Author Topic: Bote Rackham vs HD ?  (Read 17635 times)

krash

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 137
  • Old fugger who loves to fish
    • View Profile
Bote Rackham vs HD ?
« on: June 23, 2017, 08:24:07 AM »
Thinking of an upgrade.. currently have a beater rec/touring board rigged to fish but have come to the realization its not the ideal platform for my needs.

Thinking seriously of the Bote boards and its kind of between the HD and the Rackham. Need something that is very quiet (no hull slap) on the water but also something that paddles well and is light. Idealy I want less than 40 pounds and the HD is now available in a new material called "gatorshell" that is much tougher than the epoxy/glass.

Does anyone have experience with both, or either, of these boards and what are you experiences ?

Specifically in a steady light chop from the wind how quiet is the hull ?
How well does it paddle when the winds pick up and you have to paddle into a head wind and/or a quartering wind ?
Old fugger who just likes to fish

clinto

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 148
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Bote Rackham vs HD ?
« Reply #1 on: June 23, 2017, 11:33:54 AM »
I have last years 12' HD. It paddles very well in most conditions with the nose cutting through head on chop easily. The displacement hull being so sharp on the front does catch side chop and currents a little bit, but its not anything major. My buddy is one their ambassadors and he does fishing charters using the Rackham. He told me that he is seriously considering getting the gatorshell HD for his next board due to the wear he inflicts on it. Personally, i would do the HD gatorshell. I have dinged the thin nose on my wifes HD twice and once on mine all requiring repair. all dings were loading in or out of the truck. The shape, accessories and innovation of Bote boards are wonderful, but the epoxy boards tend to ding easy and you have to baby them. I fish off of mine and use it alot. Full 30 quart cooler, loaded rod rack and a bunch of other crap on the front along with my 230 pound self, there is not an issue with stability and float at all. It is def quiet and you can sneak up on fish very easily.

krash

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 137
  • Old fugger who loves to fish
    • View Profile
Re: Bote Rackham vs HD ?
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2017, 06:58:30 AM »
Clinto, thx.. good info.. I agree the GatorShell is a great idea.. my beater is a beater because it was beat when I got it and I've dinged it up a bit in the near 2 years I've had it and for sure you have to baby the epoxy/glass over eps foam boards. My biggest issue is weight... due to heart issues.

I was in a shop the other day looking at them again, have bee eye-balling them for a while, and talked to a sales dude there that I kind of trust even though he's a sales guy on commission.. hes also a paddler and fisher-person, and his suggestion was the Rackham over the HD, said in his opinion te Rackham paddles and tracks a bit better after you get it going.

The hulls are rather similar, the HD has a lower profile, and the Rackham has a much sharper and more pronounced v-entry design than the HD. They just look like they would for sure split and plow through an oncomming wave compared to the DragonFly design that splits and rides up and over a wave while keeping an very quiet entry.

The board I have now has sort of a pointed v-ebtry bow, it claims to be a displacement board, but it splits a wave, then rides up the wave and flatter hull teeters and slaps the bow section down onto the surface of the water with a slap.

Any pix of your board loaded for fishing.
« Last Edit: June 24, 2017, 07:07:27 AM by krash »
Old fugger who just likes to fish

easy

  • Waikiki Status
  • *
  • Posts: 33
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Bote Rackham vs HD ?
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2017, 01:16:30 PM »
Krash, if you decide to go with a Rackham I've got one for sale in Fort Lauderdale.  It's to heavy for me to use on my boat and it's only been used once. It's got the rack and a board bag. Every thing for $1600.

krash

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 137
  • Old fugger who loves to fish
    • View Profile
Re: Bote Rackham vs HD ?
« Reply #4 on: June 27, 2017, 06:40:21 AM »
Rackham, exterior surface ?

When looking at the Bote boards I notice the Gatorshell vs the standard exterior finish on the Rackham is rather glossy and much smoother than the Rackham.
The Rackham has sort of a dull finish, looks almost like an attempt at a non-skid like finish.

I get on/off the board to wade and many times chase down a fish in shallow waters. Where we fish the bottom can be nice hard clean sand, grassy muddy ankle deep, and sometimes a silted in hip deep gray mud... getting back on the board this mud comes with you and walking around on the surface it does get ground into the foam mat and not easy to clean... that Rackham surface looks porus enough to really be hard to clean.

How is that Rackham surface for holding ground in mud ?
How easy is it to clean ?
Old fugger who just likes to fish

clinto

  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 148
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Bote Rackham vs HD ?
« Reply #5 on: June 27, 2017, 12:34:44 PM »
As long as you wash the mud and fish blood off when you get home you are good. The lighter colored deck pads do stain a little but its not a big deal. I have an HD with the matte finish and have found that smudges are biggest issue. A magic eraser takes those off easily if you want to keep it clean.

I do not have any pics of my HD loaded for fishing unfortunately. I am bad about pics unless its a repair or new board.

 


SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal