C-Ski 444 Spearfishing Boat Review

We have received a number of requests for boat reviews to appear in the mag. Especially since the requirements that make a boat a good spearfishing boat are very different to those of normal skiboat fishing. So with this in mind we now have a new Boat Review section, specifically taking into account the needs of spearfishermen.

First off is the C-Ski 444. If you live in Natal and do any amount of spearfishing off a boat, you would have at some stage been on or at least seen a C-Ski in the water. The C-Ski has been very popular with spearfishermen for more than 10 years, and has been specifically designed with the spearfisherman in mind.

The basic requirements for a surf launching spearo is to have an easily manageable boat on the beach that will get you through the surf to where you want to be quickly, efficiently and without breaking your back. This normally means that you will be looking at a smaller boat than most skiboaters, who tend to want bigger, drier boats with place for their fishing tackle and space to fish off.

I called Steve Ellis from Fibretech to let him know that we wanted to do a review on his C-Ski 444 and was hoping he had a boat on hand that we could use for the test. Luckily he had 3 boats all with different motor configurations, waiting to be delivered to their new owners the following week.

I am very familiar with the C-ski 440 and 444 but have only been on boats with single 40hp and a 50hp 4 stroke. Now we were going to test boats with 2 x 30hp Yamaha motors, 1 x 60hp Suzuki four stroke and 2 x 20hp Honda four stroke motors respectively. A very interesting set of scenarios, as many spearos have been looking for a small boat which can take 2 outboards, but the previous 440 model was too narrow and did not have the buoyancy to handle dual motors.
Read More Over Here - C-Ski Boat Review

Johri Speargun Review

Leonard Van Wyk 65kg Yellow Fin Tuna -
Shot with a 1.3 Johari Carbon Speargun

At a Glance: The Johri Speargun is a rugged looking gun, you notice right away this was not something designed in the Med, this is a real South African type design.  The gun has a fairly bulky handle covered in a blue latex material over the grip. The barrel fits into a full sleeve on the handle, with 2 stainless bolts to secure it, and has a deep plastic rail mounted on top.
The barrel is noticeably different its not like the other carbon barrels on the market and has a matte finish to it. Maybe they have been looking at Europe as the trend is now tending to have everything in a matte finish.
The muzzle is the standard tried and tested closed muzzle, able to take 2 rubbers.

First Impressions: I was a little slow to warm up to the gun, but after actually having the grip in my hand I realised that it was actually very comfortable and it sat in my hand really well even tho I have small hands.
The mechanism was very smooth and the line release does not work off the spear, but the sear. Which I will eliminate any jamming or problems with the line release not holding the line.
I was curious to see how strong the barrel was so I put it against a table and put all my weight on it. To my surprise there was absolutely no flex!  I had a small off cut and wanted to see how tough it was, so I smacked it with a lead weight. It took a real hard knock before it cracked. I think the barrel is amazing!

Pool testing the Johari Speargun

The Testa: I guess the proof is in the pudding as they say, I jumped into a pool and took a couple shots at a target. The 1.3 that I was using was very accurate, hitting the middle at various distances. But it is one thing to shoot a target, another to hit a fish! So when the opportunity came up to go and dive the west coast for yellow tail I jumped at it.
I landed up using a 1.2 reelgun, and landed up getting a Yellowtail and a Hottentot, both with good distance shots.

 My first Cape Yellow Tail in years with a 1.2 Johari Carbon Speargun and Reel

Overall Impressions: My overall impression of the Johri speargun is good.  Like I said took a while to get used to its rugged looks, but the more you have the grip in your hand the more it grows on you. I also cant fault the mechanics and the functionality of the gun, the mechanism is very smooth and the line release works perfectly. All the guns I used were accurate and there is definitely something about the angle of the gun in your hand that works.
I think that the Johri will be a faithful speargun, one that will shoot straight and will go the distance for years to come. They are also priced right! A gun with a carbon barrel will only set you back about R1600.00 which is really good value for money. I think the best thing to do is try one for yourself.

Coatesman

XFin Composite Spearfishing Blades and Foot Pocket Assembly

Here is a basic step by step way to fit your Xfins or other composite freediving fins in you foot pockets.
Some of the components my vary but the basic principals should be the same.

Step 1

Trim foot pocket ends

First you will need to trim the ends of the foot pockets sides. There is a small nib which normally fits into the plastic blades. I trim this at a 45 deg angle so it does not catch on line etc. Remember only trim a few mm ... 

Step 2

Insert Xfin into foot pocket

Next insert the Xfin blade or similar into the foot pocket, pushing the blade as deep as you can. Very important rememeber that the bolt must not sit in the bend of the fin!! This should be about 10mm past the bend, or you will create a weak spot. If the bolt hole is on the bend you might need to trim the end of the blade that goes into the pocket so that it can go deeper in. It some times helps using an existing blade as a template so you know how much to trim.
Once you are confident the blade is sitting in the pocket and is not skew, mark the hole and drill to the correct size for the bolt to fit through.
NB dont tighten the nut and bolt too much, just enough for the lock nut to take on the bolt and secure the blade.

Step 3

Step 3 glue or silicon the grooves

This next step is not always necessary, but will avoid some frustration down the line. Some foot pockets have larger grooves than others and don't grip the blades all that well, and pop out when bent.
I suggest gluing or siliconing the blades in place.
I personally use silicon (I try find the hardest grade) as you can always remove the blade and get the silicon off at a later stage. With glue that might not be an option. Other glues that work well are Sekaflex and in extreme cases Locktight.

Using a nozzel fill the grove with silicon, just enough to fill all the loose space....(with glue you use a lot less)
This is a messy job and it will be handy to have a roll of Bog roll near. .... the best stuff for wiping silicon up.

Step 4

Getting the sides on can be tricky

Pushing the sides on can be tricky ... oh and you will get the silicon on you hands!!
Bend the sides right back opening up the grove and push it onto the blade. The blade edge will slip into the grove and the silicon will fill the gaps

Here is a small video clip that might help.

Some of the silicon will ooze out, just wipe it up with bog roll or tissue paper.

Step 5

Now that you have the sides on make sure that the blade edge with the ridge on is properly in the groove. I use the handle of a hammer to tap the edges onto the blade. 


I hope this helps you in getting you Xfin or similar composite freediving /spearfishing blades into your favorite foot pockets.


Cheers


Coatesman