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Hayes

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Ok guys. I have been trolling and finding pictures of other builds and have decided on the BB3. I have a couple questions.

1. Is it possible to have the make the boat a few inches wider, taller, and longer as long as I stay true to stringer spacing.

2. What motors are most of you guys running? Definitely looking for an outboard. Possibly 30-40 hp. Would like four stroke. Anyone else running a four stroke. Is it too heavy?
 
Hayes, Welcome to the best place on the interweb. Fill out your registration so we can tell where you are. Trust me , you won't believe the connections made on here. You made a very good choice in a BB3, I don't have one (yet) but have had the pleasure of riding in one and if I were to do it all over again I would not have built a boat with frames but a stitch and glue. I did build a Devlin Poleboat after my Armstrong Broadbill and will never build on frame again. Plenty of free advice here (some worth that) but a great crew.
 
Ok guys. I have been trolling and finding pictures of other builds and have decided on the BB3. I have a couple questions.

1. Is it possible to have the make the boat a few inches wider, taller, and longer as long as I stay true to stringer spacing.

2. What motors are most of you guys running? Definitely looking for an outboard. Possibly 30-40 hp. Would like four stroke. Anyone else running a four stroke. Is it too heavy?
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Yes on stretching, you just have to be mindful not to exceed your plywood if you don't want the extra work of making your plywood bigger. You can add to the lenctg, width or height. I added max side height to my snow goose, so that I got max side height with the ply.... Maybe a couple inches, I forget.

Go with max motor at least. Some have four strokes, I do and am happy.
 
Can you modify the plans??? I think the better question would be can you build a boat from plans that have not been modified? If that is if the latter is a true statement I have not done that. The beauty of building a stitch n glue boat is that you can modify to do anything and be anything that you wanted to so long as the laws of physics allow it to be.
Honker plans vs Mine



Scaup plans vs Mine

 
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I'm about 1/2 way through my BB3 build and started a thread yesterday RE motors. I wanted and etec at first. But the more I though about I don't want to compromise. I'm looking now at the Tohatsu 40hp. So far it's the only new 40 I can find in a short shaft. But it comes with e-start and power tilt trim standard. You can also get it in either 2 or 4 stroke.

I didn't deviate from the drawings. BUT when I was sent the drawings, I got the older version of plans. Apparently, they updated the plans and dive you the option of the traditional motor well or having the transom all the way back. By the time I figured this out, I had already cut the bottom of the boat out for the tradition config. Wasn't happy I was sent the older plans.

But life goes on and it's water under the bridge. And...this just my first boat build. I put Kevlar on the bottom with glass cloth over that. If I can be of any help just ask. If I can figure out the photo bucket I'll post pictures.
 
1. I'm definitely putting the motor all the way back.
2. Taller gunnel (few inches)
3. Wider (few inches)
4. The front platform fairly flat for carrying gear.
 
Hayes,

You are new enough here that I/we know nothing about you, where you are located or what parameters you intend to run your new build. It might seem that I am nosy but with that added info we can better advise you to a successful boat building experience. Your call of course.

Do you have experience building boats? The reason I ask is changing a tried and true design without realizing the ramifications of your changes could result in a boat you are not happy with.

Specifically, there have been a few builders who dispensed with the sponsons on the BB3, putting the motor all the way back, and regretted it. I have a BB3 with sponsons, to the original design parameters, and it is the most stable boat I have ever been in. Can't imagine it without the sponsons. If you truely think you need more room, build a different boat like the Scaup or Snow Goose - both Devlin designs. You don't need neither a taller gunnel nor a wider boat for safety or stability.

Just trying to help,
 
I am curious about making it wider. Why? I certainly would talk to Sam. The design of the BBII and BBII are a bit pumpkin seed shaped. I guess I wonder how that would effect performance with out significantly changing the length. I had a BBII for a few years... I know many that have the BBII or BBIII will disagree but I think a BB with 1 and a dog and 4 doz decoys is FULL... I would not be comfortable in heavy seas, 2 men, and real dog, and a full supply of decoys.
 
It is not for safety or stability. It is merely for a little more storage room under the gunnel and the wideness to hopefully make it float a little shallower. I'm not talking feet here, only inches. I just personally do not like the sponsons. My ideal boat will look a lot like Cody Williams boat with very slight mods.
 
Hayes,

You are obviously set on the no-sponsons design. Good luck.

I have hunted many seasons out of my BB3 with two guys, a 100 lb Chessie and 4-6 doz blocks. It was tight but worked fine, I would have no issues recommending it to you.
 
It is not for safety or stability. It is merely for a little more storage room under the gunnel and the wideness to hopefully make it float a little shallower. I'm not talking feet here, only inches. I just personally do not like the sponsons. My ideal boat will look a lot like Cody Williams boat with very slight mods.
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It's just the opposite of what you are thinking. Without the motor well the stern will not float shallower. It squats more without the motor well. The storage gain is minimal. When I build my next boat it will have the motor well but I will deck the area in front of the motor. I've come to the conclusion that is no-mans land and would be better off decked and space underneath used for storage.

Eric
 
Hayes
You may want to look at the scaup 16.
Its wider and longer, and may come with plans for a full transom.
You could shorten the boat, this way you're only having to change one thing.
Good luck
Pat
 
The Scaup plans do not come with a traditional transom, but it is easily modified to accommodate it.

As mentioned some feel that two men plus dog plus decoys is safe... I think Pete's is FULL with Pete and his decoys. Everyone has their own comfort level. Is there anyone in your area that has a BBIII that you can touch and feel to get an idea of the size?
 
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It's just the opposite of what you are thinking. Without the motor well the stern will not float shallower. It squats more without the motor well.
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Exactly. They add sponsons on the back of jon boats (esp. tunnel hull) in order to decrease the draft and get them to jump up on plane faster. All our tunnel hulls boats here at work have sponsons. Setting the motor all the way back vs. in the motor well will have the effect of changing the center of gravity, moving the "pivot" point relative to the prop, increasing the draft and causing the transom to squat (as Eric indicated).

If you are hunting deeper water, maybe this is no big deal. But most duck hunters I know need as shallow draft as possible in any given hull.
 
I went through these same iterations. Do I build higher sides, etc. etc. I was leaning towards building a Scaup for the longest time but also considered the BB3. I will be hunting solo with my dog often, with a teen sometimes, and occasionally with another adult. After all of this waffling I finally accepted the reality that there just isn't one perfect boat. I went with the BB3 because it's what I thought was the middle of the road. I've also been eyeballing the momarsh fatboy for solo hunts where canoe/kayak access is only way in. Then I will consider if I need a larger boat. My hunting partner has an 18' Lund Alaskan so if we are hunting together that's covered.

I also considered nixing the motor well. I'm glad I didn't. I'm looking at motors and will be putting a 30 or 40hp on it. To get the features I want (e-start and power tilt/trim) the motor will weight between 180-230. The sponsons will support this much better than having the motor back further, which will raise the bow up unless you take rocker out of the bottom. I've read other treads about these boats porpoising and other builders installing wedges under the sponsons to fix that.
 
It is not for safety or stability. It is merely for a little more storage room under the gunnel and the wideness to hopefully make it float a little shallower. I'm not talking feet here, only inches. I just personally do not like the sponsons. My ideal boat will look a lot like Cody Williams boat with very slight mods.
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I've only had first hand experience with my own boat but with the transom all the way back the BB3 is an extremely stable boat-I ran a 175lb longtail on mine and I'm sure it could have handled a good bit more weight. The other mod that I made with mine was removing the rear rocker in the hull-that may have had something to do with the stability and how quickly it jumped on plane but again I only have my own modded boat to judge by. The hull floats pretty shallow as it is, I don't think you will gain much draft-wise by filling in the sponson space but it will change the performance a bit. Adding about 5 square feet of planing area at the rear of the hull does make a difference! The BB3 is a very wide boat as it is, how much width were you thinking of adding?
 
I know that taking away the sponsons and moving the motor back will make it draft more water.

I was thinking a little bit more width would offset some of this.

Is there anyone that moved the motor back wished they had not after the build was over? And if so, what are the reasons?

Is there anyone that moved the well back and liked it? and reasons?

All input is greatly appreciated, and it all will be taken into consideration. Does the bb3 plans not come with the option to move the transom back? I read that there are new plans that off this option. I know the ds15 bateau does and the boats look very similar.
 
I can only say that I moved the motor back on the Scaup. (I also added 1.5" to the sides, and a foot to the length) I will say that my Scaup performed well in it's first season. The 12 gal built in fuel tank is under the motor well. I like the traditional transom on mine. Two or three people on this site have been in mine, perhaps Tom, Wiz, Dave, or Pete could note if mine has deficiencies in it. All that being said, mine is 17-18% larger. Below is a picture of the motor well duting the build process.


To modify the plans, is very easy.... change where you cut the wood...

I have a 50hp Yamaha on it, and I will say that it does sit low in the water. The Scaup is NOT a skinny water boat to begin with. I suppose if I did not have the whaleback deck I would be concerned with the transom freeboard. Not to mention the wake wave. I previously had a BBII, and I will say that with a 25 on it, I had to watch I quickly I cut the power fo rthis reason.
 
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I know that taking away the sponsons and moving the motor back will make it draft more water.

I was thinking a little bit more width would offset some of this.

Is there anyone that moved the motor back wished they had not after the build was over? And if so, what are the reasons?

Is there anyone that moved the well back and liked it? and reasons?

All input is greatly appreciated, and it all will be taken into consideration. Does the bb3 plans not come with the option to move the transom back? I read that there are new plans that off this option. I know the ds15 bateau does and the boats look very similar.
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Hayes-Again I only have my boat to judge from, but I am 100% happy with the way the boat performed with the transom moved back. My plan didn't include the option but it isn't hard to figure out how to do it. If you wanted to add more width, maybe the best thing to do would be to add 2-3" at each side of the transom and re-fair the chine curve from the hull midpoint back, that way you will get more width where it counts but not affect the chine forward of the midpoint? Or I suppose you could just add width to the whole hull bottom, as long as you can fit your panels onto a sheet of plywood.
 
Hey Cody. I must have missed your last reply. I was only thinking a few inches at most, if at all. How wide is your boat? I just like the idea of the motor all the way back like yours, but apparently other people do not think it is a great idea.
 
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