Sea Sled madness. It’s in my brain.

B3, with the door from the forward cockpit to the interior, cut to the proper height.

 

I sent you a PM regarding pods for your consideration

 

New B1 leaning against repaired B3.

 

There is an article in the newest Pro boat builder mag about the Hickman sled

 

Bajansailor was kind enough to send me the article, and the follow up.

 

B4. Last frame. A couple osb building jigs, then strongback time.

And now I’m going back and forth. Pods? No pods? A couple members, far more knowledgeable than I am, pointed out the shortcomings of my initial transom design. But to get away from that, and use the new transom I built yesterday, I’ll have to extend the hull 2 feet. In a very cramped shop. Or use pods. What is the collective wisdom?

 

First temporary section from OSB.

 

Pods probably won't make much difference with 10 feet of beam, if that is what you are sticking with.

 

Well, since all the frames are built, 10' it is.

Really, it's just that I had the first transom carrying the outboards, and the transom was so close to B6 that the covered back deck wasn't useful. The outboard well would have filled half the space, and been very awkward.

So moving the outboards rearward to make the back deck usable means adding pods, or cutting down the freeboard on the back deck and using it as a swim platform, with the outboards on its back edge.

 

I don't know much about pods, but isn't one advantage of having them fitted is that you can then raise the engines a bit higher compared to if the engines were mounted on the transom, where the cavitation plate has to be at least in line with the keel locally (and preferably a bit deeper)?
It sounds like they would be useful for DC re giving him a larger / more usable back deck.

 

DC,

Congrats on the progress.

Are you going to run with a flat hull bottom for the additional foot or somehow delay the flat by extending the slight, inverted V-bottom to the transom?

If 1' flat, it may allow the stern to slide sideways easier aiding in turnability.

It would support more load aft, on the larger deck.

It would decrease planing angle for higher top end and less hp/knot.

Or it may not...

 

Or it may not...

Lol! That is a pretty safe statement.

I'm going to extend the tunnel to the new transom.

I'm working on the profile of the extended topsides. I want to have flat tops suitable for using as a step.

 

By "topsides" I'm thinking you mean "gulwale", "side deck", the top of the freeboard.
Steps in a curved transition ( flats ) would suit stepping on and off varying dock heights.
The transition from cabin to aft deck is a structure juncture .

 

Of course you're right. Too many decades.

 

What’s that thing? It’s like a shoebox, but for keeping water out, instead shoes in. Oh yeah. A boat.