Building 18' dinghy, skiff, panga

It's been three years to the day since I finished this boat. It was a super fast build, two months from blueprints to being splashed. There were a few people interested in the sea trials, and so here it is, three years late.

It's a very good boat! I mostly launch out of Half Moon Bay (south of San Francisco) for crabbing and diving. I had her out on a red pennant day with a tight 9' swell (not intentionally, but you know how that goes), and while the bow got shoved into the next wave every time, the boat never took on water. Scared the crap out of me, honestly, but the boat is good and predictable. I think the slight rocker may be helping in a following sea. Being a multi-chined boat, but mostly flat, she pounds going into one.

I typically run at about 12-16 mph in the ocean, but I've seen 26 mph solo on calm days. I've switched the prop once, but it's not a great improvement. I use smart tabs which help it get on a plane early (9 mph and the water is separating) and also help it track at higher speeds. It planes along almost the entire length of the hull, I can't fly it. There is no noticeable hump to planing speed, it will go 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5 and then just keep going. It's hard to tell when planing begins. With the tabs in the up position, the boat wanders a bit when going over 20 mph, so I leave them down all the time. I'm getting 11-12 mpg with me and my wife and some gear. With three guys, weights, wetsuits, spearguns, etc, it'll do about 18 mph on top.

I've rearranged the interior a few times. I cut out the rear bench and have just a solo seat. I added a side bench that folds out on the port side. I've added a GPS/Sonar unit and deleted the stereo. I added some bungie nets to the side to organize stuff, oars, etc.

I recently moved to Ithaca NY and I packed up the boat with my belongings and towed it cross country. She makes a good utility trailer as well. I have her out in Cayuga Lake occasionally, and up to Big Rideau Lake in Canada at our island. It's a good lake boat, but I think she misses the ocean.

-Mario

 

Retro,
Just saw this thread. I like this type of boat. I don't think the designer has represented this boat correctly. 20hp is too much IMO. I'd be think'in 10hp and 10 or 12 knots. If it were me I'd get weight fwd and trim the propeller shaft horizontal and parallel to the water surface. It's more efficient that way and probably steers better too. My 8hp Yamadog would probably push it 10 knots.

But who am I to talk. I've got an 18' freight canoe w a small transom and run it 8 to 10 knots w the Yamaha mentioned above. Wind in your face canoeing. Usually run it half throttle where it's nice and quiet. My big canoe is 40" wide.

But now you've got a good excuse to build another boat for your 30hp Honda. A 24' Spira Key Largo comes to mind. It has a perfectly straight bottom - no rocker at all. I prefer Atkin designs myself.

I should trade you boats but I recall you're in NY.

 

What is it with this forum and mind readers? I'm looking for a 15hp 2-stroke to put on this boat. 30 hp is not only too much power, it's too much weight. I don't think 8hp is quite enough, another builder with this boat had 8hp and said it was barely enough.

I have looked at that Spira boat, a lot. But am also thinking FS17 or OD18 from bateau.com, or Dorado from Michalak. I have bought those plans already. I may get the Spira plans and compare them. It appears to be a lot more wood and a lot less epoxy.