Venture 21 as a putt-putt?

I may end up with a semi-restored Venture 21. I'm thinking of turning it into a low-speed power boat. It has a swing keel which I might consider cutting up and burying in concrete inside the bottom of the hull to make it more stable as a motor boat.

Do any of you think this might be a good boat for leisurely putting around the bay, with or without the "concrete and steel in the bilge"?

 

The Venture 21 doesn't have great stability, with it's swing keel folded up, though it could be used as a putt-putt. Cutting up the keel and burying it in concrete will work, but it will further decrease it's stability, especially if you build a taller cabin structure, which would be typical of this type of conversion. Stability from weight, is only effective if it's low, so cutting the keel and raising it into the boat will not improve anything. The boat only has 12" of draft with the keel retracted, so the logical thing would be to leave it retracted and live with it.

Top speed for this boat will be about 10 MPH, but she'll be sucking fuel pretty good at this speed, as it's at the very end of it's abilities, for this hull shape. Cruising speed will be about 6 MPH and she'll sip fuel like a bird all day. A 5 HP outboard will easily push her to this speed and a 10 HP outboard will get you to top speed.

 

It was designed as a sailboat, either use it as a sailboat or sell it (or give it away), and find a motor boat to restore. any work you do to change it into a very poor performing motor boat would be wasted and degrade any remaining value to nothing beyond salvage value.

It would really be a wasted effort. If you are going to go to the trouble of reworking it, you would better served to put that effort into finding a motor boat to restore, just as many of those can be found for free or near free just as well.

 

PAR, thanks for the thoughtful suggestions.

I know it's more work than your suggestion, but do you think it might make sense to take the swing keel off the boat, then lay it down flat in the bottom of a shallow added-on box keel that's no more than 6 inches deep? My thought is that this would bring the boat's overall CG down below the hull and thus improve stability even more.

Just trying to insure that it will float upright, and turn itself upright again, if it ever gets tossed around in bigger waves than I would normally take it out in.

Sipping fuel at 6 mph sounds ideal to me.

 

V21 is actually a pretty decent little sailboat. I agree with Petros, use it as a sailboat or sell it and buy a powerboat. In trying to make the V21 a powerboat you'll just end up with lousy powerboat.

 

So what kind of boat would make a better power boat for my needs?

 

you have to look around locally to see what is available, check out craig's list, or go to the local marian or boat yard and ask about boats for sale (they always have repo boats from lack of slip fees, cheap). See what you can find, or you try one of these:

 

No, I don't think removing the swing keel and placing the same weight on the hull bottom is a good idea. Simply put, leaving it alone will be the simplest and best use of this hunk of weight. It's not likely the boat would self right with the swing keel in the up position. Hell, it might not self right with it in the lowered position, but it'll certainly have a much better shot at it in the down position.

I disagree in that you need a powerboat. If this boat is free or nearly, you have a base to start with, as long as you understand the limitations of a conversion like this. It'll be a putt-putt, which is what you apparently want. In this role, she'll be fine, though not as roomy as a powerboat, intended for this use. Leaving the keel alone, saves a lot of complication and places the ballast in its most effective location. Besides, if the crap hits the fan and a storm catches you in an ugly situation, you can always lower the keel and make a huge gain in stability and righting force.

Just don't build a huge cabin on it and when you do add to the boat's structure, think and build light, as you don't want to add much weight, especially high up (over deck level) to this old puppy.

 

HI
this is a great trailer sailer and has a good followimg. I am sure you can turn your money around and find a good project speed boat with out cutting her up - like puttin down a pure breed dog / cat just because you are moving.
Try some of the auction site - you can pick up some dead guys new boat cheep!
And you can get a tax right off for donating the venture!
msmagoo
ms magoo