boat for Georgia Straight

Hello

I Decided I wanted to build a boat awhile ago. I did did some looking around and decided on the Tolman Skiff we liked the cabin and also liked the fact that it was an all weather boat, we find it to be a really long six months of waiting for the weather to get warm again. My wife and I wanted a boat Big enough we could spend a weekend on but small enough that we could do the 25 mile round trip out the Fraser river to the Sandheads for fishing or across the straight to thrasher rock with out spending to much on fuel and be big enough to be able to get us home if the weather got bad. If the wind kicks up in the straight the waves can get quite high and really close together.

After a few trips out this year in our 20' Searay we decided we did not want a boat that pounded in the chop. It would seem that there has been more windy days this year than calm days and heading out the north or the south arm of the Fraser river can be quite rough. Looking at the Tolmans bow shape it did not seem that it would be anymore forgiving in the chop than our current boat.

I have started to look for a boat with a sharper entry but would still be somewhat fuel efficient. Like Tad Roberts Berry point 26' http://www.tadroberts.ca/services/small-boats/planing/berrypoint26 , Seabreeze boats back east has some nice hulls but are manufactured, B&B yacht designs has the Marisa http://www.bandbyachtdesigns.com/ec018.htm . Cerny yacht designs also has the sunset channel 24 it is aluminum but a nice design http://cernyyachtdesign.com/power/power-cruising-boat/sunset-channel-24/

If any one has some suggestions or could point me in the right direction that would be great.

Thank you
Jay

 

First, all boats are going to be rough on the passengers at some degree of water conditions. Deep V hulls are less so but have other issues. You have to decide what your priorities are. Do you want an all round boat that is a great cruiser, a fishing platform, one with at least some useful accommodations, or one that keeps the crew happier in the rough stuff? The one that probably makes the best compromise of all these of those you list is probably Tad Roberts boat.

The Berry Point has enough deadrise amidships to offer reasonable comfort in short-steep waves without having to slow down to hull speed and its displacement and power requirement appears reasonable. Marissa is too small to be included in this group. Without some hull data, I can't comment on the Cern boat. The most important thing in chop is deadrise at the point where the water hits the hull although stem entry angle and all of the hull deadrise angle is important. Its a compromise and depends on what the boat is designed for. b&b's Ocracoke 24 http://www.bandbyachtdesigns.com/ocracoke24.htm would be a good choice for a center console with no cruising accommodations.

My Bluejacket series www.bluejacketboats.com are tilted more toward the cruising economy part of the equation although they can handle rough water and would be safe in the area you want. In any boat with low deadrise and running in the rough stuff, you either go slower or tolerate a greater degree of pounding. You can do some things to help, like driving the bow down with trim tabs or design to sharpen the forward wave entry.

 

If you hit a wave at speed you will suffer.

The best design for choppy waters is a boat that rides on her lines at displacement , semi displacement speed.

I dont know the Tolman but it looks like a competent boat at displacement speed.

If you choose a tolman be careful with weight distribution and power. boats that are stern heavy and overpowered are dogs at displacement speed in a heavy chop.

In general... a moderately powered narrow boat with a sharp forward entry , pronounced Vee amidships , a flat run aft and correct weight distribution are the best all round performer.

An example would be

http://www.bateau.com/studyplans/PG22.PDF

 

Having done these runs many times, the world's largest double ended ferries and the 19,000 ton Spirit of BC really calm the waters.
For getting out of Richmond..would the boat be trailerable so as to launch elsewhere?

It makes no sense to me and have no desire to build a boat,but if I was I'd support the local guys....

 

I have followed the ferry back a couple of times. I Live in Richmond and launch in Steveston or Ladner. I could Launch at English bay but what I gain it travel time in the boat I lose on the road.

I looked it the blue jacket and It said in the write up that it was intended for stability in inshore water conditions. I also did not see any pictures of the hull out of the water. I looked for some study plans as well. I do like the cabin layout in the blue jacket as well as the semi displacement design

We generally are not in a hurry on the water. We are out there because we love it. If the boat was to cruise at 12 to 17 mph and top out in the low 20 mph range we would be happy. The only reason we are not looking at a full displacement boat is we are no where near retiring and and do not have the time we would need to travel at that pace and make it to work on Monday morning.

I want to build a boat because It is just something I want to do. My wife and kids are pretty excited to build it as well.

Jay

 

Sam Devlin has designed several boats which might fit your needs. Sam is in Olympia, Washington and many of his designs show a definite "Pacific Northwest" influence.
http://store.devlinboat.com/

 

Most Bluejackets have 10 degree deadrise aft and 26 degrees 25% aft of the waterline entry. The Bluejacket 28 is 2 degrees steeper. It needs to get pretty rough to make me slow below 10mph. Normal cruise is 11 to 18 with a top of 22 to 24mph.

Sam Devlins boats are good in rougher water. They are roughly twice to three times heavier than the Bluejackets and require commensurate power. Sam designs from a different perspective from me. Neither is better than the other, just different.

 

I think part of the formula for determining to build or buy rests with the difference between what you can earn with your time and what you have to pay a builder. If your time is worth $500/hr you pay the builder $100/hr you are way ahead. If you have lots of time and are not earning from it and you have the skill and inclination you build. If you just like building you build. There are those who build and have little interest in using the boat for them its the building. You just have to figure out where you fall in the big picture.Unless you are very skilled and knowledgeable your boat will probably not be better than what a good builder can do and resale may take an extra hit.

 

Perhaps you should investigate the possibility of a twin hulled boat of the size you are considering. I have no experience with them but have seen videos of them running in pretty bad weather and they seem to do away with the pounding problem for the most part. They are likely not as efficient in nice weather if we are talking about planing speeds.
I do know that at the South end of the Straits of Georgia we are talking about the potential for some serious rough weather.