Home Tournaments Calendar Weather Merchandise Sponsors

Go Back   Spearboard.com - The World's Largest Spearfishing Diving Boating Social Media Forum > United States Geographical Locations > California Spearfishing

California Spearfishing Talk here about spearfishing on California's Pacific Coast, and post those reports and photos!

Reply
 
Thread Tools Rating: Thread Rating: 438 votes, 4.99 average. Display Modes
Old 07-21-2011, 03:12 PM   #46
Barley
Registered User
 
Barley's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Santa Barbara
Posts: 637
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

Your boat is pretty incredible Lance. I looked around forever trying to find the perfect 21ft-24ft Radon but only found ones that either needed to be repowered, required a total overhaul, or both. Ended up buying into the first Australian built Radon (I think).

Actually its only a 2001 26x9 Radon hull w/ a Yanmar Diesel. The rest was built by a shipyard outside of Perth, Western Australia. We get approx 2.5-3mpg depending on load, but cruise along at 16.5-17.5kts which defintely is a trade off as the fuel bill goes down, but the beer tab goes up.

Its definitely not built like a Don Radon boat as our pilothouse is a lighter weight construction, flush deck,etc...The hull is what really counts and it still delivers. Don is now selling Radon hulls again and if you are adventurous or plain crazy - you could build your own doghouse on the legendary hull, but would probably be best to let the master take care of it.. Here a few pix of my Radon stepchild...
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	P1010254.jpg
Views:	1830
Size:	130.2 KB
ID:	155594   Click image for larger version

Name:	PICT0552.jpg
Views:	1810
Size:	145.1 KB
ID:	155595  
__________________
"I ain't got time to bleed..."
Barley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2011, 04:00 PM   #47
SLOfisher
Registered User
 
SLOfisher's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 228
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

Just saw this Radon on CL...never seen one a hull with a pilot house situated towards the stern.

http://santabarbara.craigslist.org/boa/2492397873.html
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	image 0.jpg
Views:	2775
Size:	5.1 KB
ID:	155596  
SLOfisher is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2011, 05:13 PM   #48
CitoRat4Ever
I bungee my freezer shut
 
CitoRat4Ever's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Santa Barbara
Posts: 1,341
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

Quote:
Originally Posted by SLOfisher View Post
Just saw this Radon on CL...never seen one a hull with a pilot house situated towards the stern.
Bow pickers. A nice design set up for coastal gill netters and some urchin guys still swear by them. My uncle had a 32' Radon bow picker up in Morro Bay that he used for live-catch rockfishing. Strange boat, very solid but it only cruised at 8kts due to being severely under powered. Handled some very gnarly conditions up there.
CitoRat4Ever is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2011, 07:34 PM   #49
sbsurfer
Registered User
 
sbsurfer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: 805
Posts: 421
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

Barley - i have seen pics of your boat before and always wondered why the cabin was a little different than other Radons i have seen...very nice boat you have there it's pretty cool it came all the way from Oz

here's a great example of the dependability of a Radon...towing Vessel Assist...which is towing another boat:


Last edited by sbsurfer; 07-22-2011 at 03:33 AM.
sbsurfer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2011, 09:29 PM   #50
Spineshot
Registered User
 
Spineshot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Camarillo, CA
Posts: 180
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

Love the photos. Other Radon owners, do share!

Here are a couple more I found of my 26'





The photo above was shot while hiking a canyon on the front side of Santa Cruz. I always liked this one. Typical afternoon wind obvious in the background, with the boat looking so serene anchored in the cove.
__________________
Lance Merker
Camarillo, CA
Spineshot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-21-2011, 09:49 PM   #51
cdog
cdog
 
cdog's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Whitmore, CA NorCal
Posts: 213
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

Cool, thanks for posting all of this. That last photo spells out why it's worth it to own your own boat.

For that boat on CL is that a pretty typical price for an old Radon? I know it depends on condition, but is that price typcial for one in decent condition or a money pit?
cdog is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2011, 12:01 AM   #52
WESTBURY
.
 
WESTBURY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Ojai, CA
Age: 63
Posts: 3,351
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spineshot View Post
Yep, that last one I know well.
That's your Dad, right Lance?

Hey, what ever happened to Kevin Costner's Radon?
And did he have a larger on built?
__________________
"Dude, I just saw a fifty pounder!"




WESTBURY is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2011, 01:23 AM   #53
Sierra Bravo
I drive boats
 
Sierra Bravo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Santa Barbara/Vallejo
Age: 33
Posts: 624
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

Quote:
Originally Posted by WESTBURY View Post
That's your Dad, right Lance?

Hey, what ever happened to Kevin Costner's Radon?
And did he have a larger on built?
The 26' got sold. He had a new one built, it's lengthened out to 37'. Sweet friggen boat. The IPS drives are so cool. We did some work on it and I got the chance to go out when the volvo tech was setting it all up. The boat did 50 kts like it was nothing.
__________________
Hendrix Manufacturing-Machining/Welding-(805) 967-3050
Sierra Bravo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2011, 01:25 AM   #54
Sierra Bravo
I drive boats
 
Sierra Bravo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Santa Barbara/Vallejo
Age: 33
Posts: 624
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

Quote:
Originally Posted by SLOfisher View Post
Just saw this Radon on CL...never seen one a hull with a pilot house situated towards the stern.

http://santabarbara.craigslist.org/boa/2492397873.html
When my dad was still doing urchins he has a 21' stern cabin, sorta like that. There's another boat in town that's the exact same as his called the Taz E.
__________________
Hendrix Manufacturing-Machining/Welding-(805) 967-3050
Sierra Bravo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2011, 01:33 AM   #55
Sasha
Wong army Soja
 
Sasha's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Ka Lae Hawaii
Posts: 210
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Spineshot View Post
Love the photos. Other Radon owners, do share!

Here are a couple more I found of my 26'





The photo above was shot while hiking a canyon on the front side of Santa Cruz. I always liked this one. Typical afternoon wind obvious in the background, with the boat looking so serene anchored in the cove.
Radon Side tie, when was the last time? Anyone remember the green dock house at Avalon in the early eighties? Mostly all Radons tied up.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	photo 4.jpg
Views:	2155
Size:	113.9 KB
ID:	155638   Click image for larger version

Name:	photo 3.jpg
Views:	1812
Size:	139.9 KB
ID:	155639   Click image for larger version

Name:	photo 1.jpg
Views:	1859
Size:	106.1 KB
ID:	155640   Click image for larger version

Name:	photo 2.jpg
Views:	2472
Size:	126.8 KB
ID:	155641  
__________________
http://www.pacificseasafaris.com
Big Island Overnight Spearfishing Charters

Wong Spearguns/Local made in Hawaii
http://www.dwong@wongguns.com
Del Pacificos dive group Est. 1969
http://www.delpac@delpacificos.com



Keep Country
Country
Sasha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2011, 03:36 AM   #56
sbsurfer
Registered User
 
sbsurfer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: 805
Posts: 421
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

one of my favorite Radon photo's...a sweet little 16

sbsurfer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2011, 03:53 AM   #57
CitoRat4Ever
I bungee my freezer shut
 
CitoRat4Ever's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Santa Barbara
Posts: 1,341
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

Quote:
Originally Posted by WESTBURY View Post
Hey, what ever happened to Kevin Costner's Radon?
And did he have a larger on built?
http://radonboats.com/newsletter.html

Check boat #3

His old 26' was pretty sweet too.
CitoRat4Ever is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2011, 08:15 AM   #58
Spineshot
Registered User
 
Spineshot's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Camarillo, CA
Posts: 180
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

Joe, yes that's my dad (Ron Merker) with 7 WSB taken in the same morning -- back when that was legal.

Kevin's old boat sold over a year ago. Before he was a Radon owner, I took him out a couple times on my 26'. He loved it so much he had Don build him one exactly like mine. Here's a photo of our boats together at Santa Rosa island (his has the green stripe):





A few years later, he had Don build him a 36'. Very tricked out with computer controlled IPS drives -- the boat can move in any direction for amazing docking control with a joystick. It's got a hot tub, and more cool features than you can imagine -- but no underwater cameras! Here's a photo of it:

__________________
Lance Merker
Camarillo, CA
Spineshot is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2011, 11:16 AM   #59
sbsurfer
Registered User
 
sbsurfer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: 805
Posts: 421
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

Quote:
Originally Posted by WESTBURY View Post
Hey, what ever happened to Kevin Costner's Radon?
And did he have a larger on built?
It was for sale on craigslist last summer for $110k...it's an amazing 26 alot like Lance's

I ran into Kevin at Los Arroyos in Montecito one night and since I was wearing a Radon tshirt he struck up a conversation. He said his 26 was his favorite out of all the boats he's ever owned. The new one he has is one of the best ones I've ever seen. Waaaaay better than his trimaran from Waterworld
sbsurfer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-22-2011, 11:17 AM   #60
Mike Morgan
Spear-hoser
 
Mike Morgan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Sshhhhhhh
Age: 40
Posts: 982
Re: California Dive Boats -- the legend of Radon (pictures)

The only thing this thread is missing is a topless chick on a Radon!

That 36' is insane! The heads at the helm give a great perspective of how big that boat is.
Mike Morgan is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:51 AM.


The World's Largest Spearfishing Diving Social Media Forum Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2002 - 2014 Spearboard.com