Whats the best design

Hi
I have been wanting to build my own boat for sometime now.

I live in the North of Scotland on the coast i have grown up next to the sea.
I am a avid fisherman and want to build a fishing boat around 18-20ft the average wave height is around 4-5ft where i live though some days it can be like glass. I like a boat where i can stand up and fish as i enjoy Fly fishing.
I dontt got far out to sea maybe a mile or 2 and always stay within sight of land
I like the look and style of a Floride Flats boat but i hear the cant handle the size of wave i need it to. Can this style be modified to meet my needs.
I am no designer but i am good with my hands and have the time, Space and majority of the tools

Any suggestions or advise

wilky

 

A flats boat indeed will have difficulty with these wave heights, but a skilled skipper could manage one on most days. This assumes they know when to run for cover, don't over drive the boat, etc.

Flats boats really aren't good for much, unless you just want to go fast, then stop and fish in relatively flat water all the time. Absurd fuel usage and beating the dental work out of your mouth, are their biggest attributes. In your situation, I'll bet sea state conditions are considerably different, then what is typically envisioned by the designers of flats boats.

You may still want an open boat, but one with a more sea kindly motion and sea state ability. This generally means more freeboard, often a small fore and aft deck, side decks and a stable but capable hull form. The beam/length ratio will be considerably more than that of a typical flats boat and you feel like you're in the boat not on it, as is typical of flats boat.

In the size range you're looking there are hundreds of designs to choose from. My recommendation would be a Sea Sled, as it has good rough water ability, a large, very stable fishing platform and a fair bit of storage space.

Bateau.com offers:



Called their Texas Skiff 18 and based on the Hickman sled. It's a little unconventional (inverted V hull form), but the design is quite sound and it meets your requirements well.

 

http://www.scottishfishingboats.co.uk/models/scottish-35/fifie.htm
this is availble in black, blue and green ,20 foot