Anyone sell plans for wooden v-hulls?

Charlie S and Titan

Charlie S and Titan

Well-known member
Does anyone know of plans for wooden stitch and glue V-hulls?

Something smaller than the Tolman skiff, but built in the manner of a stitch and glue Devlin boat.

Something in the 17-20 foot range, 13-15 degree deadrise at the stern running up about a third of the way or so, transitioning into a deeper v at the bow. Preferably with a chine flat on the outside of the hull. Wide beam (83" +), open floor plan, high gunnels.

Seems like a lot of folks like the hull style of the Alaskan and other similar open floor custom aluminum boats. The design isn't really revolutionary or anything, but it does work well in some conditions. It occurred to me that it ought to be possible (practical and affordable) to build a wooden version of the same kind of hull.

Lastly, does anyone ever sheath wooden boats with aluminum? Sort of like old ironsides... Seems like it would be possible to plate the forward portion of the hull on the underside of the bow with an aluminum sheet or plate doubler to reinforce it - in the area most likely to meet obstructions first. It might add weight, but it seems like it might also help the boat trim out - offsetting the weight of the outboard(s) hung on the transom. Sort of a wood aluminum hybrid...

This would allow a home builder to use wood for it's ease of use and user friendly construction, yet gain some of the benefits of an aluminum hull.

Just thinking out loud.

Charlie
 
Look through GlennL's site or Clark Craft..they have hundreds of designs. Not sure about the aluminium sheathing...I'd like to have the wood able to "bounce" back after impact rather than have the dent in the aluminium hold it. I guess you could put a "cowcatcher" on it.
 
Have you searched the Plans/Designs forum on the Woodenboat forum? They have a number of good plans there and very knowledgable people who can point you in the right direction. Off the top of my head, I don't know of any similar Tolman plans for a smaller craft. There is a boat called a Wide Guide. Walter Barron at Old Wharf Dory (http://www.oldwharf.com/ow_boatsforsale.html) builds them and sells them. It is a V-hull but a flat bottom I believe. What would you use this boat for?

Nate
 
Well, I'd use it to replace my alaskan.

I use a boat for hunting (divers mostly), fishing (from the shalows for bass to deeper water for lakers, stripers, etc) and family outings so the open design is ideal.

I have this insatiable itch to build my own boat. The perrine is first on the queue, but after that, I'd like to replace my alaskan with the same sort of boat, built by me, with my own customizations.

A custome boat is out of the question for the next say, 20 years, due the the cost involved. Even a new alaksan is in excess of $12 grand and that is without power. Besides, what would a new alaskan give me that I don't have now?

I'd like to build a boat in plate AL, but as you probably know the cost of metals is outrageous and only getting worse. Raw materials for a 18' boat of a similar design to the alaskan, but in thick sheet (not quite plate) was well over $5 grand. That is RAW material alone for the hull. Throw in about another grand for the plans (.dfx cutting files), the cost of plasma or water jet cutting, and then the very real possibility that my welding isn't up to the job, and you have an expensive pile of aluminum scrap rather than my dream boat.

Woodworking on the other hand, I can do. I have the tools, the materials, the space and the skill. Even at the cost of marine ply and epoxy, it is a small fraction of the cost of a similarly constructed aluminum boat.

That is where I am coming from.

Charlie
 
Thanks guys, keep 'em coming.

A steeper v at entry is ideal (like many of the boats you've pointed out) since it cuts into the water.

The big thing I don't like about many of these boats is flat bottom - the lack of deadrise at the stern. As I understand it, the deeper the deadrise the better the open water handling characteristics. 15 degrees is about as far as I want to go, since over that the boat will tend to flop over at rest and during fast turns. This shape matters most on the last 1/3 of the transom toward the stern, since that is what is in the water once up on plane.

Other than that these boats are awfully close.

Charlie
 
Ken Hankinson’s old designs are now owned by Glen L or Clark craft (can’t remember which). He has some sweet plate boat designs that can all be built in alum. To note some of his designs have been bastardized-copied by some top notch plate builders here on the west coast - just to get perspective of the use-ability of their design. You will be surprised that the designs sure are close to the of spec. marine (which I suspect you got the drawing from).
Good luck,
D-
 
Charlie,

I'm glad you've finally seen the light re wooden boat

I'm kidding - honest. Why not the smallest Tolman. Huge population of helpful builders out there. Osier is going to build one soon.

I would ask the nice people over at Wooden Boat the same question... they are very helpful.

http://www.woodenboat.com/forum/index.php

Good luck, I think it's cool you are thinking about building a boat.
 
Andrew,

The dark side is calling me...

Can I be a wooden boat snob even though I haven't built one?

I don't like the upswept bow and the stern section of the hull is too flat (only 8 degrees deadrise) on the standard. I do like the chine flats on the widebody and jumbo, but the small one doesn't have a chine flat.

I'm really set on the steeper deadrise because of the ride in the chop and the chine flats would help ensure a drier ride than the older alaskans like I have (more like the IPS hull alaskans).

Other than that, the tolman us appealing.

Am I picky, ayup.

Charlie
 
Andrew,

The dark side is calling me...

Can I be a wooden boat snob even though I haven't built one?

I don't like the upswept bow and the stern section of the hull is too flat (only 8 degrees deadrise) on the standard. I do like the chine flats on the widebody and jumbo, but the small one doesn't have a chine flat.

I'm really set on the steeper deadrise because of the ride in the chop and the chine flats would help ensure a drier ride than the older alaskans like I have (more like the IPS hull alaskans).

Other than that, the tolman us appealing.

Am I picky, ayup.

Charlie
Click to expand...


I wonder if a plywood boat is too light to reasonably support a whole lot of deadrise. To be a real deeply "V"ed boat it needs to be heavy to get the v deep in the water to do the work.

T
 
Charlie

Instead of platting with Alu. how about the stuff they use on the bottom of air boats down south, Looks like a big sheet of some kind of plastic...

Scottie Rome

in Port Clyde, America
 
Derek and Harker,

Thanks for the tips - I found Ken's designs at Glen-L, and I'll be darned if they aren't the spitting images of some of the ones specmar sells. Nice find. Thanks! Pollard won't sell lines, only the DFX files and only to cutters with some sort of contract.

Looks like I can buy the plans for a wood version from Glen-L.

Here is one that has a lot of potential - Kokanee at 19' but setup for an outboard (and kicker).

http://glen-l.com/designs/hankinson/kokanee.html

Sure looks an awful lot like the Orca 648...

Doesn't show the deadrise, but it is probably 12 or 13 degrees. That'll work.

Thanks.

Tod,

Not sure about that. 12-15 degrees isn't that much and these boats are in the 1000 to 1400 lb range so they're no feather weights. That is similar to an alsakan and that ride is good on an alaskan with a moderate v like that. These aren't true deep v's (20 degrees or more at the stern), they're more of a compromise leaning toward handling in the chop.

Charlie
 
Like someone else noted check the designs at bateau.com. Plenty to choose from.
They also have a pretty active forum where the pros and cons of the various designs are discussed.

You might want to rethink the extreme deep V requirement. My understanding is that while they are great for the go fast boats and look cool, they require more power and more fuel to push than a hull with less deadrise. In addition they do roll more, particularly at rest. Not an issue on an offsore racer, but not good for fishing or tending a layout.

Ask the question on the bateau forum and you'll get more educated advice and explanation than i can give. Jacques Merten's, the actual designer, posts on his designs there as well and you can't get any more straight from the horses mouth than that.
 
Craig,

Just to be clear I'm not talking about a true deep V (20 degrees plus at the transom). The moderate v's I am looking at are in the 12-15 degree range.

Many other boats have a 4 to 6 degree vee, which is nice for shallows, but sacrifices rough water ride.

Ideally the boat I select will have a variable deadrise from a steep deadrise ~20 degree at the bow to a moderate deadrise 12-15 degrees at the aft third of the hull.

I think the moderate 12-15 degree range compromise is good.

However, I may take your advice and ask around more before I buy the plans.

Thanks,
Charlie
 
Derek and Harker,

Thanks for the tips - I found Ken's designs at Glen-L, and I'll be darned if they aren't the spitting images of some of the ones specmar sells. Nice find. Thanks! Pollard won't sell lines, only the DFX files and only to cutters with some sort of contract.

Looks like I can buy the plans for a wood version from Glen-L.

Here is one that has a lot of potential - Kokanee at 19' but setup for an outboard (and kicker).

http://glen-l.com/designs/hankinson/kokanee.html

Sure looks an awful lot like the Orca 648...

Doesn't show the deadrise, but it is probably 12 or 13 degrees. That'll work.

Thanks.

Tod,

Not sure about that. 12-15 degrees isn't that much and these boats are in the 1000 to 1400 lb range so they're no feather weights. That is similar to an alsakan and that ride is good on an alaskan with a moderate v like that. These aren't true deep v's (20 degrees or more at the stern), they're more of a compromise leaning toward handling in the chop.

Charlie
Click to expand...


C,

Gotya on the deadrise, I missed above that you were talking 15 ideal at the rear. You will just have to slap a few more hp on there, Though I am impressed with Scott Farris' 20' alaskan with a 75 four stroke 'rude does 29 mph with 2-3 people and saltwater gear (and all the stuff scott brings along).

Some great looking boats there, I wasn't aware of some of those designs. When I get real close (I think next winter) I'll revisit this topic.

T
 
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