Hi laker boats

[jeepster]

Anybody fish out of a hi laker?

Seems like it could be the perfect pocket fishing boat, I have a decent outboard and a pair of hand crank penn downriggers, can't help but to wonder how that would work on a hi laker 10 or 12

I've seen a few around, they look like a no bs boat, thinking about pulling the trigger on one, but don't know much about em

[lokidog]

Turning can be tough with downriggers on a smaller boat, they act like a very large fletching on an arrow and make it hard to turn.  The deeper the keel the better.  I have no knowledge of these boats though, sorry.

[Bullkllr]

Hi-Lakers are pretty much a NW classic! I grew up around them. They were really popular in the 70s on the Sound. Guys liked them because of the relative light weight and lots of free board. Servicable in mild Sound weather. They were easy to load into/out of boat house lockers and can be trailered with nearly any kind of vehicle. Plus the lapstrake appearance makes them look kinda cool.

Most guys I knew pulled meat lines with theirs. I'm sure downriggers would work. You might need to be mindful in configuring a strong base/support for the riggers. Keep in mind 10-12 feet is still not a very big boat.

One kinda weird thing about the design is the bow is really sharp then toward the stern flattens quickly. If you hit a wave or wake the bow can catch and over steering out of it can result in a bad case of spins. Some also consider the light weight a negative for overall use and durability.

My 

[3boys]

Spent some time in a few at Sekiu and Tacoma fishing. Look for soft spots or transom rot on them while shopping. I would get one in a heart beat. Perfect sound boat for ease of launching and stability.

[turkeyfeather]

I used a 12' for a couple years on the lakes around here. Worked good but I honestly would rather have an aluminum boat for the weight.

[Bofire]

I had a 13'(?) a few year s ago, great little boat.
Carl

[jeepster]

Turning can be tough with downriggers on a smaller boat, they act like a very large fletching on an arrow and make it hard to turn.  The deeper the keel the better.  I have no knowledge of these boats though, sorry.

That is actually good news for me, I can't keep a small boat straight anyhow. I plan mainly to fish off of west beach on  mainly from the base to deception pass.

 I found a 10 footer I want if I can get the guy to trade