SeaArk boats

[dsc2679]

Hi, I couldn't find a search function to see if this has been discussed before. Anyone have experience with or comments regarding SeaArk boats? Namely: http://www.seaark.com/site/htmlos/0113. ... 7172355570 They look like seaworthy boats. It appears that most folks on this forum favor West Coast boats. Thanks, Doug

[Illgotoo]

Boats built by SeaArk Marine are not that well known because the company doesn't sell them to the recreational market. Government agencies only - both domestic and foreign. Since mid-90's their hull design has been that of C Raymond Hunt. The boat rides as you'd expect from the company that designed hulls for Whaler, Edgewater, Surfhunter, etc. The workmanship -- welds, etc. seems expertly done.

[welderbob]

I'm sure Sea Ark will sell a boat to John Q Public, but I think that the only people that can afford one is the government.

[Illgotoo]

No, actually they don't. Private citizens (well, one anyway) have made offers for my boat because they aren't available to the general public. I don't know if it is liability issues or just the way their sales is set up. In the US sales are generally through GSA.

[gandrfab]

I'm confused http://www.seaarkboats.com/

All SeaArk Recreational Boats are built to National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) standards, exceeding United States Coast Guard requirements for safety and construction. Being NMMA Certified means that your SeaArk Boat is better built, has more flotation, and contains NMMA certified components, all of which make a safer boat than a non-NMMA certified product. We use only heavy gauge aluminum for our hulls (.100 and .125) and our ribs, caprails and keels are all formed to be the toughest around.

[Illgotoo]

Gandrfab:

Don't confuse SeaArk boats with SeaArk Marine. Same company, different product.
See:

http://www.seaark.com/site/start/marine_home.html

The Commander series has 3/16" on bottom, side, chine and deck plating; 1/4" on transom plating.

[gandrfab]

Thanks

[JETTYWOLF]

Gandrfab:

Don't confuse SeaArk boats with SeaArk Marine. Same company, different product.
See:

http://www.seaark.com/site/start/marine_home.html

The Commander series has 3/16" on bottom, side, chine and deck plating; 1/4" on transom plating.

If that was only for military/law enforcment use, I'd figure they'd be built out of much thicker alloy.
(I see how the Navy uses them every day....)

[Illgotoo]

Jettywolf:

I haven't seen any data supporting 1/4" or 3/16" hulls. There are opinions on both sides. Some say 1/4" minimum to be safe. I talked to Jack Winninghoff who thought that 3/16's was sufficient and 1/4" would serve to make you feel safer.

Maybe it depends on the waters. Here in New England we don't have big uprooted firs on the water's surface. (just discarded telephone poles) So maybe 1/4" hulls are more of a Northwest and Alaska thing.

I don't know really. It would be nice to see data that shows how 3/16" or 1/4" hull avoided puncture on impact at certain speeds where something thinner did not.

-tom