Building a Sam Devlin´s Black Crown 30 . Looking for others to exchange experiences.

Hello. I´m TonyBR (from Brazil), and I´m building a Sam Devlin´s Black Crown 30 right now. First big project, but I build boats for over 20 years (own a relatively nice canoe shop for this long...imagine that!! ). I´m also a Biology teacher, father etc etc etc

Not afraid of the boatbuilding itself (It´s all a matter of time and enough sanding, right?? , but mechanics and electronics are a different story. A bit early, but already bought the VolvoPenta D3 200hp with sterndrive as recomended by Sam.... Huge thing! LOTS of details to understand.... Not sure I´ll make it....Guess that, at the end, will hire a Volvo dealer mechanic to check all my work.

Anyway, looking for others who built (or are building/planning to build) this same model in order to exchange informations, solutions etc...

BTW, just joined the forum (been looking for many years though!). Must check how to post pictures etc.

Hope to find others,

Tony

 

Was this boat designed originally as an inboard with shaft drive ? I note the running angle with sterndrive, as seen in pictures, looks nose-high. Don't think I like that too much, the cut-water seems largely air-borne at speed.

 

The Black Crown 30 page says....

‘‘ March 6, 2016: We have over the past 20 years built our Black Crown design in many, many flavors, from 25ft. to 32ft in lengths and now offer the full building plans for home construction the distillation of all our experience with the design and what she has to offer. ’’

So there could have been drive variations over that time period and length plus flavors variations, but the in 1995 built Black Crown 29' that's now for sale also sports a sterndrive, which BTW makes not 20 but 21 years of Black Crown building before 2016 and 22 years today.

 

Yes, below to be seen in bigger format...

Maybe Tony knows, or could ask Mr. Devlin, if there's any stern vs. shaft drive design history . . ?

And since the 30' is a new Black Crown version and I've also seen pictures of the in 1995 built 29' on the 30' page I'm wondering what the below boat's actual size is and what drive she has . . ?

. . . . missing the name on the bow, looks like an Russian Federation flag, has no radar and no varnished wood trim on the hull sides . . . .​

. . . . name of the boat is Driftwood, looks like an USA flag, has a different mast and radar now plus varnished wood trim on the hull sides . . . .​

 

BTW, nice project Tony

Godspeed

 

Different boat, you think, Angelique ? Maybe so, but the trim angle of the one pictured does look a bit too much. Then again, if it is actually stern-drive, it might be more due to out-trim, which likely would improve speed on the flat water. There is a sizeable skeg visible on some pics, ahead of the stern-drive, not sure if that figures in the OP's plans, you'd rather be without that, for the sake of speed, unless necessary, which it may be, with the flattish aft sections.

 

No, don't think the green ones are different boats, first picture could be an early sea trial, details not yet finished, and maybe just some playing around with an Russian Federation flag there. But it could be Driftwood is not the actual new 30' version, as taking the building time into account and also the later added appearance adaptations, she probably was built before the 30' plans introduction in March 2016 as she was already on the website at that time.

 

It is, of course, a "retro" design, typical of the era before sterndrive.

 

I saw the anniversary gift Tony . . . ​

‘‘ Marry a woman that gets happy with a Volvo D3 as a 25th anniversary gift. ’’​

Congratulations to both of you with the 25th anniversary, and with the new engine, and with being in this project together.

 

Hello Angelique and Mr. Efficiency! Thanks for your replies. We took this project mostly because of the retro-lobster-look and because of the sterndrive, that looked simpler to install and use. Here in Brazil we don´t have a huge boating culture/services. You have "pleasure boats" (from 16 to 80 feet) and most use stern/ips/outboard drives.... and you have service boats, all direct shaft, huge fisshing vessels. This may look strange to you there in US, but mixing both worlds is not usual here! Living aboard and trawlers to travel are almost non-existent here. Weird, I know...

I guess that the unit with the russian flag is a smaller version, and I don´t know if there was a time when central-direct-shaft was used on this model. May ask Mr. Devlin, but I may prefer to save my "questions limit" to something about the building!!! Guess he is a busy man...

On the website there are pictures of units from 28 to 34 ft.... But the stock project offered is the 30 now. Seemed like a good size for a couple to spend a few days to 2 weeks aboard.

 

Good luck with the build, and I hope it is all you expect.

 

Hi Tony,

When time comes you could start a subject thread about the engine installation on the Sterndrives or Diesel Engines or Inboards or OnBoard Electronics & Controls forums as the most knowledgeable people often hang out on the forums about their expertise, I'm sure they would love to advice. This also goes for the Materials forum when it comes to specialized questions in this field. When you decide tot start a subject thread on one of these forums you could post a link to the new subject thread here on your build thread, which BTW is an excellent place for your project in general.

See also the website of forum member PAR, as there's a wealth of building information there, check eg. the links in the top navigation bar to - "Scarf Dimensions" - "Liquid Joinery" - "Epoxy Tips & Tricks" - "Painting" - etc..

Good luck !

 

Thanks a lot! Hope to post some good moments here for sure...

 

Thanks a lot Angélique! And yes, I will post a LOT of questions at the more specific sub-forums. Pretty sure I´ll learn a lot here. Already visited PARs blog. Really good! And you found my anniversary pic, ehh??? hahahaahaha The most amazing is that it IS true!!! hahahahaah Diamond ring or Volvo D3???? Glad she chose the right one!!!