10 Foot Row Boat Design Information

The moveable seat is a good suggestion, and also the extended tiller. The extended tiller will also help keep the operator from making turns in the boat too sharply. Putting any type of mechanical steering and throttle system on the boat would run the total cost up substantially. I saw Cameron's boat pictures. Looks like he did a very nice job, but the boat must be a bit heavy, but that is likely better in the water. I hope my woodworking skills are as good as his. I plan to paint my boat green and white so this will hide some of the imperfections I expect to come across. My boat is stitch-and-glue construction; 1/4 marine grade plywood, with fiberglass on the bottom, fiberglass taped chines, 3 coats of epoxy on the hull inside and out, and 2 coats of epoxy elsewhere. Lightweight boat at a little over 100 pounds (estimated). I was hoping that moving weight forward would keep the bow from rising too much - especially with the wide transom? I'll take a look at the thread on "car topper for a woman" for further suggestions.

 

Thanks for the compliment on my woodworking. I guarantee you'd change your tune if you got to inspect the boat up close.

For lots of neat ideas and inspiration on small boats, check out Hannu's Boat Yard: http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial/index.htm

This page shows a good suggestion for seating in a small boat: http://koti.kapsi.fi/hvartial/dinghy1/simboii.htm (Near the bottom) I used something similar. It is like Easy Rider's suggestion of a sliding seat, but you do the sliding instead of the seat. The only advantage is that it is easier to build. It is also nice for those times you do bring someone along, as re-trimming the weight is a breeze.

 

Yes, I saw the seat design in your link. I don't care too much for essentially sitting on the floor of the boat. I like to be seated up just a bit for comfort, especially for fishing. Sitting on the bottom does have the advantage of added stability I suppose. I will have to come up with something for moving the seat. My 10 footer has a curved sheer line, with the boat coming to a point at the bow; moving the seat forward will require a seat that is not as wide as a seat positioned further towards the stern.

 

I rowed my 10' rowboat today about 4 or 5 miles. think I over did it. I'm 70 and had a broken wrist last August that hasn't healed. Wrist and arms did ok but back and legs are sore. I thought about the multiple nylon strap seat but I also noticed even small amounts of position change (laterally) caused enough list to be a small problem. My oars are too short (6'6") but ok for now w my bad wrist. The boat was, as always, wonderful ..for a 10' boat.
On the fast rowboat thread I'm going to talk about the front rowers.

Easy

 

From this thread, I think I should be designing a row boat or a 10 foot powerboat? Not sure that is really possible yet. The wide transom I have now does not sound good for a nice row boat. I have come up with another design that is "unique" because I did not go by any other plans to design it. I'm not sure if that's good or bad yet. It does, however, have the qualities of a power boat - the rocker bottom is gone completely. With the new design, I have an increase in displacement of about 25 pounds which surprised me, but the block coefficient has increased, and the prismatic coefficient has increased also (substantially). I understand this is good for a planning hull. My thread will have to change since I have decided to go with a small motor on a small boat. The issue I am wondering about is how small an engine can I use to get a 10 foot boat to plane or semi-plane? Will a 2.5 hp outboard work? A total new way of thinking about this project, but I feel a small motor is necessary for what I want to do with the boat. I definitely will do a small row boat in the future though, but it will not look like the design I currently have.

 

free,
For a real rowboat 2.5hp is plenty. One hp is plenty but because of engine noise 2hp or a bit more will enable you to operate at much reduced engine speed and hence much reduced noise and vibration depending on engine type. The best engine I ever had for a canoe or dinghy was a 3hp Evinrude twin. Very smooth and quiet. It employed a remote fuel tank too so pouring fuel into a small hole on top of the engine while the little boat twits back and forth need not be endured. My 10' rowboat that's actually a sail boat w a wider stern gracefully accepts a 6hp Johnson at half throttle running at about 6 knots (about double the speed of the good rowboat under power). This old sail boat hull also carries my wife, myself and fuel ect very well. I have a square stern power canoe that works very well w 3 to 8hp. The canoe is very car top-able, can carry 3 people and go long distances.

Easy

 

Easy,

Thanks for the info on the Evinrude. Sounds like a good engine. Sounds like rowing is good exercise. Defininitely nice to have a good row boat. Do you find your boat to be stable for as small as it is? Suppose to be that you can sit on the shear without the boat tipping over. I weigh 185 and can sit on the shear of a 12 footer my father once owned (fiberglass boat) the 12 footer is very heavy - takes two men to carry it. Would also be a good time to test your life jacket in shallow water .

 

free,
I bagged the Evinrude as I kept having cooling problems. I'm about to buy a 2hp Honda. Don't really like them .. noisy and w single 4 stroke cyl vibration. But they are light and the air cooled feature is great especially as a dinghy engine where one can seldom flush regularly.
No. Not very stable. Pointy ends (low PC). Soft bilges. I have canoes that are easier to get in and out of. Put foot on C/L. Good rowboat though and I always wear my PFD while rowing. Makes me sweaty.
Good rowboat though.
Good rowboats don't have fat ends.
Iv'e tested my PFD while paddling my kayak. Thanks.

Easy