Center Console Offshore

As everyone can tell I am a newbie here. I have grown up with various boats and have been an avid Gulf offshore fisherman. I have been wanting to build my own boat for 20 yrs and now feel that I am in a position to begin. My problem is that I have not come across that right design. I am looking for a center console design (26'-30') with IB drive that can be trailored. Can anyone stir me in the right direction or give advice?

 

http://www.smithmarinedesign.com/finesse27.html

 

The boat CragCay just posted there is certainly a nice one and looks well suited to your situation. It would probably do well in the Gulf. As with anything this size it would be tricky to build by yourself though- you might want to have the hull built for you, and rig it yourself.
The biggest difficulty I see is your requirement that the boat be trailerable. Trailerable in most of North America means a beam of less than 8'6" and, unless you want to go get a commercial trucker's licence, an all-up weight (including trailer) of less than 4.6 tonnes. This will be hard to achieve in a Gulf-capable 26-30 footer.

 

If you are open to a OB that is easy to build and light to trailer

http://boatplans-online.com/proddetail.php?prod=CS25

 

Pick a design that has already been built by others , then sea trial it. Why invent a new wheel?

 

Thanks for the info. I like the Smith Marine design but I am leery of GRP, maybe because I can see myself in the middle of a fiberglass "White Elephant".
I have extensive wood working capabilities and would like to build in wood. I like the wider boats since you can trailer a boat up to 12' wide in Texas without permits. Weight is not a concern either.

Over the years I have built quite a collection of reference materials that have been scattered throughout the house. I had the study plans of a boat similar to Smith Marine but for the life of me I cannot find them. They were from a designer some where in the North West. If anyone knows the designer or something similar, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

then go cold molded, saves on maintenance

 

Concho,

Are you expressing you would like to build one boat for yourself or begin producing boats, if you would like to build one, I build a 26 ft CC and could lay up a hull and deck for you and you could finish it.....more pics at www.greatwhiteboatco.com