Any thoughts

[Flatdog]

Hi again guys
Been sitting in the background reading watching learning.
To bring you all up to speed my father and younger bother have bought a 26ft stabicraft down under in NZ, with a dive/ fishing charter aim, soon as I get some photos will post them up.
But I have a few questions about Ali boats, why is the beam in general narrower than a plastic boat of the same size?
Why can't the cockpit area be like a plastic boat with a flush deck and a good depth to the gunnel's with inboards ?
With all these questions going around my head I went a-looking, petrol (gas) as opposed to diesel cost more this side of the pond for boating, plus the Idea of Gas aboard a large boat worries me from a safety point of view, next even though a 350hp outboard motor weighs a ton they are being ripped off buy eastern Europeans left right and centre at night , so the idea of an I/O struck me but then we are back to boxes in the cockpit, and all the corrosion problems that come with them, this is what I have found, is this the holy grail?
Looking at drawings, working on using outboard brackets and the distance from transom to motor you lose nothing space wise within the cockpit, plus nothing to fall over engine cover deck wise.
The only Problem at the back of my mind is stainless with Ali in the water?
http://www.caudwellmarine.com/
Any comments will be great or am I barking mad.
Flatdog

[Chaps]

That Caudwell drive system is pretty cool looking. As far as your other questions about alloy boat design it sounds like you haven't looked at very many boats. Besides, you can get anything custom built you want.

[welder]

Would something like this from http://www.coldwaterboats.com work for you ...

[mojomizer]

Congratulations on your fathers and younger brothers purchase of a 26 foot Stabicraft. I look forward to your pictures. Aluminum Boats come in All shapes and sizes. Customizable to your requirements. A very wise man on this site summed it up to me. Boat designs are all about tradeoffs and compromises. Stabicraft being a chambered boat will have greater deck loss due to gunnel width that being said. The chambered boat is practically unsinkable and is reputably adept at rougher seas.

The Cauldwell drive system looks interesting and I imagine Expensive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lC43U6NL ... re=related

Sorry to hear about thieves stealing outboards......... I could only imagine they would take the whole boat and to the chop shop for those motors. Caudwell said their system can be installed within a half hour. How long do you think the thieves would take to remove.......... I hate thieves

somewhere in that order.

We leave the barking to Jettywolf

Thanks for sharing

Mark
2325 Wa Pacificskiff

[waterdog247]

Would something like this from http://www.coldwaterboats.com work for you ...

LESTER!!! You posted a pic of that boat again! Knock it off!!! I keep drooling on my keyboard...

[goatram]

And it has a REAL NICE DIVE ladder even. Bruce will build it any way you desire.


Stop Drooling it will short out the keyboard

Flatdog Welcome! Marine Grade Aluminum + SS fasteners properly installed = a real nice boat. Look at them Coldwater Boats for examples. Someday at the base of a rainbow I will find my pot of gold

[welder]

I'm liking that Diesel POWER and killer MPG , heck, the fuel tanks in that 35 hold like 400 gallons I think . Man on a slow cruz one could run a looooooooooong way .

[mojomizer]

Welder you Instigating or you going to buy one of those and have a summer home in Alaska

Flatdog what kind of diving is to be had on your side of the pond. How is the fishing???????

Mark
2325 Wa Pacificskiff

[welder]

Hey Mark....

The 1st part .

[spoiled one]

I'm liking that Diesel POWER and killer MPG , heck, the fuel tanks in that 35 hold like 400 gallons I think . Man on a slow cruz one could run a looooooooooong way .

Not to high jack a thread, but what kind of economy are we talking here?

[welder]

Pete, I'll have to get back with Russ again @ CWB to get a good number .

[kmorin]

Flatdog, lots of elements of your post reflect only a small bit of information or misconception at best.

But I have a few questions about Ali boats, why is the beam in general narrower than a plastic boat of the same size?

they're not; the assumption is wholly without foundation in the market, perhaps its just the coincidence of your exposure to welded boats, or the location of your experience but the statement (inside the question) is without basis.

Why can't the cockpit area be like a plastic boat with a flush deck and a good depth to the gunnel's with inboards ?

countless welded boats out there and your lack of exposure is too telling to remark, suffice to say there are many boats of welded metal that meet and surpass the plastic boat version. The reason being the welded boat is less than half the displacement for the same LOA and therefore the dry deckline is much easier to obtain with the same accommodation.

plus the Idea of Gas aboard a large boat worries me from a safety point of view,

Its odd you'd remark about the fuel as a source of risk? Do you drive a petrol automobile? Heavens any thinking individual would see the risk of confining that 'bomb' to a narrow tarmac strip of the country side hurtling at break necks speed inches from another's vehicle like-wise burdened with that explosive fluid!!! Good heavens, on a seaway you have miles of water between vessels instead of inches of clearance between mirrors as the two pass? If gasoline were dangerous, when handled by rational and competent boat men, petrol/gasoline wouldn't be the fuel for the millions of boats that burn it.

, next even though a 350hp outboard motor weighs a ton they are being ripped off buy eastern Europeans left right and centre at night

Sounds like you need consider a large dog as a companion? We have the Second Amendment, and outboard loss is noticeably reduced when you can actively defend your boat and engine.

so the idea of an I/O struck me but then we are back to boxes in the cockpit,

Jack shaft installations can put the engine amidships and any welded boat builder can install that system over an outboard or a stern mounted I/O.

and all the corrosion problems that come with them,

???? perhaps the element Zinc might help with this problem. I've had I/O drives, no different than an outboard in any corrosion consideration, for many decades and I'm not familiar with this 'problem'????

this is what I have found,

I don't think I'd rely to heavily on that research at this point.

is this the holy grail

Nope; not even in the same universe as Reality.\

Engine cantilevers or brackets work fine, but they're not the only arrangement by far; most people use the engine cover as a table, fish cleaning station, equipment base or seat. It can be at the transom or anywhere forward you want the wt and cover. Or if the boat is large enough the engine is below decks, too many variables here to make these sweeping generalizations- they accomplish little.

I feel pretty confident that a firm which took the time to cast that much nickel alloy steel would have spent just a few minutes of rather sophisticated engineering discussing their products' immersion in the briny- don't you?

I don't know about "barking mad", but I view most of the points as a bit over-concerned with details that have been solved, resolved, somewhat perfected and are accepted as part of metal boats....... well... in my reading of the post, you seem to be spending excessive worry with the aspects of metal boats that can be problematic?

That implies you may also be concerned with bubbles in a 'gelcoat' or glass fibre? Not be willing to have a conventional shaft because one might hit a log or other detritus afloat? Just leaving shore in a floating object is potentially problematic in it self..... what?

If you'd like to have an I/O driven, welded hull with 'deep' topsides, a 'wide' beam with a midships engine, but a stern mounted drive (?); just ask any competent marine designer for those elements in 'your' plan! Voila! you'd have a set of plans for THE boat that suits your needs/specifications/features to be submitted to the local 'ally' builder for a bid.

It the Miracle Metal, you can have anything you want.

Cheers,
Kevin Morin

[JETTYWOLF]

DON'T MESS WIT KEVIN.

Whewwwwwww, most myths about aluminum boats in general, are really funny. And I believe only 2% were covered with that post.

C'C'mon

[CWB]

I'm liking that Diesel POWER and killer MPG , heck, the fuel tanks in that 35 hold like 400 gallons I think . Man on a slow cruz one could run a looooooooooong way .

With the luxury of installing diesel shaft drive, diesel sterndrives and outboards over the years we have compiled a rather large list of pros and cons. So we are either getting less patient or more refined when most of our conversations start with "what equipment is going on board". We can then segway into: how do you plan to use the boat, where is it to be stored, maintence availibity, range expectations etc. etc. etc.

Secondly Les, the Cold Water in the photo was our 3500 SRX, it was powered with a single Volvo Penta D6 330 for commercial duty, 35' hull, 40 LOA, 340 gallon tank, We would prefer to see a set of twin D4s but the vessel did perform well considering. Its optimal cruise fell at 22 knots with a burn of 13gph.

[mojomizer]

13 MPG Great Googly Moogly That is better than my Truck. Are you sure???? Don't want to be a doubting Annie
probably misplaced a decimal but it certainly made my jaw drop.

Love the ColdWater design.

Mark
2325 Wa Pacificskiff

[CWB]

Ooops. 13gph.

[welder]

Man , I was just starting to sign the check , then I read 13 GALLONS PER HOUR .

That is still very good for a craft of that Caliber .

[waterdog247]

Mojo- that's GPH, not MPG.

[mojomizer]

Welder write that check..... tell Mrs. Welder she is living on a yacht traveling up and down the waterway.

13 gph at 25.3 miles your still getting what???????? 1.9 miles per gallon. For a 35 foot Aluminum Alloy Boat is quite impressive

Thanks for sharing CWB the more I see the more I like

Waterdog247 how are you doing?

Flatdog still looking forward to seeing your brother and dads Stabi.

Mark
2325 Wa Pacificskiff

[welder]

Mark , Russ calls it a 35 but it is FORTY FEET over all.

Now what would the burn be with TWO smaller power plants not to mention twins would be a lot more fun in tight quarters , that single might be a butt kicker for a novice like me.

[spoiled one]

Mark , Russ calls it a 35 but it is FORTY FEET over all.

Now what would the burn be with TWO smaller power plants not to mention twins would be a lot more fun in tight quarters , that single might be a butt kicker for a novice like me.

Bow thruster, Les, bow thruster. You buy it and I will store it up here for you.

[Shark Bait]

Spoiled One: You WILL NOT store Welder's new boat up here - We will use it to make sure it is Operation when he comes up!

SB

[spoiled one]

Of course, Shark Bait. I was referring to winter storage.

[welder]

Just be sure to keep GOOD CLEAN fuel in her and don't over rev the motors.

[Lucky Louie]

13 MPG Great Googly Moogly That is better than my Truck. Are you sure???? Don't want to be a doubting Annie
probably misplaced a decimal but it certainly made my jaw drop.

Love the ColdWater design.

Mark
2325 Wa Pacificskiff

I read it as GPH as in gallons per hour and I didn't even have my glasses on.