Rowboat trainer

[Martin N]

I would like a rowboat for training and some lake fishing.
The plannes is to build it in strip plank epoxi.
The perfect one so far is the Hudson T6. Anyone who can hint me where to find drawings of something similar?

/Martin

[charmc]

Hi, Martin, and welcome to the forum.

The link below is to a thread here that will give you much information, including several excellent rowboat designs. You might want to add to the thread as you decide on and begin your project.

Good luck!


designing a fast rowboat

[juiceclark]

Hudson makes really nice boats...and they are priced accordingly. I learned to row in a Pocock Wherry. It was basically a big canoe with a rigger but I can't imagine fishing out of it. It was still really tippy if not holding the sculls. Currently I have a Maas 24 and love it...but it's fragile and for rowing only.

If you really want to be able to use the thing I'd look at the Virus Yole Class or maybe the Kataram. Even their Tubo II is nice because, being rotomolded, you can throw it in the truck or whatever and not worry about damaging it.
http://www.rowvirusboats.com/virus/yole.html

Tony in Sw FL

[Pericles]

A sliding seat dory might suit you. A number have been built.

http://www.devlinboat.com/dcoarling.htm

Good luck,

Pericles

[Martin N]

Hi Charmc & Tony, thanks for your replies.
I have followed the "Design of a fast rowing boat"-thread for quite a while now. It is really inspiring and informative. I didn't want to mess that thread since it is more about coastal rowing.
About the fishing; We pull baits at 1 knot or less, and sometimes a tasteful walleye finds it. Today we sit in a larger boat, electric powered. Why not stretch and keep warmer meanwhile...?
And yes, the decision is not definitly set yet. I might go for a catamaran to get the stability useful both for stand up fishing and for costal rowing. But, if I choose a catamaran I would be far less dependent on the hull construction.

/Martin

[messabout]

A cat with enough beam to promote stand up stability will be too wide to row unless you use very long sculls. In that case your blade stroke will be short and less efficient than a more conventional layout.

There are a lot of conventional designs that will serve your purpose. If you wish to fish, and you wish to row, some compromises are required. You must decide whether to favor rowing or fishing or other uses. If you wish to have a simple, easy, build that will do both things, consider a flat bottomed skiff of 5 or 6 meters in length and a chine beam of about one meter. That will make a make a pleasing boat with considerable utility including the ability to carry a small sail or a small motor. Last year I built just such a boat and I am most pleased with it. It rows decently, sails quite well, and powered by a small electric trolling motor, it goes nicely.

[Martin N]

I found the ideal hull in a previous thread, "Recreational Rowing Shell" a beautiful construction of Willallison.
There is one problem, "Displacement including rower 99 kg". Even with the best of materials I wont be able to build that boat in 13 kg!
A rescaling of 15 - 20% would give me the perfect hull, with a displacement enough to carry me, some equipment and sometime even a young family member.
The gut feeling is that such a rescaling wouldn't cause too much problems.To be safe I will try to check the rescaling in a freeware.

/Martin