The skiff that wouldn't die... 1965 Fiber Craft AKA Project Native

[iMacattack]

Before poling platforms and GPS were around, the 1960's Fiber Craft was one of the original Florida back country skiffs. These simple runabout boats were all you needed to catch shallow water species. With notable anglers like Stu Apte and his "Mom's Worry IV", Jim Martenhoff and Vic Dunaway landing big snook, acrobatic tarpon or silver bullet bonefish out of Fiber Craft runabouts, these little skiffs had proven their fishability over time. Mostly lost to obscurity the Fiber Craft lived on through a few passionate people who could not let the classic go.

One notable angler and South Florida guide who not only used, but revived the little runabout, was Captain Karl Gloeckner. His Fiber Craft was first rescued from obscurity back in the early 70's with a hull destine for the municipal dump. Through the decades he refined the skiff into a potent bonefish platform for his clients. Then in 2004 after receiving blessings from the son of the original designer, Capt. Karl started the second revival of the Fiber Craft as the "Native Skiff". Capt. Karl built a few skiffs but was unable to continue. Once again the skiff potentially could have faded into obscurity. Would there be a new lease on life for the Native?

2004 was my first introduction to the Fiber Craft. With classic lines and sexy curves I fell in love. Good friend Capt. David McKenzie was the owner of one of only two registered Fiber Craft 14's in Florida. Capt. David received Capt. Karl's Fiber Craft after it was used to create the Native Skiff mold. Capt. David used the skiff for a while then let her go and moved up to a more modern 1970 Sidewinder/Dolphin 16. It seems classics are in his blood. I unfortunately never got a chance to look at the Native first hand, or get the opportunity to buy one.

A few months ago Capt. David and I were at the Florida Sportsman's Expo in Ft. Lauderdale. We were taking pictures for our respective websites. Capt. David has two great sites Fish North Bay and South Florida Angler. I invite everyone to check them out. While at the show talking to many vendors and taking pictures, we met up with Mel Walker from Ankona Boats. After trading pleasantries I left to take a few more pictures. Capt. David stayed a while with Mel and they started talking skiffs.

Two weeks later I get an email. It was simple and succinct. "Native Skiff Mold Sold". Seems that Mel and Capt. David started talking about small classic skiffs and it just so happened that Capt. David knew where the Native mold was and that Capt. Karl could be interested in seeing the little skiff revived again.

Mel and I had previously scheduled to do a review of the Copperhead so timing was perfect. Before I got up to Ankona to do the review, Mel had pulled a quick test hull from the mold and had it available for me to look at. The hull was pulled to check the viability of using the original mold for production and for making mock up molds for all the parts needed to bring the Native back from obscurity.

After we finished the review of the Copperhead Mel invited me to his shop to look over the Native. I fell in love... again! I also broke one of the most ardent rules I tell everyone when it comes to buying a boat... TAKE A TEST RIDE BEFORE YOU BUY! Having never actually ridden on the Native or the original Fiber Craft, I bought my own Native Skiff. Well to be more accurate, I bought what would become Ankona's revival of the Native. But first a couple minor details had to be addressed. Like making a new mold, figuring out the cockpit tub, top deck configuration, hatches, rigging tubes, weight distribution... the list goes on and on. However in a little over 6 weeks Mel and Roy worked nonstop to bring the Native back to life and I have the distinct honor of owning hull #1. More on the build will be released in the coming weeks.

In the coming months the new Ankona Boats Native 15 will be used for events, reviews and projects, but most importantly spending time with my family on the water. In the mean time I do need to thank a lot of great folks for helping me realize the dream of owning my own revival of a classic. Oh, and yes... it looks tippy...

A special thank you to:

My wife and son. Now we can go fishing Declan!

Mel and Roy from Ankona Boats for busting their humps to ready my skiff.

Continental Trailers, they built and delivered to us a prototype trailer that is light years beyond anything I have ever seen from Continental for the skiff market. More on that soon.

Mark and Bob from Shallow Water Customs for helping me rig my skiff. They also worked some serious overtime in readying the skiff for our 25hp Shootout. More on that soon.

Bobs Machine Shop for their NEW Mini Jac. More on that soon.

Chuck from SeaDek and Tyler from Castaway Customs for a seriously cool, retro SeaDek package. More on that soon.

Representatives from Honda, Mercury, Tohatsu and Yamaha for helping us with our 25hp Shootout.

Sam Root from Salty Shores for his awesome photography.

Bennett Marine for the M80 Tabs

and many more that I know I'm forgetting...

Shameless Plug... Check out microskiff.com

[wiley]

Good report Jan.

Sorry I missed the Event. I would have much rather been there then doing what I was doing that day.

Let's get some ReelBoating link exchanges between the guys involved!

Gotta like that ride!

[iMacattack]

You got it! Once the skiff is complete I'll make a few passes at InletCam.Com

I spoke to Capt. Karl yesterday and he filled me in on a few more details about the skiff...

1965 was the only year that Fiber Craft built this specific model. They tried to market this particular model as a runabout with an 18hp Evinrude and a ski pole. It didn't work.

I also didn't realize how close we came to loosing this piece of our skiff history. Karl had a chop saw in his hand at one point right before Mel bought the mold. This skiff almost ended it's life as bulk pick up for a second time. The first was when Karl found the skiff in the 1970's.

Want to know where the inspiration for the Hells Bay Whipray came from? Fiber Craft, Willies and Challenger. The Whipray according t Karl was built as an amalgamation of some of the best parts of these skiffs transformed into what many consider to be the finest example of a modern shallow water skiff.

Fiber Craft out of Miami closed their door in the 1970's.

[catch up]

sweet skiff!

[heatseeker]

really nice lines!

[denny-o]

Well, this is interesting... I happened to read this thread yesterday... On the way home from the office I noticed a boat way back off the road behind some bushes with a for sale sign, barely visible... I pulled in to take a look... It is an older ( late 60's to early 70's - yes it has small fins on the stern sheer line) model, 16.5 foot, runabout with a 45hp Chrysler sitting on a trailer.. The owner said it was in the barn when he bought the property and he knew nothing about it... The sticker showed that it was last licensed in 1992 and was found completely buried under old boards, feed bags and junk in the barn - he felt it had not been moved in the intervening 17 years - tires rotted and flat, wheel bearings stuck, etc...

There is no manufacturers ID or serial number molded into the hull I can see - cursory look... From a sticker on dash it appears to have been sold by SKIPPER in Au Gres, Michigan...

His son had changed the plugs and pulled a trash bag over the lower unit with water in it and the engine ran - until the son decided to put it in gear and the prop ate the bag! Other than a few scars the hull is good... The seats are good (surprisingly good)... They put new tires and wheels on the trailer and they cleaned the bearings of hardened grease... He said he was going to retire this year and go fishing, then decided to accept a contract for another 4 years with his company... Anyway, long story short, I took a chance and bought it for 500 bucks...

OK, now to the reason for this story... The hull of the boat looks identical to the Fiber Craft in the pictures above... The same rounded stem on the shapely bow with long overhangs... WIthout measurements it could be a twin... Just a weird coincidence - read an interesting story and find what appears to be an identical hull that day......

denny-o

[Fishinspot]

Very neat! I have always wanted to take an old boat and redo it all but I lack the fiberglass experience. I am learning more and more from all the experience on here and other sites. One of these days I'll try it but these stories are very interesting. good to see the oldies coming back to life.

[iMacattack]

denny-o, if you can get some pix post em! Would love to see the skiff. It's possible that it could be the post 1965 FiberCraft that Stu Apte modified. Would need to see a few pix though.

I have a few more pix... I had a completely custom platform built. It's a one off made to my specs. Might not be for everyone... but it's what I wanted...

From our first tests.

First platform... needed to make a final edit, see below.

First platform... needed to make a final edit, see below.

iPhone pix of the platform. Sorry for the poor resolution.

[denny-o]

Hi, yes I have pictures, they are home... Will try to remember to put a couple on the flash drive and bring em to the office...

Found a bit more information...

It is a 1966 Skipper Saf-T-Mate (spelling is correct) 14 foot... They were manufactured in Cadillac Michigan from 1965 to early 70, then Four WInns bought them out and produced the Skipper line under their name... It is decked as a runabout with a forward deck, windshield, and double back seating... Other than that the hulls could be twins...

It has a white hull with a red deck that is bolted and glassed to the hull... The deck raises the sheer line a bit compared to yours, and has that 'oh so sexy' fins on it...

Your skiff looking really smart with the platform and the paint scheme following the spray rails...

denny-o

[denny-o]

Hmmm, don't see a method of placing pictures in this... So, what is the secret here?

denny-o