One More Time-another abandoned boat rescue

The drawing shows a person walking on the side deck. That looks like it is not to scale. I don't think there is enough space for an adult to stand open legged. Also, the hard top will add a lot of windage and probably make the boat top-heavy. Also, where are you fitting three rows of seats?

True,
Not to scale, just a rough sketch of a concept.
This is the same way that Flotsam was designed, then talked about, and then built on the fly,
using my body and a small tape measure to add numbers to the rough sketch.

Then using 5"x8" card stock, stacked up, the sketch was redrawn, pressing down, leaving an imprint,
much like carbon paper but no ink.
With that impression on a clean card, any changes in design could be drawn in and the process repeated
until the final shape or design is there. Any features we saw at a boat show, or in other pictures, could be added this way.

Very primitive perhaps. But i have been designing things like this for years. Not just boats. A very low cost way.
And one I enjoy. I see the very nice Auto Cad pics that many use now. I choose to remain old school, and primitive.

Back to the 'tri project.
The hull shape is 15' x 6'. This allows about 2' or a bit more for the center console, and a bit less for the walk arounds.
The 3 seats will be inline. The helm in the middle, the front to have some storage or a small cooler, and in front of any windscreen.
The rear to hide the porta. A nessesity when spending a few hours fishing with my wife. There also needs to be some
other form of movable seat to use when I'm hoggin' all 3 inline seats napping.

Yes, very tight, not much extra room. But just enough for us. We are average sized. Not meant to be an overnight,
or to take a crowd out boating.

As far as windage, top speed is not expeced to be more than 15 mph or 20 at most. Just above a plane. And not very often.

As far as top heavy, I have been considering that from the start. That is a good chalenge to build something
that is light enough but still strong enough to withstand the trip down the road on the trailer.
I did build a top, tall enough to stand under, for our 16' Invader, using aluminum for a frame, and glass covered
1/4" ply for a cover, and that was quite heavy but made no noticable difference in performance. We did use that during rainy days.

This top will need to be lighter. The tri hull shape has some built in stability.

Thank you for your interest and comments. I do welcome any comments, good or not, as for sure someone else might
notice things I would miss.
I will work this week to make a few more line drawings to help show what I am hoping to build.

kentr

Hi,
No pics yet,
But I did check the space available with a tape.
there is just enough room for a 26" wide center console, outside, and still have 17" of floor space each side,
at the bottom of floor space.
That leaves 23" , inside the center console, for seating, and 1 1/2" for each upright post. Or two layers of 3/4" cedar.

Planing to build the console seperate, freestanding, and inside the shop over winter.

Found a running 50 hp Force outboard, complete with controls, old boat and trailer.
Did not want a Force or a two stroke, but for $ 100 total ? That is in my price range.

That's one reason I wanted to rebuild an outboard boat this time, i can change out the motor at a later time.

gkentr

Hi,
After reading replies, and adding up possible costs, my idea of using the tossed out tri hull to start
with is clearly a bad idea.
While I won't completly give up on the idea, I could find a better place to start.

Perhaps a "broken" boat instead of a dead one.

Losts of boats listed for sale in the $1,000 to $2,000 range. I might be able to buy enough
materials for that to rebuild for that much, and might not.

The "idea" of building a cedar center console, with top, custom designed for our use, and
Then fit into a 15 to 18' hull may still work even with today's inflated prices.

But it looks like the old tri hull in the pics is headed south.

kentr

I typed out a long reply, hit the wrong key, and now it's gone.

I'm almost your age, I built a non rot, last forever boat 20+ years ago and still have it, back then it made sense. At our age now even the cheapest used scrap lumber will last longer than we will.

Plus, whatever you build will have almost no value, especially a few years down the road, nobody really wants an out of date design when something much newer is available.

I live on the water and the boats I use can vary greatly over the years. The boat I restored 20 years ago doesn't fit my current needs, so I'm using one I built 30+ years ago, but this one sat unused for a decade until 2018.

On the other hand, if you want a project to keep you busy, and you enjoy the journey as much as the finished goal, then go for it.

I don't have many decades left, so boat projects are currently on hold.

Thank you ondarvr for your long reply that went missing with one key stroke.
I've done the same.
I agree that there's not enough years left in my life to make long term projects worth the trouble.

I have enjoyed the journey of past projects, many of them boat projects. As much or more than
the finished result. To me it's like getting in some boat time right in my backyard.

But, and it's a big but, prices of things are not what they were even 4 years ago.
My income has has not up.
it's not easy to admit that there is a time in life when a body just can not do everything they once did.

I don't live on the water, but some of my best times and memories involve boats, boat building, and boat/shipping history.
That won't change even if i can not afford another boat or boat project.

We do have a very nice old Dolphin canoe, set up for fishing, that does not cost much of anything to keep around.
There are a few safe places for us to use that close by.
kenrt