In this one there are three different styles of guns...each suits our own different shooting styles. An Aimrite 110 rail gun for Kawika (a total assassin of reef sushi with this style), a Riffe C-3x for Hali'alani who has landed a PB Bull Mahi of 55lbs, and my B.A.D. Wedge for me.
Posts by makoa
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Sorry cant figure how to attach more than one pic per reply?!
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Just a couple of pix of results of different guns for different conditions and game.
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Congrats on committing to not only a sport, but for many of us a life style. I think we all have a little gear nerd in us and it's fun to watch the development of a spearo discovering what works and then the light going on when it all comes together.
My boys and I use a variety of guns (rail, wood open track, wood enclosed track, wood ballasted blue water mid handles, rear handle pluses, hybrids and of course the island staple "Three Prong"). All styles were born out of someone's particular need to enhance a style of shooting, or cater to specific conditions and game. BUT, regardless' whats most important is what works for you. Reefchief is correct to advise you to shoot a few guns and then determine what fits your style and spearfishing conditions"
I have 10+ years of my almost 30 years of spearfishing in Fla waters. The first time I shot my B.A.D. Enclosed Track Wedge (Built by Bobby Abril on the Big Island,Hawaii) in Fla waters I found that I loved the fact I could quik reload and fire at schooling AJ without having to wrap the line. Breaking the surface with one AJ on my shooting line and one on my shaft was SiCK! Especially back in the day when you could harvest more than one AJ per shooter. In fact, back home on BI (Big Island) I shot TWO juvenile tuna in one drop as I was able to pull my shaft completely through the first, slide my shaft into the track and trigger mech and shoot at another without having to wrap my shooting line. Haven't repeated that one yet with tuna (but have with snappers'AJ, sheephead) but I developed an awareness that if an opportunity is there to shoot multiple fish at depth I have the ability to reloaded my shaft and bands before reaching max breath hold or quickly at the surface and skip the wrapping process, turning my shooting line into a stringer.
The other reason I love enclosed track guns is the fact that your trigger mech stays protected from when the shooting line unwraps from the muzzle causing the shaft to fall out of the track putting a twisting force on your trigger mech. But as Reefchief mentioned, a correctly tuned gun (balance between power, range, and accuracy) can be just as accurate with an open or enclosed track gun. Each gun builder (Riffe, Omer, Wong, Aimrite, Koah, Hatch, etc...) builds characteristics that may differ from the others. I've experimented with powering up my Riffe's and found that they loose alot of accuracy due to the band slot placement and muzzle lift when powered into a cannon! Wongs work best with 9/16 bands and are laser accurate for reef hunting. Our Aimrite blue water 140 Sper Venom has punch and accuracy with three 5/8 bands. And of course my custom B.A.D. Ballasted wedge is steady and accurate with shortened 5/8 bands and a heavy shaft! So each gun style and brand will have its strong and weak points...so to an Island boy like me the best gun is more than one!! Just my opinion.
Good luck with your blue water spearing journey! As a waterman who's life has been on, in, and around the salt, watching the progression of my 5 sons as watermen (the youngest 8!) is the most satisfying feeling. And to watch new guys discover this amazing sport is MAJAH STOKE!!
Aloha,
Makoa -
I agree with you... I feel the wong following is worse by some of those who own it and it gets a little over the top... the one guy on spearbored has stuff about wong in his signature, profile picture, user title... jeezus christ. Never met daryl or talked to him, dont have an issue with him, sure hes a great guy and seems like it from his posts on the various boards. The wong army hysteria is more overwhelming then the mako following though in my eyes. I think its crazy when people recommend a wong as a first gun to some of the newcomers to the sport.
I and my boys (i have 5 sons who are all watermen) shoot Aimrite rail guns (75, 110, 140 Super Venoms), several blue water wood custom enclosed track guns by Bobby Abril (Big Island builder), We've owned and still use Riffe C-4X, Island, and have shot Wong Hybrids.
As for hybrids...I like the concept of rail gun tracking and the ballast and mid handle feel of the wood stocks. I would rather build one than spend the money I DON'T have for a new Wong, but that's just how I think. If I had the money I would have the master Hybrid builder hand craft one for me. I know Daryl and the Oahu dive crew, have shared alot of meals and spent hours talking story with them and in addition to getting a solid, accurate and work-of-art gun, you get a friend and mentor for life! Daryl, as are many of the Island spearos, is filled with Aloha and gives his time and energy to making every encounter with his buyers (or friends) a memorable and educational one. No ego, no malice. Just 100% Hawaiian Island Spearing Stoke! And his craftsmanship is unsurpassed. Daryl just doesn't build a gun that Terry M likes, he is also the kind of ethical spearo that Terry M is.
Just a personal note about the Wong Solja you comment on (if we're talking about the same guy). To most mainland kooks the idea of fierce loyalty to a local builder or business gets lost due to the "me" mentality of big mainland living. If you ever came to the Big Island and ran into this Big Island brother, especially down at the remote local dive spot he calls home, it would be easy to see why he is a fan of Daryl. He is a skilled master waterman who not only consistently lands big fish in harsh conditions, but also has mentored and shared his knowledge of BI spots and hunting strategies with many. Besides being a Wong gun shooter, he is also a Wong product of a spearo...quick and willing to share and full of character. He is hard core and like most of us island locals, fiercely loyal and protective of all that is Hawaiian.
I don't know the person who made the comment and assume there was no malice in the criticism, just lack of personal knowledge regarding who he was talking about. I also apologize to the guys reading this thread if I diverted attention away from the topic defending a Big Island brother with whom I share an Island Salt water bond. This guy and I are friends and more importantly Ohana!
Aloha,
Makoa -
Hey Steve you inspired me to finally start my own hybrid build, something I've been wanting to do for over 10 years! The question I have is on the channel you cut for the barrel. I'm getting a CF barrel with integrated track like Speardiver's barrel. So how would I make my cut for the barrel slot into the blank so that the rail track comes even with my enclosed track portion of the wood stock?
I'm a visual person and your pics really helped me visualize how to proceed, but without a picture of the same kind of barrel I'm a little stumped. On your build I guess you just installed your rail track on top of the barrel AFTER you inserted and attached the barrel, cutting the rail track the exact length of barrel from muzzle to stock.
I'm a simple minded island boy and could use a picture of your finished gun along with maybe some tips for attaching my barrel (with the track integrated) into the wood stock. I'm building a 55" hybrid rear handle plus....my Big Island Reef "Dream Tool"!
Thanks in advance!
Mahalo,
Makoa -
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Thank you all for the attention and comments. Wood Guy has a solid Teak Blank that would work, and cost is about the same as Vector Marine's laminate blank. So the question of solid piece vs laminate blank....what is the consensus? I've used blue water guns by Ausie builder Collins who only builds from solid pieces, and my current guns by Big Island builder Bobby Abril who uses laminated blanks. Their all good guns....all straight and solid after years of use. I tend to go with price and asthetics if similar in quality... Am I wrong?
Thanks in advance.
Makoa
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Thank you Dan. I really like the CF barrel.
Thanks for all the responses. It's nice to see another forum/board out there besides the one I'm accustomed to. I'm reading through all the DIY posts and hope to begin purchasing all components soon. I have a wall full of guns and parts I could recycle, but with all the new SICK components now available I think I'll just order new on everything.
Feel free to give your two cents worth , I'm always curious what others are doing.
Aloha!
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Sort of new to this forum so intro first. My name is Makoa fom Hawaii's Big Island, and have lived in and hunted South PAC, Florida and Gulf Waters, and a little in the Carribean. Googled into this forum searching for CF barrels and found so much helpful info., especially the gun building advice by some obviously talented craftsmen. As an Island Boy and waterman, I have to build my own gun. I've been a spearo for over twenty years and now feel the need to shoot my own build. SO,
1) looking for a CF barrel with integrated track like either Speardiver's (above the barrel) or Tin Man's (track within the barrel....like on his auction hybrid build).
2) need a muzzle like Tin Man's or one like the Aimrite.
Overall length, 55/56 RH Plus, built 50/50 wood stock/CF barrel, two banded 9/16, 7.5 mm shaft. This will be my all around reef gun. Perfect for Big Island conditions.
Any resource info would be great. I'm not ambitious enough to make the barrel, so looking to buy one that is made already with the track already integrated.
Thanks in advance
Makoa
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T'anks eh! No my wet suit is not made out of sea lion or monk seal skin. Hey 808...honoka'a stay right up da mamlahoa hwy from us in ninole! When home we dive hakalau and laupahoehoe point. I wen poked da kine omilu in sept near one of my secret ulua houses at the point...ho! da buggah wen fight brah! I left one shaft up inside the reef last year but this year I win 'em and get back my shaft and the omilu!!! Auwe!! Shootz...k'den, mahalos for the welcome to the forum. ALOHA!
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Howzit 808! What side big island? I stay hamakua side...dive hakalau, laupahoehoe, etc. Shootz!ALOHA!
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Aloha to all. I am Makoa from the Big Island...Hawaii...windward side...hamakua coast. Currently living in Ocala, Fl. I and my crew dive both the gulf (off shore out of cedar key) and the atlantic (off shore out of ponce inlet). I am an airline pilot and have hunted the waters from east coast to west coast (san diego to santa barbara where we have lived), and my home waters of hawaii to fiji (kese village, island of naviti, yasawa group). I am the father of 8 kids, 5 boys and three girls. My sons are die hard spearos and line fishermen, and my girls love the salt as much as we do! My wife loves the fish we bring to the table so is always supportive of my need for the deep. I and my crew of 4 dive buddies have taken the PFI course in miami, and are solid divers who watch eachother's backs...no egos in the water, but plenty of competitive chatter out of the water! I have been "bumped" by a 12' mako from behind while dispatching a large kahala (amberjack), chased out of the water by schooling bulls too numerous to count, and most recently chased out of the water by a juvenile tiger while night diving for lobster on the big island. My oldest son fearlessly kept the pesky reef sharks off my stringer of fish (good thing since it was connected to my weight belt!) while we swam the length of the reef of west end in the bahamas while I chased down and secured a good sized yellow jack i shot with a hawaiian sling. Lots of stories, lots of fish, and never enough diving! Looking forward to being on this forum. Who knows, maybe we will meet up and dive some day. Aloha!
