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By Jeffry Lord – Brisbane, Queensland - Australia

To Part One

To Part Two

Well the builders plate is on and engraved and the HIN is attached (major drama at Dept of Transport). The Transport Dept as they did not know how to classify a HOME BUILT Timber boat in their system!!

Eventually sorted after 45 minutes, and I left with the HIN, and the yellow sticker for the Boats' passenger capacity.

The boat is painted with NORGLASS ENAMEL and NORGLASS NON-SLIP, this paint has given good coverage and was reasonably priced and good quality, and gave me a good finish for minimal effort. The paint was rolled with a small roller, and done in sections.

The boat fitted well on the campers' racks, I have fitted two brackets to the Transom for wheels, to move the boat around between the Camper and the folding trailer, and this has proved very successful and cost about $25.00

We went to BURRUM HEADS at the top of HERVEY BAY for a week after Christmas, and as luck would have it, the other half (wife) did her back. As a result she was not able to go out with me on the Maiden voyage. So, I managed invited another fisherman in the Caravan park to come out with me.

The Burrum River behaved it self for a change and as for the MJ1 (Mangrove Jack 1), well most impressive. With the 9.8 Hp motor we managed a respectable 28 Kph (17 mph) on the river. The boat was stable and handled the chop very well, with 180 kg persons on board, not including the weight for safety gear, motor & fuel.

I have had the boat out four times since the maiden voyage, and it has continued to please. The boat has proven itself in skinny water and the local river (North Pine) and Hayes Inlet. I finally managed to get the Treasurer (wife) out, not because she did not want to, but she has been incapacitated for several months. She is rapt in the boat and said that it is the best we have ever owned! Now as you all know this approval is always necessary , especially when you have to ask about new motors etc , or ever want to build another boat of which you then have to convince her will be better than what you have already… but that's another story (article?).

The MANGROVE JACK 3.65 has filled all the criteria I specified Mark at BOWDIDGE MARINE DESIGNS for and I'm extremely happy with the design, the service and the finished boat. I can lift the boat onto the Camper Racks with minimal assistance; it travels well on the camper and is easy to handle on and off the water. Its weight is also with-in the design parameters 65 kg as asked for. What more can I say. If you want a small boat for creeks, rivers & lakes that can be roof topped, or carried on your camper, the MANGROVE JACK will fill the bill.

Cheers,

Jeff

P.S. The video is now on MARKS' web site.

Mangrove Jack design by Mark Bowdidge is available at Duckworks.

 

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