Hooked Up Designs Magazine December 2017 | Page 15

this configuration gives an undeni- able advantage to the sight fisher- man. It’s no big mystery how this vantage point is helpful; fishermen have been spotting fish from the towers of big, open-water boats for generations. It just hasn’t been uti- lized very often on small boats—the boats of anglers who almost entirely sight fish. The 2050’s raised helm is hand- somely fabricated out of sturdy pow- der-coated tubing that secures to the hull with a wide stance for improved balance. The bends are intelligently thought out and the welds are beau- tiful. The pilot enjoys his or her enhanced view from a leaning post- style bench with a rack of rocket launchers fastened to its backrest. The floor of the helm is the exact right height for seeing distant fish, but not so high as to upset the boat’s stability or center of gravity, which on poorly designed taller models can cause teetering like a sea buoy while at rest. The 2050’s bottom hull was based off Action Craft’s extremely popular 2020 hull. Then further improve- ments were made for additional strength and stability, which also improved ride comfort – even while in the raised helm. Combining the Texas-style el- evated helm with other outstand- ing features borrowed from boats in other parts of the Gulf has seem- ingly created the perfect nearshore vessel. At just over 20 feet long and eight feet wide, it’s fully capable in waters less skinny, like bays, beach- es, and over wrecks and reefs within sight of land. So if you take your near-and in- shore fishing serious and want an undeniable advantage over other anglers on your waterways, you re- ally need to get in touch with Action Craft and take a look at this beauty first hand. Maybe you can even get a sea trial. But fair warning: Many believe that once you’ve sight fished from a shoal boat, there’s no going back to water’s level. hookedupdesigns.com DECEMBER 2017 HOOKED UP 15