New fishing boat design / prototype

My maiden voyage in this forum if that's the right expression so Hi.

Maybe a slightly different concept in very small fishing boats. Planning to get a prototype made shortly.

This is all aluminium construction, pontoons are cylindrical and filled with foam.
Centre of gravity is closer to centre of bouyancy than most pontoon designs.
The yellow sidetubes fill with water and provide extra stability.

Advantages:

i) Cost (under 5k for basic boat).

ii) Anglers can stand up (most small boats don't allow this).

iii) Quickly dismantles into 3 sections (2x pontoons, 1x deck) for easy transport and storage.

iv) Design is modular. 2 boats can be bolted back to back.

v) Very strong.

vi) Bolt on any superstructure you like within reason. Ideal for OEM.

Dims: 3.3m L x 2.2m W, @ 200kgs. Heavier than most craft of this size, weight I think is managable and contributes to stability. Suitable for maybe 15HP outboard. Crew 2-3. Intended for off shore usage in reasonable conditions.

Comments, criticisms & suggestions invited

Regards
Jon

 

If you have an air chamber, it needs ot be sealed and water tight. If its watertight, it doesn't need foam inside which can cause problems if there is a leak and hides the leak anyway.

CG and CB always coincide in a stable boat, otherwise it is pitching, rocking, rolling or sinking.

Plenty of available plans and small boats allow standing at the side for fishing.

The water ballast will surely increase stability but they will play hob with propulsion drag.

 

Hi, thanks for your comments. All noted; foam was considered a cheaper alternative than welding bulkheads into the pontoon.

 

How is are fish landed along the sides?

 

Thanks for your questions: when the craft lists, the tube filled with water (emptying slowly) gains weight on the other side as it rises and clears sea level.

Containers to land fish can be bolted in area above toons outside of the deck.

 

"Offshore" and a length of 3.3 meters does not compute. Please clarify what you mean by the word: offshore.

Twice that length will be more like it if you expect to encounter more than half meter waves or wakes from other boats.

Davey Jones takes no prisoners.

 

Lowering the deck in between the pontoons means just about any little wave will wash the deck. With a 15hp motor, that will be more like a power wash when you burrow into a wave.

A 10' 9" X 7' 3" (3.3 x 2.2 meter) pontoon with 2-3 people and all their gear plus motor, battery, fuel, anchor in a boat that's already 200 lbs heavier than others of it's size....with a lower deck....going offshore...

I am skeptical of a favorable outcome.

Have you done an engineering analysis and calculated buoyancy data?

 

From the tone of your message it sounds like you want to produce these for profit. I can't honestly see anyone purchasing your pontoon platform for salt water use.

It looks like your key features are breakdown, the ability to store, and stability. I do think those are features that would be appealing to quite a few customers but I think it will take a different design to gain appeal.

Look at the boats that typically carry 2 to 3 people for recreational fishing. There is a reason many of them look alike; evolution and refinement. Most fisherman with 5K to spend are going to be looking at used Boston Whalers, etc.

 

Thanks for your reply

 

Lots of material, very little intelligent design. Lots of drag, more stable upside-down and small enough to get that way.

 

OK, thanks.

 

It will pitchpole in even small waves. As soon as that pointy bow gets under, the stern will lift and go over.