Type of hull please?

[Edmund]

Hello,

Am interested in building a small cruiser about 19ft mebbe, as the local canal is in the process of restoration - having not been used since 1948.
Which type of hull would be best v bottom or flat bottom The navigation is about half canal and half tidal river. (4mph speed limit inland).

thanks,
Ed.

[marshmat]

Hi Ed,
With a 4 mph limit on an inland canal, just about anything works. An oversize bathtub with an outboard kicker can do that kind of speed. What's the heaviest sea conditions you'll be in- calm, 6" chop, 2-foot chop? How often will you be outside the 4 mph zone?
Now if it were a no-wake limit, that makes things a lot more fun. Then you might start thinking about displacement catamarans like the type used to chase rowing sculls. Basically any 19 footer can go at 4 mph with little more than a kicker outboard, so the other conditions of the area will be what should guide your hull choice.

[cburgess]

I'd go with a v-bottom or even a round-bottom to make it a little more stable (safer) when rough weather blows in. If you really want a flat-bottom then you should take a serious look at sharpie hulls.

[Edmund]

Thanks fer your replies.
I better just clear a few things up. Only time I've been in a boat is a little rower out on Lake Windermere and a few times out of Bridlington on to sea.
Never built one before either but am a qualified carpenter.
Thought I might take advantage of it been opened up again, once inthe Humber it is possible to access all of the country by canals/rivers.
The 19' was just an example off top of my head, dont know what best size would be, spose it is governed by the size of locks and width of canal.
Summet that would be happy on canals and rivers/estuaries is what I'm after.

Ed.

[cburgess]

Sounds like you are in the UK?

Location is a major concern of a suitable design...water and weather. Where do you intend to use your boat?

[alexlebrit]

How many people are you thinking of having onboard? And are you thinking of sleeping onboard too? I'll admit I know nothing, but I'm in a similar position to you in that I'm wanting to build something for the Nantes-Brest Canal here in Brittany, which is mainly canalised river, but tidal at either end, and a bit in the middle which is currently non navigable.

[Edmund]

Hello,
Yes in Driffield, Yorkshire , England. This is the navigation http://www.drifnav.co.uk/
It is part canal and part tidal river, but wouldnt mind going up the Humber, then down the Trent or Ouse etc.
Maybe 5 at most including me. With a 4mph speed limit on canals here will probably be sleeping on board . Aye it has berths in the bows.
Anyway there is a fixed bridge in the way at the moment and a delapidated lock, so would need to moor it downstream, otherwise can only go about 3 miles. So plenty of time to think.

Ed.