Newbie and the MISSION IMPOSSIBLE boat search

I am from Sask Canada and the wifes family got me addicted to fishing. And I have spent years searching for an appropriate boat and have branched into the thought of building a boat.

Our family fishes out of the father-in-laws Lund 18ft side console boat. That means 4 minimum adults (often 6 adults) and 2 kids. So 6-8 people fishing in a 18ft Lund. This is why myself and my wife would like our own boat for just us and our 2 kids.

I already have a 14ft canoe that I solo fish from, however that is way too small and tender for me and the wife let alone the whole family. We tried with 1 child and its rediculously cramped, forget the tackle box lol. In mentioning canoes, I am very familiar with their tenderness. The real issue is that my wife cant paddle for long and some of the lakes are rather large. GREAT for solo, NOT the ideal boat for a fishing family. We need a motor boat. I frequent lakes that are populated by Lund aluminum fishing boats.

Big problem!!!

We most always go camper camping with a popup tent trailer pulled behind our minivan. Therefore we cannot tow a boat trailer as well. It is illegal unless you have duel axel camper /brakes, or a 5th wheel. As well as the concern with the minivan pulling 2 trailers.

SO!!

1: Need a 16-20ft boat to allow semi comfortable seating for 4 (anything longer and wider than my 14ft canoe would be a luxury)

2: that is 170lb max (as light as possible) to allow hand launching and camper topping on occasion. I also plan on a lightweight aluminum small boat trailer for non-camping trips. http://www.castlecraft.com/canoe_trailer.htm or http://www.trailex.com/sut.cfm type

3: of at least 4ft min to 5ft beam

4: can accept a 9.9 size outboard tiller

5: Reasonably seaworthy and capable of getting us home very confidently in lakes that can get windy without notice and kick up rough whitecap choppy water.

Ideal dream boat is: 18ft Laker Canoe cross skiff cross dory that is still cartopable and hand launchable and be propelled easily with a 9.9 outboard and room for 4 people and basic fishing gear.

I have been looking at these designs (in order of favorites):

Robb White sportboat - nice weight, wish it were 18ft+ and a tad wider unless it is truely not canoe like in tenderness.

Duckworks Lutra Laker http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/nichols/laker/index.htm - seems a little low on freeboard and fear canoe tenderness.

Tango Skiff http://www.tangoskiff.com/ - WOW that seems very ideal - ONLY 14ft though (can that be scaled to 16 or 18ft and keep the weight under 150lbs?

Compumarine The fisherman has been noted, however size again.

Svenson Dolly Varden canoe http://www.svensons.com/boat/?p=Utility/DollyVarden again needs to be scaled up to 18ft and wider and brought down in weight.

looked at everything at http://www.glen-l.com/ and www.bateau.com and www.bateau.com/ and the list is endless.

Oh yea FAO has a good PDF with a few great boat ideas, just that they are all built at 400+ lbs.

Found a few free plans to try my hand at building a scale model boat or two this winter.

ok I am losing myself again in information.

am I in the right direction at all,
or should I just wait 10 years to buy a 3/4 ton truck so I can pull a fifthwheel cabin house slideout montrosity just so I can get a 16ft Lund boat to the lake. Go from a $200 total weekend to $400+ in gas alone. I think I will try to avoid that.

And yes, I know I can rent at the lakes, but they are $100 for a day that starts at 10:00am and ends at 5:00pm. We start at 8ish till sundown.



Oh yea I have a fair amount of furnature making skills and know my way around my spokeshaves and own 2 Lie Nielsen planes. And enjoy every tool in between. And enough power tools to get by.

Sorry about the novel.

 

You missed one:

http://www.instantboats.com/diablo.htm

that would probably make your weight limit if you kept the interior minimal.

 

whatever you pick I'd put it on a trailer. If you car top it what do you do with the motor?

 

Also from Bolger and Payson, and maybe not as tender as Diablo, though also not as attractive: http://www.instantboats.com/skiff15.htm

 

Your maximum weight weight requirement is the killer for most suitable boats for your use. There is just so much that can be cut out of a boat that is safe for your family to be on a lake in. I would not put too much stock in the quoted hull weights in plan offerings. Most of these have never been actually been put on a scale and are the result of often optimistic estimates. All 15' skiffs need approximately the same bottom, sides, transom and interior strengthening and creature components.

You can get by with 6mm lightweight occume plywood, stitch and glue seams and a narrow side deck (to avoid heavy sheer stiffeners). If kept protected from the weather when not in use, you don't need to put on anything but paint. Either the Diablo, Tango or some others might be built to the weight limit but you will need to be very weight conscious throughout the construction.

 

Grumman 'Sportboat' or 19' Scanoe

http://www.marathonboat.com/square-19.asp

both only about 120lbs.

 

Looks like you already know that a canoe is not going to be agreeable boat for four for a days fishing. Not stable enough and everyone needs to coordinate movements or go swimming. Don't want a flat bottom. It takes too much weight to make it stable with bottom thickness or stringers & frames. A slight V or multi-chine can be lighter weight and the shallow V is more stable than the Diablo..

Someone is going to suggest a catamaran. Glass sheathed foam hulls with a platform made from hollow core doors can be very light, stable and give plenty of room. Fit the same aluminum lawn chairs you use around the campfire for seating and power with a 35# outboard. Started as a joke but looks a little less rediculous as I think about it .

 

I know the weight is a killer, making for quite a challenge. Its the whole illegal to pull 2 trailers thing. We just need to find a boat that can be carried on top of the camper safely and lifted by the wife and I. And the weight also takes into consideration the campers standard cargo outfitting.

The boat will never see the lake if there is a choice between the camper and the boat. And since we go to different lakes, storing it at the lake is not an option eigher.

There will be a trailer for non camping outings. But being a family event, its mostly camping first, with a deep desire to go fishing while there. Without cramming 6 adults and 2 kids into a 18ft lund.


The Grand laker, Scott Albany and Robb White sportboats seem like sweet boats. However I fear they will have that canoe tenderness the wife hates.

She has no problem with a boat pitching and rolling around, just not that uncomfortable instant flip over feeling of our 14ft canoe when loaded up.

I will keep my dream open and the research active and just thought a boatdesign place might be a good resource to keep up with. Already scoured this site for info.

 

How about TWO canoes with bolt together option?

 

Tom's idea sounds good! Launching/recovering any boat much bigger than a canoe without a trailer or trolley is always going to be messy. How about rethinking the camping part of the equation? Build the boat you want, with its own trailer, sell the trailer tent, and buy some gorgeous new camping gear to pack inside the boat. I'm an inveterate camper, but for weekend camping, I have a 14' diameter bell tent with sewn in groundsheet, woodburning stove and gas fridge. Airbeds, quilts, total comfort, and the tent goes up in a (timed!) 5 1/2 minutes.

Some appetite whetters...

http://soulpad.com/sanctuary/

http://www.tentsmiths.com/period-tents-conical-tents.html

http://www.cylinderstoves.com/

http://www.shelter-systems.com/

 

The camper must stay I am afraid. Its a huge luxury upgrade from our backpacking/canoe camp/tent days. As much luxury we both want.

Is the tango skiff actually a very plausable design or is the extended stern just covering up a poorly designed original?