Plywood Tunnel Hull Skiff

Hello, I am new to the forum
I am hoping to find plans for an amateur build of what is called a Bird Dog Boat on the Florida Gulf coast. I have been googleing like crazy with no luck. I am looking for a design for a large trailerable shallow water skiff with an outboard motor in the forward section of its tunnel. These boats are mostly used by commercial mullet, crab and oyster fishermen in our area. They are all built in the back yard of the fisherman in the off season. Design is by eye and memory. I want a summer project for me and my son who will be home from college. Ease of build is important. Maybe I should drive around and find one in someone's yard and take measurements, but those guys may shoot first and ask questions later. Does anyone here have a design of this type?

 

Just for giggles I will add that, being a first timer, I have been sitting here for 11 minutes thinking the answer to all my questions will just pop up instantly

 

Welcome to the forum.
Check with Young Boats right on US 19 in Inglis, Florida.
Ask about Tremblay skiffs.
Also: Bird Dog Boats, Home http://www.birddogboats.com/

Robert, Rick & James Coarsey, Coarsey Fiberglass, Chiefland, FL - engineered & built Bird Dog Boats

 

Interesting design. How do CO fumes not enter the cockpit?

 

Harry Sucher's "Simplified Boatbuilding - The Flat-Bottom Boat" has a few; both displacement and planing hulls if I remember correctly.

 

Hi Fall Guy
I think the outboard exhaust is under water. Most of it anyway.

 

Thanks for the leads
Do you think any of those guys would sell plans? I want to build, not buy.
I will call around.

 

I will check it out
Thanks

 

Maybe they have a rubber cowling around the leg?

 

It wouldn't hurt to ask them. State regulations on homemade boats are a lot stiffer for boats over 16' in length(inspections etc.). You might want to look at those also.

 

That is something I didn’t think about. That could sink my plans☹️

 

Don't get intimidated. Just take measures to succeed. Talk to the bureaucrats and get the information you need to know before you need it.

 

nah.... all standard safety stuff

if they approved the boat for charter; it would surely be approved for personal use

But, more important to me..

I would recommend you hardwire CO detection in the boat and also add a cowling around the leg and find out what they might do for ventilation of any fumes at idle especially. Perhaps they have a clamshell on each side or even an active blower under a cowling. At idle; the boat could be dangerous if CO builds around the engine and settles inside the hull. A small child would be especially vulnerable as less CO affects them more and they would be closer to any fumes. Wind mitigates, but on any given windless day; the threat seems serious to me.

The boat is an interesting design I had not seen before; thanks for asking about it. O especially like the drive on transom. All boats are tradeoffs.

 

From Harry Sucher's "Simplified Boatbuilding - The Flat-Bottom Boat"; a 15'6", a 17'6", and a 19'6".

 

On the open boat, I don't think it is an issue
But if any kind of cabin is incorporated, It could be tragic.
Thanks for the heads up