I've been bit by the boatbuilding bug, again! But instead of stitch and glue, it's going to welded aluminum! Yes, I know what I'm getting myself into, though 6 years after launching the first boat seems to be just long enough to forget the frustrations and time required to build your own boat and I'm at least a year out from getting plans and plate.
It looks like the specmar 912 stretched 2' with a full cuddy and atendent tweaks to the pilothouse will be pretty much exactly what I'm after and with a pair of zuki 175's on the transom and dual helm. Ballpark figure is ignoring my labor I can build exactly what I want for the same or less than a well used boat that won't be configured exactly as I want.
I've used the search function and googled the net but haven't seen many comments from people who have built specmar designs. What I have come acros is positive but I'm trying to get some more feedback.
Specmar
Re: Specmar
Uh-oh, calm down, you're going to be OK . . . someone get the white coat guys with the gurney here now! We can save this one, he's still breathing though short & shallow . . . 
1987 24' LaConner pilothouse workboat, 225 Suzuki
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Re: Specmar
paulh, welcome to AAB first of all! Hope your build turns out great; be sure to post lots of pictures for us all to watch. It's kind of funny, I've been a loyal alloy boater, but have been reading up on stich and glue the past several weeks. I've read through Renn's book, bought the Great Alaskan plans, been reading old posts on the website in the early morning hours....AAB is maybe going to loose me to the wood epoxy camp if I continue at the rate I'm going.
In the mean time I'll still be floating in my aluminum though...
I like the lines of your specmar hull, btw.
In the mean time I'll still be floating in my aluminum though...
I like the lines of your specmar hull, btw.
Re: Specmar
It's a toss up between the GA and the Specmar but I don't want to go through fairing/sanding, fairing/sanding, fairing/sanding, priming/sanding and painting on another boat 
When we have a wet summer you might have one or two weather windows to paint outside and that is incredibly frustrating. Also to modify the boat you need a large enough heated shop for the boat on the trailer. I have jobs I still haven't gotten to on my stitch and glue because of the heated work space issue. Whereas with aluminum if you want to add something, pull the battery cables, clamp on the ground and strike an arc.
Current boat
The funny thing is I'd probably end up building a large enough heated shop for a GA, and then weld something up.
The other consideration is re-sale, though I hate to think about. The market for a used Tolman or GA is going to be pretty specialized, basically limtited to somebody that knows what the boats are and has the money but not the time. A properly set up Aluminum boat of the same size will be 100 times easier to sell.
When we have a wet summer you might have one or two weather windows to paint outside and that is incredibly frustrating. Also to modify the boat you need a large enough heated shop for the boat on the trailer. I have jobs I still haven't gotten to on my stitch and glue because of the heated work space issue. Whereas with aluminum if you want to add something, pull the battery cables, clamp on the ground and strike an arc.
Current boat
The funny thing is I'd probably end up building a large enough heated shop for a GA, and then weld something up.
The other consideration is re-sale, though I hate to think about. The market for a used Tolman or GA is going to be pretty specialized, basically limtited to somebody that knows what the boats are and has the money but not the time. A properly set up Aluminum boat of the same size will be 100 times easier to sell.
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spoiled one
- Donator '08 '09 '10
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 4:48 pm
- 16
- Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Re: Specmar
I recognize those granite dome mountains, Paul. Were there white, granite sand beaches, as well? Love that Tolman.
Spending my kids inheritance with them, one adventure at a time.
2010 AK Meet & Greet
2012 AK Meet and Greet
2010 AK Meet & Greet
2012 AK Meet and Greet
Re: Specmar
Not many sandy beaches in the sound!
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spoiled one
- Donator '08 '09 '10
- Posts: 1138
- Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2008 4:48 pm
- 16
- Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Re: Specmar
Nice! Hard to beat those beaches on a 70º day! My kids love it there.paulh wrote:Not many sandy beaches in the sound!
Spending my kids inheritance with them, one adventure at a time.
2010 AK Meet & Greet
2012 AK Meet and Greet
2010 AK Meet & Greet
2012 AK Meet and Greet
Re: Specmar
We got really spoiled 4 years ago during 4th of July weekend. We were there for 4 days, every day was blue bird skies with temps in the 80's. Hiking back to the glacier the vegitation was crunching under foot it was so dry.
Somehow we've only been able to make it there every other year as something comes up. But we should be back this summer. The shrimping at the mouth of the bay hasn't been too terrible either. Hopefully there are some left this year. I also found the octopus makes for a pretty good kalimari subsitute for a pasta sauce.
Needless to say the weather isn't always blue bird skies
But a couple sunny days will make for a good trip
Somehow we've only been able to make it there every other year as something comes up. But we should be back this summer. The shrimping at the mouth of the bay hasn't been too terrible either. Hopefully there are some left this year. I also found the octopus makes for a pretty good kalimari subsitute for a pasta sauce.
Needless to say the weather isn't always blue bird skies
But a couple sunny days will make for a good trip