Pete Culler's Otter

[davidrparker]

Does anyone have a picture of Otter?

Thanks, David

[Thorne]

I **think** that Canoeyawl built a Culler Otter, so perhaps he'll chime in...or was it Bill Stoye?

Here's some similar boats. Otter sure looks a lot like Gardner's rendition of the Herreshoff Rowboat, only a teensy bit narrower...

http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/jim/batto/index.htm

http://www.bateau.com/studyplans/OT16_study.htm?prod=OT16

[Canoeyawl]

Not me...

[Thorne]

Jake -

Sorry! Must have been Bill.


David -

Bill is active in the Sac-SF TSCA. I may see him at the Wet Turkey Row this Saturday, and if I do I'll ask him if he built one and if he's got any photos.

[Steve Paskey]

There are two good pictures in "Pete Culler's Boats." If I had a scanner, I'd post them.

The hull is really quite different from Gardner's version of the Herreshoff rowboat. Otter is a single chine design with flat topsides, more like a skinny dory.

[Thorne]

Trust me, the Herreshoff Rowboat looks a lot like a skinny dory when inverted -- I've been looking at mine for a year now. But a skinny round-sided dory, not a skinny hard-chined dory -- so you are right there.

http://www.luckhardt.com/md-bottom1.jpg

My dory skiff inverted -
http://www.luckhardt.com/primer1.jpg

[holzbt]

I've got some pic's somewhere. I'll find them next week when I have a day off.

[Ben Fuller]

Culler's Otter is of course in the Culler books but also in the 3rd edition of Watercraft, page 57-58. She is not at all related to any dory like craft such as the Green machine being a narrow cross planked bateau. You all may recall that she has wooden removable outriggers. She is a smooth water boat. I suspect that she's be damp in some places where I have rowed modified LF Herreshoff types like the Green Machine.

[Clinton B Chase]

Nice pictures in the latest Culler book

http://www.woodenboatstore.com/Pete-Culler-On-Wooden-Boats/productinfo/300%2D722/

It looks fast, in flat water. I wouldn't plan on using her in open water, but for flat water I bet she is fast. And she'd sure be a joy to build.

Cheers,
Clint

[davebrown]

i have searched for an otter high and low. it is a rather specialized hull, but for what it was intended for, i think it was a masterpiece. definitely not an all-rounder. a single strake plywood version is on, i believe, duckworks, in their design section, but nobody seems interested in building culler's version. someone built one in alaska with marine ply (which is my goal) but there is a dead link now--can't access it.

i have bought the plywood for one, but now i am side-tracked on a whisp. i would like to do a sliding-seat version. if you decide to build it, you will be ahead of me, and i want to know as many details as you have time for.

[holzbt]

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/holzboat/IMG_1154.jpg

[holzbt]

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/holzboat/IMG_1152.jpg

[holzbt]

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/holzboat/IMG_1153.jpg

[holzbt]

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/holzboat/IMG_1155.jpg

[holzbt]

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/holzboat/IMG_1156.jpg

[holzbt]

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/holzboat/IMG_1157.jpg

[holzbt]

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/holzboat/IMG_1158.jpg

[holzbt]

http://i90.photobucket.com/albums/k253/holzboat/IMG_1163.jpg

[holzbt]

I can get some pic's of an unfinished OTTER if you are interested and can wait a few weeks.

[Thorne]

I talked to Bill Stoye today at the Wet Turkey Row about his Otter that he used to row all over the Bay Area. He said "No Way!" to setting it up for doubles rowing, and described it as being very tender and not having sufficient displacement/beam for two rowers.

So again, if you want a doubles boat, find a design for that specific use -- don't try to modify boats that have been cleverly designed to be efficient and fast with half the weight and power...

Hope to see you on the water at some of the TSCA events in your area next season,

[Bill Perkins]

Holzbt ; thanks for the great pictures ; this is the best look I've ever had of the boat . Allot to look at in the interior . Think that was the original paint job ? I assume it is .

If any boat might hold the spirit of it's creator , I would think Otter would . Could you smell any pipe smoke ?

In post #16 ; is the squarish fixture shown a leeboard mount? It would be great to see your construction Photos .

[Ben Fuller]

Original paint job.... the paint that was on her when we took her into the collection. The square block is for the leeboard.

Some were inside her is a wooden horn made from a single piece with a plug filled with tallow.

[davebrown]

holbtz: thank you for those great photos.

[davebrown]

holbtz: you mentioned in your post that you might know of another otter, and could get some pictures...that was in november. any luck?