Flats Boat or Sport Fishing Boat? Gause Built 26!
The Gause Built 26 is a result of several generations of a fishing family working together to create the ideal fishing boat for the west coast of Florida. There were several considerations in the original design parameter, including a boat that floats and runs in less than a foot of water, a boat with room for several anglers, and a boat that was created from the beginning to be a tower boat to take advantage of the better view a tower affords. The concept was to create something that had the best characteristics of a flats boat, but offered the room and drier ride of a sport fishing boat. The original Gause Built 26 accomplished this and more.
It was very well received and met all the original parameters exceptionally well. Sales of that boat were strong and customer satisfaction was very high. By all accounts, this boat was a tremendous success. Several clients had previously owned flats boats, and they reported that they could go everywhere with the Gause that they had gone with the flats boat. More than one owner also told of going more than 60 miles offshore in their Gause Built 26 and feeling the confidence that they would attribute to a much larger sport fishing boat.
Although the original Gause Built 26 truly seemed to have all the best attributes of a flats boat, and a sport fishing boat, and seemed to meet all the other parameters originally laid out for it, in the spring of 2004 the Gause family did a significant redesign of the boat. The decision to do this was not an easy one, as the costs were high and the interruption of production caused a break in the income stream for the business. However, the features that had been incorporated in the Gause Built 23 were popular, and the opportunity to bring the 26 closer to “perfection” was compelling for the Gause family. They realized they could offer more. More comfort. More features. More “fishability”.
Being out on the water is great, but being covered with water is not! A dry ride is a better ride, and with that in mind Gause Built Custom Boats created an all new hull mold. The new design incorporates more flare in the bow to divert spray out and away from the boat and passengers. This not only contributes to passenger comfort, but it just plain looks beautiful too! Click on the image to the left to see for yourself.
Stability is another critical aspect of comfort underway, and the new 26 hull incorporates a wide reverse chine for a faster, drier and more stable ride and better directional control. Reverse chines are simply tapering edges of the hull bottom, bent down to supply huge lift and stability at all speeds. The lift is used to raise the hull out of the water, producing less wetted surface area and dramatically decreasing the draft of the hull creating a faster and more easily driven boat. The reverse chine will also shear the water down and away from the bow creating a very dry ride as well.
In a center console boat the console serves many purposes. It provides storage, keeps the helmsman dry and provides a mounting place for much of the equipment. Having a sturdy, well thought out and intelligently designed console makes a world of difference. The console in the Gause Built 26 is a culmination of many hours spent using boats, and several redsigns to incoporate new and better ideas. The current design is taller that before, offering more space and better protection from the elements. It is integrated carefully with the tower, and has numerous inovative features that help it stand apart from te typical console in a fishing boat. Features like this help make the Gause Built Boats the very best on the market.
When fishing, being able to quickly and easily walk around the perimeter of the boat can often make the difference between that big catch, and a big "fish story". Wide gunnels with proper non-skid also make it easy for several anglers to move past and around each other when the action is hot and heavy as well as making docking easier and creating more comfortable seating spots around the boat. With that in mind the new Gause Built 26 deck mold incorporates a wider gunnel than before to once again make the boat easier to fish. You'll especially appreciate this feature when you're casting for bait.
The fish aren't always where you expect them to be, and the result is that some days you have to move the boat often. Nothing makes this more frustrating than a poorly designed anchor locker. The new deck mold for the Gause Built 26 incorporates a large top loading anchor storage locker designer to be as easy as possible to access. You can walk right up to the bow without stubbing your toe and there's great support at knee level while you lift the anchor from it's custom built hanger. The door incorporates a notch for the rode and it's all convenient to the pop-up bow cleat. There's simply no easier anchoring arrangement than this for a fishing boat this size.
When it comes to comfort on a boat one of the most important considerations is the seating. Realizing this, Gause Built Boats re-engineered the seating arrangement to create a more comfortable position, and has incorporated even better materials in the cushions in all areas. You can rest assured that this boat will provide one of the best rides you have ever had in an open fishing boat. (Photo was taken before all cushions were in place.)
Because of the inherent shape of the hull in most fishing boats, as you move out toward the gunnel to cast you often stub your toe on the hull liner before your leg contacts the inside edge of the gunnel. This can put you off balance, and if the boat is rocking a bit can make casting less comfortable. When the boat is moving around the safest and most comfortable position is standing with your legs against the inside of the gunnel and your feet spread and flat on the floor. No matter where you stand in the new Gause Built 26 you will be able to attain this position without stubbing your toes. Your casts will be longer and more accurate because you are, quite simply, more comfortable and stable in the boat. Available Custom Options:
Gause Built Custom Boats takes the "Custom" part of their name very seriously. Each boat is put together for a specific owner and is customized to reflect that owners taste and needs. The first boat built to this new design displays just a few of the innovative custom features which you can add to your boat when it is built just for you.
The folding tower on the first New Design Gause Built 26 features quite a few new innovations. Perhaps the most notable is a fiberglass "hardtop" in place of the usual canvas top. This top is strong enough to walk on, even behind the steering station, and when this option is ordered the electronics box becomes an integral part of the hardtop creating a clean, beautifully finished look. This top also includes a forward "brow" which provides a little more protection from the sun for the helmsman when at the lower station.
It's often the small features which set a truly beautiful boat apart from the rest, and when function and beauty combine you get the best of both worlds. This feature is so subtle that it might easily be missed, but so gorgeous that once it's noticed it becomes a standout! The port and starboard navigation lights on this boat are LED's which have been inlaid into the upper station control box. Absolutely flush with the outside of the box, these lights are out of the way (you'll never snag a line on them.), protected from the elements, and damn beautiful to boot. Form + Function = Beauty.
The Dodger Top is a great way to provide more comfortable accomodations for friends and family. It provides a large comfortable area to be out of the sun, and on windy days helps block the spray. It can even be configured as a complete enclosure and is spacious enough for two people to sleep under. Of couse, for fishing, it folds virtually flush to the deck so that you have complete access to the bow. Carefully thought out and designed, this is one of our most popular features.
Who wants to buy a gorgeous boat and then stick an ugly, adhesive "Fish Ruler" on the gunnel? Why not consider this beautifully inlaid fish ruler as an option on your new Gause Built Boat? This scale is an integral part of the non-skid surface in the transom of the boat, just aft of the baitwell. Nothing could be easier or more convenient than to always have this available right where you need it.
Long days of fishing on an open boat can often lead to uncomfortable situations. When nature calls, it's good to have a sensible solution at hand. That's why the optional potty set-up was created. Unobtrusive, easy to empty and clean, and comfortable to use, the feature is one everybody should consider. All these features and many, many more are available for your next Custom Built Gause Boat. Give us a call or come out for a ride and let us demonstrate just how well this new design works, and how we can build the "perfect" boat for you. Flats Boat? Sport Fishing Boat? Get both in a Gause Built 26!
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