Looking for Suggestions

[Sands]

I'm currently in the exploratory stage of building a boat.

I've been building furniture for years and sailing longer, but would like to move in the classic runabout area. I've looked at the designes from woodenboat.com and Glen-L as well as a few others. Not finding what I really want though.

I'd like a plumb bow, tumblehome or slipper stern, about 20-25 feet long. classic 30s to 40s lines are the prime considerations. LOA is up for grabs though, really just to confine costs and displacement of the motor. Also needs to hold about 6 for skiing or whatever (8 max).

Most of the seating arrangements seam to be standard limo seating, but I'd like "cocktail" or whatever they call seating in a U shape with easy access to the stern for skiing (I'd add a ski platform on the transom)

One of the plans on woodenboat fits the bill, except they want to do batten on seam, rather then cold molded. They claim the plan won't allow. Anybody know otherwise?

So, any suggestions and/links to plans sites would be fantastic!

Thanks!

[Gilbert]

I don't know where to send you for pictures or plans but I have seen a 24' Chris Craft of about 1930 vintage that would be about what I think you are talking about. It had a very stylish and elegant look to it. I saw it at the Portland, Oregon boat show. And of course it is coming up soon and I'm planning to go. If you'd like I may be able to get a picture I could post for you. This is assuming it is there again this year.

[SamSam]

Originally Posted by Sands

I'm currently in the exploratory stage of building a boat.

I've been building furniture for years and sailing longer, but would like to move in the classic runabout area.
I'd like a plumb bow, tumblehome or slipper stern, about 20-25 feet long. classic 30s to 40s lines are the prime considerations. Thanks!

You might find something here, it's a good site to explore on anyway. Sam

http://www.svensons.com/boat/

[Sands]

Originally Posted by Gilbert

I don't know where to send you for pictures or plans but I have seen a 24' Chris Craft of about 1930 vintage that would be about what I think you are talking about. It had a very stylish and elegant look to it. I saw it at the Portland, Oregon boat show. And of course it is coming up soon and I'm planning to go. If you'd like I may be able to get a picture I could post for you. This is assuming it is there again this year.

Hey, that would great!

My email:
osborni{AT}yahoo{dot}com

Thanks!

[longliner45]

yea chris craft . Ill look in ohio for you

[Gilbert]

Well, I am back from the Portland boat show and I did take some pictures. But the boat I was telling you about was not there this year.
But....... there was a 1959 24' Chris Craft Sportsman there that actually may be a more practical boat for you, very handsome too, although it does not have the plumb bow you were looking for.
I did some searches on the internet and found a lot of good info, including the fact that all the Chris Craft archives, all the records of the boats they built and any drawings etc, are at the Mariners Museum and information on any of the boats can be obtained from them for a fee. I made some notes but can't find them at the moment. Shows how organinzed I am. I thought you might enjoy doing some searching online too.
I tried uploading some pictures here but for some reason it is not working. I will try to find out what the problem is and get them posted.
Cheers.

This, is an example of a cold moulded ply, tumblehome design by Len Randell (Fremantle Western Australia) from the 50's. It's no bow rider / ski boat, so not what your looking for - but has some elements you mentioned.

It was single skinned with Woven Rovings..in the early 60's when it was built.

Sadly Len Randell's been dead for many a year now - have no idea who has his plans, if anyone.

Cheers & good luck

[safewalrus]

Go build a simple flat bottomed skiff for a practice run first!

Play with it!

Enjoy!

After a season of playing you'll be lot's wiser and ready for the big one!

Worth a thought?

[Eric Sponberg]

Sands,

I designed a 20' classic runabout for a client which just about fits your bill. You can see this design on my website at http://www.sponbergyachtdesign.com/IC20.htm.

This boat runs like a champ, very fast and very stable. It is a production fiberglass boat, and the plans are proprietary so I cannot release them. However, the inspiration for this boat came from the classic runabouts of the 1920s and 30s, and the Classic 20 is an amalgum of ideas from a specific Chris Craft, a Hacker Craft, and a Gar Wood.

I would be able to design a new boat for you along these lines, modified as appropriate to size, shape, and style to suit your specific wishes. If you are interested in pursuing a custom design, I can do the complete design and engineering for cold molded wood construction. You would get complete plans and patterns in the design package.

If you are interested, please contact me privately at ewsponberg@sponbergyachtdesign.com.

Regards,

Eric

Go ahead - scare me!

Emma Chiset for the 4 seater 240 Hp model?

That would have been a heck of a project Eric...I bet they were successful..

Your right about baby boomers.... I can imagine them falling all over themselves for one of those..

Very very realistic imitation of the real McCoy.

You look like you really enjoy your work!....and why the heck not, if your fooling around with those!

Cheers!

[Eric Sponberg]

Originally Posted by trouty

Go ahead - scare me!

Emma Chiset for the 4 seater 240 Hp model?

That would have been a heck of a project Eric...I bet they were successful..

Your right about baby boomers.... I can imagine them falling all over themselves for one of those..

I believe the current retail price is in the mid US$70k. That's about twice the price of a common everyday runabout, but only about half the price of a real mahogany runabout reproduction.

The Classic 20 was designed originally as a jet boat, and in the boat shows it seemed to attract only about half the potential market. The other half still wants to see a classic straight drive and underhung prop. Also, there seems to be a niche market for an outdrive version, and the first of these has been prototyped and has come through its first seatrials with flying colors, according to the builder. A few more of these are going to be placed with a dealer. Eventually, the builder will get a conventional straight drive tricked out. We have selected the engine and drive train gear, it is just a matter of putting the pieces together for the prototype.

After that, we want to look at doing a larger design at about 24-26' with a center engine configuration in an engine box powering a conventional straight drive, pretty much exactly like what Sands asked for in his original post. This would be a fiberglass hull with a wood-over-fiberglass deck.

If Sands or anyone else is interested, of course, I can do all the design right here.

Eric

Thats a lot less

mid US$70k

than i'd have expected Eric,

With the exchange rate what it is at the moment - you'd likely shift a few downunder, I'd wager, albeit nothing like the demand stateside but exra sales non the less.

Currently we are seeing quite a few US production boats making inroads here, (Boston Whaler, Trophy spring to mind).

Back a few years when our pacific peso was dredging mud....(2:1) exchange rate..it would never work - but today it's different..(Thankfully).

Maybe your manufacturer should seek a distributor downunder...Sydney maybe...& the 'gold coast' (Queensland/Brisbane) would be my suggestions!
Out West maybe Fremantle / Mandurah area...

The 24-26' would likewise also attract a market...and yes the conventional straight drive would be attractive....no one here knows how to drive a jet...just never enough of them built / sold here to really catch on..

Cheers & good luck - deserves to be a winner by my estimation.

[Eric Sponberg]

Thanks for your thoughts. Certainly the builder has to be able to meet the market demand here in the US first before going offshore. There is a lot of interest, but the sales are moving slowly. The boat is still in prototype tooling, which will have to be replaced soon by the full production tooling. This is not cheap, so they are minding their pennies and going slowly for sustainable long-term growth. Eventually, they may be able to go down under.

Eric

[Chris Ostlind]

Really bitchin' boat, Eric. Loved the barrel roll and the step and the... ahhh hell, I loved the whole thing.

Now, about that tie...

Chris Ostlind

[Clazzic]

what do you guys think about this one?
22ft , 550 Hp Viper V10 engine & straight axel
Cold molded mahogany,
175K$