Recent content by kapnD

This is good input, obviously from an experienced fisherman. You don’t want to be leadering a hot Marlin into the transom! The sugar scoops deck portion could be extended to 8-10’ and lowered to thigh high to aid in bringing large billfish alongside. I like the flybridge, but it could be much...

Doesn’t that hatch adjacent to the location open up to belowdecks?

I’m thinking that you’re making some naïve assumptions here. Converting an automotive diesel to marine use seldom pencils out well. Have you priced out the parts needed? Have you run numbers on the drivetrain specs? This is by far the best suggestion you’ve had!

I really like the “half scoop” at the stern, this would be very handy for a sport fishing oriented catamaran design, but the open bridge doesn’t offer any sort of shelter. Much prefer the design of the Thai cat presented at the beginning of this thread.

Ironic that it’s parked at the gas pump!

I’m always interested in this type of challenge, as I have crammed 6 cylinder diesel inboards into boats as small as 24’! It worked, but was necessarily full of compromises, steep angles, short shafts, tunnels, prop/rudder clearance, etc. With the practical experience I’ve gained over the years...

You might improve speed by raising the outboard. You’ll never see true planing speeds, but the deep outboard leg is causing a lot of drag.

You may have to make compromises in prop diameter, unless you are considering some pretty radical tunnels. A tunnel for prop/hull clearance is a whole different breed of cat from a real propeller tunnel, which IMO requires serious engineering effort to get it right. Maybe consider a hull...

You’re quite right re the camber. It is slight, but the aluminum frames are very flat, so the sealant would have to be thicker at the ends, and the fasteners would be fighting to straighten out that part of the deck or bend the frame, encouraging leaks. I’ve got some coosa scraps, guess it’s...

They’re raised not flush, and have a bolting flange that sits on top. Can’t think of the brand right now.

You need to do your drivetrain calculations first, to determine what the propeller diameter needs to be and start planning from there. I like to draw the components out full size side and transom section views on the shop floor. Then you can lay in a stick representing the hull bottom and adjust...

I’ve got some hatches that I’m going to install in the forward cabin roof for light and ventilation. “I’ve never met a hatch that didn’t leak” is echoing in my head, so I want to do this right the first time! The deck is 1/2” plywood with 1708 and gelcoat on the outside, and painted inside...

Keep cutting back the core and stringers until you find clean and dry balsa. I’d skip recording the bottom, just taper the edge and glass over it clear to and lapping up the transom.

Pictures??