Flat bottom boats-by Atkin.

[RonW]

Has anyone else been looking at some of the flat bottom designs by Atkin? They are not little skiffs, but some are pretty healthy boats. Under outboards he has the Russel R -a 21-10 by 5-8 beam with a outboard in a well.Then under inboard utilities he has the mitty ann -a 20 by 5-8 and my favorite the hearts desire a 23- by 6-8 with a low profile shelter roof. Under cruisers he has the -little effort a 23-11 by 6 larger version of the russel r, and the marigold a 24-8 by 7-6 cabin cruiser, the wader a 26-8 by 7-6 and the marcia a 27ft.-5in. by 7ft.6in. beam day cruiser. These are some nice looking boats,low power, beachable, and should be able to take some rough water.Think they should also cruise through some pretty choppy water in style and comfort. Most of these have inboards with a shaft, but I see no reason why any of them, couldn't be fitted with a motor well the same as the Russel R. A 30 horse outboard should be enough for all but maybe a couple of the really big ones. Also see no reason why they couldn't be changed over to sheet plywood. The highest speeds atkins push a couple of them to is 18m.p.h. which is fast enough for a boat like this.Check them out and tell us what you think.
http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/
I am thinking seriously of the Heart's Desire being my next boat building project, think the shelter roof will be greatly appreciated.

There I got rid of the s on atkin, so no one will end up on a diet plan.

[ 04-22-2004, 10:30 AM: Message edited by: RonW ]

[Kevin G]

I've always been taken by "Shoreliner" and "Great Bear".

[Keith Wilson]

Well, I'm a fan.

Here's "Heart's Desire":
http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Utilities/images/HeartsDesire-1.gif
http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Utilities/images/HeartsDesire-2.gif

And my favorite, "Russell R."
http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Oar/images/RussellR-1.gif
http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Oar/images/RussellR-2.gif
http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Oar/images/RussellR-3.gif

Hearts's Desire is a pure displacement hull, while Russell R. is semi-planing; he claims 18 mph with 12 HP.

I have what is for the moment only a pleasant fantasy of building a Russell R. with a 15 HP Honda outboard in a very well soundproofed enclosure and a lobsterboat-style cabin, and taking it on the Mississippi river near Winona, or maybe even down to Dubuque - oh, what the hell, all the way to St. Louis, or New Orleans, or . . . I have to work out money and space; it's a little longer than my garage, alas. Maybe in a year or two . . .

And BTW, it's "Atkin", William and John, father and son. Atkins is the guy who's responsible for the "low-carb" tortillas :confused: I saw yesterday.

[ 04-21-2004, 09:45 AM: Message edited by: Keith Wilson ]

[AngWood]

I too am a fan, particularly of Russell R and Little Effort. In fact, I take credit for turning Keith on to Russell R. Thank you, thank you, yes yes.

I've read that as long as the station lines in the head-on/stern-on view (forget the term for that, sorry) are parallel or nearly so, a design can be built in plywood.

As far as rough water ability, I wouldn't go too far, though the narrow beam (relative to length), fine entry, and relatively low speeds make these boats more appropriate than most people think for choppy water.

I too dream of building Russell R. Part of the dream involves cutting a big opening in the laundry room wall so that my garage will be long enough. Then Keith and I can meet in the middle--I'll cruise up the Mississippi from Red Stick, and he can cruise down from St. Paul. We'll meet in St. Louis. In 2010. 2015?

[Venchka]

Make it 2011. :D

[Bill Perkins]

It's interesting how people's perceptions differ.Russel R I find interesting ; Heart's Desire seems painfully ugly .

How does the dodger work on Russel R? I assume the forward hoop folds down atop the windshield.Do the feet of the after hoop slide forward on tracks to allow it to do the same ?

[ 04-23-2004, 12:14 AM: Message edited by: Bill Perkins ]

[Keith Wilson]

How does the dodger work on Russel R? If I remember correctly the hoops just plug into sockets - drilled holes, really. To take the top down, pull 'em out and store them under the foredeck. Simple and easy, but not much shelter. If I sleep on a boat, I want at least something equivalent to a tent to keep the mosquitoes away.

[RonW]

Painfully ugly- well to a degree I have to agree with that, but as you look at these flat bottom designs, a lot of the above sheer layouts look like something from the 30's which they pretty much are. As long as you keep things within proper proportions you can change layouts to suit yourself. The russel r and little effort would be quite classy with nothing more then a center console. Some of the larger ones could easily be fitted with a walk around pilot house, or the cabin and pilot house from maybe a small lobster boat style. I would not deck over the bow on the heart's desire and make changes on the shelter roof, but still keep it low profile. So forget the layouts and take a second look at just the hulls. About all of his flat bottoms are semi planning hulls with a top speed of the high teens and cruising speeds in the mid teens. They all have very long water line lengths, and should give a very comfortable ride through some really choppy water.I see no reason why these boats can't be built from plywood and have a outboard motor well the same as he has done on the russell r.They would require low horsepower, 30 would be plenty on most of them, and be totally beachable. In fact the mitty ann a 20footer is designed with plywood, but he also shows a inboard, which at the time was expected, but put a motor well next the transon and a little 10 horse and you should have a roomy fishing boat that would give you a comfortable ride that your average 16 foot planning skiff couldn't even begin to compare to.The first thing that happens to a boat when it hits the water is it SHRINKS. It just isn't quite as big as you though it was.And then the water gets choppy and rough and your boat bobs up and down and rolls and pitches.But you don't have $50,000. or a diesel truck to drag it around with, and all you wanted was a nice little fishing boat. I don't see where the russel r for example would be any more exspensive or time consuming to build then your average skiff, of course you would have to exstend a trailer, but you also are talking a small outboard for power. My point is if you aren't going to waterski and are happy at cruising in the mid teens, these old flat bottom designs with some length to them may be well worth reviving for comfort sake, beachability, low cost, low power, easy to build and you could possibly put lapstrake plywood on the sides just for looks.Something to think about.

[AngWood]

Exactly!

[jasonmcgrath]

I am looking for someone who has, or has had a shoreliner. I am writing from Tasmania and I have an Atkins shoreliner built out of our native timbers. would love to talk problem solving with some one or two. Jason

[TonyH]

Hi Jason

Did you just buy it? I've noticed there has been a Shoreliner for sale in Tassie for a while now, looks nice.

Cheers

Tony

[hokiefan]

I went and looked at your suggestions and "Hearts Desire" is very interesting, but to me the top is too high. I was coming back to say that "Russell R" looks really neat to me, but Keith and AngWood beat me to it. In my mind, I see "Russell R" with a relatively short, low cabin something like Ninagret that you pilot by looking over. Would combine simple construction, great looks, and minimalist accomadations for camp cruising. Its now officially on the list!

Cheers,

Bobby

[dmede]

And BTW, it's "Atkin", William and John, father and son. Atkins is the guy who's responsible for the "low-carb" tortillas :confused: I saw yesterday.

[ 04-21-2004, 09:45 AM: Message edited by: Keith Wilson ]

guh, I'm so sick of hearing this refrain... I don't know about this poster but I and others occasionally refer to the designers as Atkins in the plural sense since both the father and son are well represented in the plans available on the site.

[jasonmcgrath]

hello Tony. if you are looking at that one in 'boat sales' that is mine. I bought her in january this year but have put her back on ther market. she is on my moring and I use her at least twice a week. it was a difficult decision to put her on the market but I have two boys and another one on the way and she is just a bit to small for all of us.