Whisp Stability

[marwesmed]

I have a question for those who have a whisp or have experienced using one. I would like to know how are they for stability? Would it be a good or fair boat for a pair of young men to use for fishing in small lakes? They seem to be rather narrow in beam and not to stable, am I wrong?
Thanks Wes

[Steve Lansdowne]

Sound good to me. The "tender" qualities referenced in the other current forum posting on the Whisp pertain mainly to sailing. Two people in a Whisp could each have a seat, with gear in the middle. Nice and light to cartop, too, and it will take a trolling motor to boot.

[Bruce Hooke]

Some people use canoes for fishing so it seems to me that "sufficient stablity for fishing" is a bit of a relative thing...

[Jack Heinlen]

It's a fifteen foot flat-bottomed skiff. It's a good one for the type, though solid wood would be better in most ways.

Two people, fishing gear, small lake, absolutely. Versatility.

One of the joys of Whisp is rowing alone, on flat water. You start to pack other people and gear in there and the lithe rowing goes out the window. But she'll take it. Well. Make sure the companion isn't wearing Doc Martins, LOL.

[Wayne Jeffers]

Originally posted by marwesmed:
. . . They seem to be rather narrow in beam . . .Narrow when compared with other skiffs, but broader than most canoes.

I have the plans, but they're back in the house in Ohio. IIRC, the max beam across the flat bottom is in the neighborhood of 32 inches or a little more, about the same as a small aluminum jon boat (though the jon boat carries that beam for most of its length.)

It's biggest drawback for fishing might be that it is so light, with a fair amount of freeboard, and draws so little water, that the wind may want to move it about rather easily.

Wayne