The electronics setup is pretty much on par with what you’ll find on most 30-foot, deep-V fishing machines. At the helm station, the skipper has a Furuno 18–mile radar, Furuno 1850 GPS Plotter/Fishfinder, NorthStar 952 GPS, CD player and Simrad autopilot. An electronics box above the console houses two ICOM VHF radios and a dimmer switch for the hardtop lights. The dome radar doesn’t pack enough power to lead you to tuna birds, but it will help you navigate home in darkness or avoid inclement weather.

The boat’s deck layout is very similar to another popular Florida center console fishing boat, the Venture 34. A lockable anchor locker with a vertical hanger lies under the bow hatch. It’s cavernous enough to carry Durkin’s 15-pound Fortress aluminum anchor, 20 feet of 3/8-inch stainless chain and 500 feet of ½-inch rode with room to spare. There are two side boxes in the bow that border a center fishbox, which measures 4 feet deep by 4 feet wide by 8 feet long. These storage compartments, like all others on the boat, are insulated and have lockable hatches with stainless hardware. The two side compartments have ample space to hold three 5-gallon buckets standing upright and various dredges the skipper deploys while dead-bait billfishing. Close inspection revealed a 10-gallon hot water heater mounted to the center compartment’s aft bulkhead. There are two more 12-foot-long lockable rod lockers beside the console with slide-in rodholders made of starboard. Unfortunately, the slide-ins weren’t in the boat the day I fished, so I couldn’t snap a picture. But, the concept seemed fairly simple with cutout frames that slid on rollers to hold the rods. Each in-deck locker will hold six 30-pound standup outfits and a gaff.

Lifting the cockpit hatch provides access to the boat’s fuel tank selector valves, washdown and livewell pumps and plumbing. A fuel tank selector valve allows the skipper to run off one or both tanks or if need be, to isolate a tank if there’s a problem such as water or other contaminants in the fuel.

Cut into the tumblehome transom are a sink and two livewells. The main well, which holds 40 gallons and straddles the boat’s centerline, should hold enough live bait for just about any fishing trip. For days that require more bait, there is second 25-gallon livewell starboard of the main well. Stainless steel 1,500-gph Cal pumps supply the flow to each livewell. The washdown pump, which can be used in a pinch to supply raw water to the livewells, is manufactured by Jabsco. A rigging sink occupies the port side of the transom.

To complement the standup fishing approach, the layout features a leaning post with a rocket launcher instead of a fighting chair. The launcher holds the short and long ’rigger rods when trolling. Durkin runs flatline and teaser rods out of the gunnel. He uses teaser rods equipped with electric reels--12-volt outlets under the gunnel supply the power—to pull and attend and the dredges. He also uses the 12-volt power for the kite reels when he fishes live bait for billfish. The setup allows Durkin to troll six lines comfortably, not including the two dredge rods. The skipper says that when he trolls, most sails and whites attack the flatline baits. “The fish swim right up to the wash and usually smack the rigged ballyhoo closest to the dredge,” Durkin admits.

Another feature I found interesting is the boat’s TABS (short for Total Automatic Battery System) DC electrical system, which is manufactured by New Jersey company Wells Marine. The unit consolidates battery switches, circuit breakers, charger and the entire electrical system into one box that can be customized to individual applications. Durkin outfitted the boat with a 3-battery model that eliminates unnecessary routing of wires and centralizes battery functions in a single location. All three connect to the TABS box located beneath the console that can be accessed through a panel in the standup head. Durkin says the system protects electrical connections from the elements and lets him troubleshoot battery and electrical problems from a central location. TABS also monitors battery charge and when used in conjunction with an onboard charger, sends the recharge power to the battery that needs it most. Visit www.wellsmarinetech.com for more information and pricing guidelines.

With equipment, fuel, fishermen and tackle aboard, this is one heavy boat. “We built this vessel using a real world weight measurement,” Hudson acknowledged. “It tips the scale to a little over 12,000 pounds fully loaded with fuel and gear.”

Getting 12,000 pounds up on plane quickly with twin outboards required Durkin to experiment with props. “When we first splashed the boat, it had a pair of 225-hp Mercury OptiMaxs hanging on the bracket. Those motors got it up pronto, even though they did burn more fuel. We decided to switch to a pair of Yamaha F225 4-strokes after the first fishing season.” Durkin experienced several problems including a major one after making the switch. “When we first ran the 4-strokes with 3-blade props, the boat went nowhere. It just stood there, bow in the air without planing forward.” Durkin consulted Fountain Marine, known for its fast hulls, and company techs suggested changing out the 3-blade props for a pair of 4-blades. “We went with Mercury Rev 4 propellers, pitch 14 ½ by 17,” the skipper advised, “and it made all the difference. We’re getting excellent fuel burn, good hole shots and decent top end.”

Designing and building a billfish boat to you own specifications obviously has benefits. You can tailor the hull, like Durkin did to suit his fishing style and discipline. But, be prepared to pull out the checkbook. Building a custom boat is not cheap. This one-of-a-kind hull costs between $250,000 and $300,000 to complete. Hudson says that he overbuilt the boat, but that’s what the customer wanted. The stringer system on hull No. 1 compares to what you’ll find in a 60-foot Garlington. “Next time around, we’ll trim about 2,000 pounds off the weight. The lighter model should go faster with more economical fuel consumption. Price should be around $225,000.”

Going custom is not for everyone. But, if building a boat to suit your angling needs is the next step to fulfilling your fishing fantasies, by all means investigate this avenue. Odds are, like Durkin, with technical assistance you could hit a combination that’s hard to beat.

Cold Molding

Many custom boat builders use the cold-molded process. But, what is it? Cold-mold boats are built upside down on a jig, like the ones ACUI provides. The first step is to build the boat’s keel and stem and then add the stringers. Next up is the bottom planking process. This boat has two layers of 7/16-inch fir planks diagonally fitted and laminated for strength. Fiberglass and cloth between each layer adds to the hull’s integrity. Hudson built the topsides out of Okume wood, which is lightweight with a good weight-to-strength ratio. The topsides are also two layers. Both are ¼-inch thick and have glass between them for extra strength.

Once this hull was taken off the jigs, it was glassed inside and out with close details paid to the finish—both above and below decks. Hudson faired the hull and finished it by painting all surfaces--inside and out—with Awl Grip 2000.

Designer and Builder Info

Steve French, owner of Stuart-based Applied Concepts Unleashed, designed the hull. French also had a hand in bottom design of the Garlington 44 and 61, long touted as top sea boats. You can contact French at Applied Concepts’ Stuart office, 304 N. Flagler Ave., 34994; (772)-283-3850; www.designyouryacht.com.

Victor Hudson operates Hudson Boat Works in Washington, North Carolina. You can call him at (252) 975-3391. If you’re online, you can check the company’s work at www.hudsonboats.com.