Low powered motor cruiser.

[siberianswampdonkey]

page 397-398 of howard chappelles boatbuilding book. I've been staring at this boat all day. I was wondering if someone that knows more about boat design than me could tell me how seaworthy you think this design would be. It says a 15-20hp 4 cylinder diesel. I was thinking a 18 hp yanmar. Oh and forget the carvel too much maintenance, go strip built. it you look closely at pg 397 you'll notice there are dotted lines there for an option of a pilot-house. I think it detracts from the looks of the boat but I think it would be a must if not you would either have to get wet or stay still whenever it rained. ~swampy

[ 12-31-2003, 07:17 PM: Message edited by: siberianswampdonkey ]

[Mike Vogdes]

Take a look at the Redwing, I believe it was inspired by the design your drooling all over.
http://cmdboats.com/rw18.htm?cart_id=3546ce73 af0cf710590aa52db9e128f8 (http://cmdboats.com/rw18.htm?cart_id=3546ce73af0cf710590aa52db9e128f8)

[ 12-31-2003, 07:25 PM: Message edited by: Mike Vogdes ]

[siberianswampdonkey]

Yes I've seen the redwing before but sorry its not the same its a flat bottom boat. I want it round. Plus this boat looks like it would be ocean capable and it has a lot more room.

[TimothyB]

Its difficult to find simple, displacement power cruiser plans out there it seems. Everything is sedan or etc.

I think you could get a very nice cruising boat out of a sailboat converted to power, though. All you would need to do is build her to spec and not put on the big rig. Perhaps tack on a pilothouse or doghouse if you wanted to. Also you would have a very stable vessel since she is ballasted like a sailboat but won't have a rig to push her over. Personally I would toss up a ketch type mizzen or a yawl sail for steadying.

Here (http://www.glen-l.com/designs/sailboat2/jamescook.html) is a design that might work. It is a bit larger but similiar in profile to the Chappelle boat.

--T

[siberianswampdonkey]

Thanks Timothy. What do you think of the seaworthiness of the chapelle design though?

[Art Read]

Gotta disagree about sailboat hulls making suitable power cruisers. If you've ever watched the motion of a dismasted sailboat in any sort of seaway, you'll see what I mean. Of course rigging a big enough "steadying sail" would most likely solve that, but then what you have is a compromised motor-sailor, no? Designers shape powerboat hulls and sailboat hulls differently for reasons other than just the "method" of propulsion.

[siberianswampdonkey]

:( :( Does nobody have an answer to my question? :(

[On Vacation]

KInda hard to answer the question in a flash, if we don't know the boat. At least post a picture of the boat, if you can, for all to give opinions on, since I doubt few here are sitting around today looking at the book. Art did a pretty good job on with his reply though for a good and general reply.

[ 01-01-2004, 05:56 PM: Message edited by: Oyster ]

[TR]

Questions like, "how seaworthy do you think this boat would be", are totally subjective. There is a great deal more than the shape of a boat involved in the question.

Seaworthiness is dependent on many factors, often it seems the design of the boat is one of the least important. Look at Slocum and his Spray! Construction must be good, equipment must be well made and maintained, and the crew must be competent. As far as design goes, a seaworthy boat includes adequate freeboard, reasonable beam and draft (not too much beam and enough draft to get heavy weights down low), watertightness, and stability (low CG). Safety equipment, watertight bulkheads, and decent visibility under difficult conditions all help boost seaworthiness.

That said, and keeping the above factors in mind, the Chapelle boat will be a decent alongshore cruiser. But lose power in a seaway, get crosswise and rolling deep, take a wave over the rail that fills her huge cockpit, she's not so seaworthy.

And Art is absolutely right, a sailboat without her rig would be a very uncomfortable powerboat.

Tad

[siberianswampdonkey]

Art did give me a good overall reply but my main question was what you just answered. Thanks. It's hard to find designs like this round bottomed displacement cruisers. Does anyone know of one that's a little bit bigger say 30-35' thats offshore capable? It needs to be small enough to be handled by just me too. Thanks

[bukuboy]

Ok the deal is go to George Buehler's site and look at the Diesel Duck 34. That's what you really want and it's ocean capable and built stout. Get over this round bottom fantasy-- you don't need the hassle of steam bent frames and no one is going to see the bottom anyway nor really give a rat's ass when you're in the water.

[siberianswampdonkey]

No no no they look boxy I've seen the diesel ducks before too boxy for my taste.

[holzbt]

William Atkin designed many displacement power cruisers. You will find some of his plans in the Motor Boating Ideal Series books. John Atkin's widow also has a catalog and sells plans. Mystic Seaport ships plans dept. has the plans of hundreds of designers. Your best bet is to find a library that has old issues of Motor Boating, Yachting, or Rudder magazine and find a designer that appeals to you. Mystic will do a plans search for a fee but you will have to give them someplace to start.

[siberianswampdonkey]

Hadn't thought about mystic thanks for the suggestion I'll look at theyre library and see what I can find.

[swingking]

From:
http://www.kastenmarine.com/roll_attenuation.htm

"Single Chine Hull Form: Some degree of roll attenuation is contributed by the single chine hull form itself. A single chine vessel appears to have roughly twice the roll damping ability of a rounded hull form (per published model tests in Marine Technology, performed on vessels having similar hull forms). Roll amplitude will be less; roll acceleration may be greater, rolling will decay more quickly."

[Scott Haddad]

Siberianswampdonkey,I too am impressed with the boat you are speaking of. I recently acquired a 32'displacement hulled cruiser built in 1925 which resembles the chappele boat. It is sitting on a trailer and in a very sad state of repair. If I do not end up restoring this boat, at least I will have a nice set of vintage hardware to use on another boat of simular style which I intend to build,,,,,possibly the 27'motor cruiser. The plans in the book are not really detailed but with some luck and good reference material or experience building simular boats,it could be built. I was thinking strip building and encapsulating with epoxy and cpes........

[TimothyB]

I'm so silly sometimes. I completely forgot about Michael Kasten (http://www.kastenmarine.com/)

He has a number of very salty displacement designs on tap for power, this (http://www.kastenmarine.com/buster30.htm) little number for example.

--T

[Stiletto]

Tim, I had a brief look at Kasten's site. He is very keen on metal boats, does he convert those designs to wood/plywood? I've bookmarked it for a better look later.

[TimothyB]

Stiletto,

I got the study plans for Sarah Cat from him as she is so darn nice looking, and the whole experience was easy and nice. And he answers his email, and is a personable guy.

He likes metal because it is cheaper to have built than other materials, and is easier to maintain, etc. The same reasons commercial guys like it. But he isn't material biased.

He isn't prideful of his designs in the way that some designers are. I believe he would convert any design you wanted to whatever material you wanted, assuming it was possible.

--T

[mmd]

How about a 36-foot cruising motorboat that sleeps two comfortably, four in a pinch, has full standing headroom, full galley, enclosed head with shower, raised bridge, and cockpit for fishing or lounging, top speed is 21 knots, cruises at 15, and is powered by a single 90-hp Honda outboard? No timid coaster, this boat has cruised from Halifax to Cape Cod including a passage across the Gulf of Maine. Built in aluminum but can be converted to ply. Contact me if you are interested in more info. (I hope this doesn't cross Scot's line of no self-promoting. redface.gif )