges, control panels, Sportpilot autopilot mounted on steering shaft, handsfree cell phone & speaker, windlass controls.
Overhead Electronics Shelf
From left, smoke/CO detectors, Horizon AM/FM/Tape radio, Horizon loudhailer, Horizon VHF, fuse panel. Spotlight on far right (upper), XM radio above.
FishWisher and the motorhome.
She really turned heads – especially behind the motorhome!
Some of the many projects I completed aboard FishWisher:
January 2002 she was reupholstered
The V-berth pad, galley benches and entry to V-berth are now all re-upholstered in sunbrella blue. I suspect that the old fabric was not original, though it was getting worn and in need of a change. Having had her little innards pulled out and made new, FishWisher the boat is quite happy with her new looks.
August 2001 drawers were built into the cabin.
The cabin drawer project is complete. This is a dramatic improvement, both in appearance and function. Thanks to my friend Chuck for the fine
cabinetry work. Such craftsmen are hard to find these days!
The tackle tray, fuel tanks and batteries projects.
I installed the factory’s new custom molded 20 gallon tanks. The new tanks replaced the old 12 gallon metal tanks that were standard when my boat was built in 1987. The tanks are behind the white bulkheads on either side of this photo. The batteries now sit between the tanks, held in place against the tanks and the transom by composite blocks. Thanks to my friend Rich for fabricating that great looking tackle tray.
A C-Dory has no deck built above the hull – the hull is the cockpit sole.
A dory, by definition, is a small, flat bottomed boat. The photos above show how flat the bottom of a C-Dory actually is.
