JEM Sabalo wooden SOT test drive

The other boat I got to test drive this morning was the JEM Sabalo wooden kit boat.    The one I tested was modified to take Hobie mirage drive, neat modification.  As I don't personally like foot drive mechanisms, I didn't really concentrate on that aspect and just paddled it regularly.  With the extra support added for the drive and some extra support added for rodholders, this built boat was on the heavy side.  I think the builder said it was close to 80#.  And it showed in how slow it was and how hard I had to paddle to get it going.  The boat wasn't that fast, but it did handle nicely.  Very stable, tracked well, and average turning response.

Storage was OK.  The boat was compartmentalized meaning there was a bulkhead in both the front and the back keeping the storage areas from being connect.  So you can't store rods underneath on this one.   I'll ding it for that.

The other ding is that the scupper holes were LOW.  When I paddled I had water coming in the front scuppers and the opening for the mirage drive.  That was a bit disconcerting as a lot of water rushed in.  Much of it drained off when I stopped, but there was still enough water left in so as to make it pretty wet in at my feet.  If I were to build one of these, I wouldn't have the mirage drive opening, but there was enough water coming in the scuppers that it would still be wet.

I personally won't buy this kit, so there is no wooden kit out there that I know of that would satisfy me.  I only know of the Chesapeake Light Craft and this one.  If someone knows of another, I'd sure like to know about it.

-Allen