Large Sailing Scow

[BATAAN]

More GASLIGHT. Note Billy handling the foresheet at the forward end of fore boom, mainsheet snubber with rubber blocks, huge table set on centerboard trunk, and blushing bride with window details. Not seen well in the sailing photo but one of my favorites; mast hoops cut from large diameter white plastic pipe. Billy called it 'white oak'. He just made a spacer jig and cut 1.5 inch rings off of the end of a piece of 5/8" wall, 12" diameter PVC sewer pipe, rounding the inside edges with a router. They have lasted at least 10 years so far. Note how the market scow shape makes little bow wave when going fast.

 

[Stand]

Scow Sloop

Crystal River Boat Builders in Florida are building a replica of the USS WARTAPPO.

The Crystal River Boat Builders, a local chapter of the Traditional Small Craft Association, plan to construct a full-size replica of the USS Wartappo, a Rebel scow sloop captured and used by the North during the Civil War on the west coast of Florida. Similar to the Texas Scow Sloop depicted above.

Scow Schooner

The above picture was a scow schooner in Galveston Bay.

I was always fond of William Garden's Tillicum, a 40' scow schooner. First listed by "Sean Herron Post #8" of this thread.

 

[Willet]

Additional information about traditional fishing scows built along the western shores of the Gulf of Mexico can be found by Googling Laguna Madre Scow. Chappele called these boats Port Isabel Scow sloops. Edwin Doran went looking for more information about them and found a fleet in operation, about 100 boats, in 1975. More recently an example was built as a dry-land exhibit for a Texas Museum. As traditionally built this boat might be a bit small for the project under discussion here, 28' x 12' x not much. Since the museum boat was a traditionally built boat there most likely won't be plans. However , you might still find a boat builder in the Brownsville/Matamoros area who could act as foreman for the work crew.

 

[Harold B]

As a commercial fisherman for many years I have seen many different ideas tried out, many produced only fair results but some were quite good in terms of cost and/or results. One of the best which fits your demands was the use of fiberglass panels about the size of plywood sheets. This will allow you to bypass the disadvantages of wood but still gain the time and economic benifits that plywood ceates for building a boat.
It would be especially advantageous for you as this product's profile would be excellent for constructing a scow type of hull . I am sorry that I can't offer you greater words of wisdom or magical tricks that would allow you to build everything in a day.
I do think that a modern gaff rigged design would be best because of the lower center of effort against the sail's surface like the navel archetic Kasten talks about on his website. Also having fished in the area of ocean you are talking about I would figure out some way to have a doghouse so you can be out of the weather because you will spend a lot of time at the helm and being exposed to the weather for days on end can really decrease your love of the great out doors, but that is just my opinion based on 20+ years at sea.

 

[Harold B]

As a commercial fisherman I have seen many ideas tried and some worked good others not so good and others good but expensive. One of the best in terms of cost and good results was the use of purchaced fiberglass panels they can be used like plywood for building giving you the cost and time saving that plywood panels provide without the disadvantage of wood's maintance.
I would also recommend gaff rigging because of the lower center of effort on the sails, especially for a scow shaped hull. Navel Archetic Kasten has and incredably interesting article on his website, about what is the best rigging for your boat or needs. I think it might well be to your advantage to consult him for your rigging design or at least read the free info on his web site. If you are going with a keel I would recommend a double keel to allow easy grounding out without adding a lot of draught or a centerboard to navigate skinny water but still allow deep water navigation.
I have commercially fished in the area where you are talking about going and I seriously would recommend some type of doghouse to protect you from the discomforts that the weather will create. You can't believe how seriously I am about this, although the guys at the yacht clob poo poo this as something sissy they are not going to be spending a midnight watch with freezing rain and a nasty wind.

 

[boat fan]

As a commercial fisherman I have seen many ideas tried and some worked good others not so good and others good but expensive. One of the best in terms of cost and good results was the use of purchaced fiberglass panels they can be used like plywood for building giving you the cost and time saving that plywood panels provide without the disadvantage of wood's maintance.

Are you talking about gluing fiberglass panels on to wooden framing ?

 

[Lister]

Yes, the scows you are referring to (sandbaggers) are still very fast. However, they have a large crew to move the ballast around. Scows do well downwind.

Unfortunately Sand-baggers was not scows and never will be.
The scow are with two transom.
The sand-bagger (the ballast was sand bags) are like a Merlin Rocket (I am sure you sailed one of these marvel Gonzo) in the front but with a very wide beam and very wide transom and a few inches free-board. And heavy and over canvassed.
The scow referred above was a gigantic type E scow, who was fast like the best multi hull of the time. I am not sure in all around weather if the Scow will not again beat the multi.
I understand the passion for the "merchant scow" They are beautiful in my eye. The New Zealand Scow have a grace and a very subtle bow shape.
yes here I contradict myself, the NZ Scow as a stem. But it is so triangular at the deck, that the name scow still right.

 

[Harold B]

Boat fan the boats I saw uslng the fiberglass panels looked like plywood panels except they were fiberglass panels and they had stood up well to the rigors of commercial fishing for several years before I saw them.The seams were visable because the owners were more interested in workng the boat than making it pretty.

 

[Wavewacker]

Great thread!

Brian, how far have you gotten?

Question; It was mentioned that the scow could not be righted if knowcked down. Those that have straighter sides, seems if the deck were covered forward and an aft cabin were on with a higher roof the boat could be self righted. Seems anything with balast in the bottom and height higher than the width would always roll back over??

I saw plans for a smaller scow using amas, seems that would cure any stability issue, what say you guys?

Interesting reading on these boats and historical contributions, thaks for the posts!

 

[Lister]

I think any large scow should be built with heavy timber. It make them more heavy, and more easy to iron the waves.
Probably a well designed ballasted centerboard will make them self righting.
They rae quite a site anyway.

 

[Harold B]

On the boats that I saw the ribs appeared to be glassed in plywood so the rib was entirely encased with cloth and resin

 

[captain rick]

is there anymore conversations or threads on scows on the west coast of Florida?.
how is the crystal river boys doing?

 

[rowboat70]

A pram is not a scow.
Putting a pram bow on a hull does not make it a scow.
A scow is double-ended in profile view rather than in plan view.
Heeling a scow produces balanced, asymmetric waterlines that minimize leeway.
Nothing goes to windward like a scow.

 

[captain rick]

scow

I have had my boat for two years not sure who the designer was, but built in sarasota with the help of pat ball and possibly George La er