Hylan's Hird Island & Similar

[jtrieck]

I am looking for a shallow draft skiff for sail, electric power, & row.

The Hird Island Skiff is one option.

Does anyone know of others?

Thanks.

[James McMullen]

Any sail & oar boat that rows well can use an electric trolling motor successfully. Generally, the more you slant it towards powering, with space and structure dedicated to banks of bigger batteries and larger propellers and inboard drive shafts and such, the worse it will do rowing and sailing with all that extra weight and drag.

What do you want to do most?

Any lightweight, efficient rowboat hull will do okay with a trolling motor, though.

[Thorne]

Tell us more -- crew size, cargo weight, camping/non-camping, primary propulsion = sail / oar / electric ???

Gazillions of designs out there that will draw less than 8-12" loaded with CB and rudder swung up.

[jtrieck]

Sure guys, here is some more info:

I am looking for a boat that is the best compromise between the following goals:

1. Canoe-like. I like to go fly fishing on the local slooow moving rivers and small lakes here in the Texas Hill Country. A 13 to 15' "sporting canoe" (double-ended, 39" wide beam) works pretty well. Paddling or poling works better than oars because the rivers are narrow & it is good to manuever. I don't want a canoe because I'd like a bit more stability when standing & casting. I also would like an integrated electric motor/battery set-up so the line doesn't wrap on the cables motor & such.

2. Sailing capability. Ideally, a small sailing rig that can stow inside the boat would be good for messing around when the wind is too high for fishing.

3. Capacity for 2 (maybe 3). Room for a fishing buddy to guide the boat while another fishes. Go for an evening cruise with my wife...that sort of stuff.

4. Sub 200# hull weight (sans battery, motor, sailing rig) - so I can wrestle it over shallow parts or difficult launching areas.



REASONS I LIKE THE HIRD ISLAND SKIFF:

1. Shape. It's relatively narrow at the ends with a low freeboard, so I think I could paddle or pole it by sitting a the fore & aft thwarts. The good beam and flat bottom should give it adequate initial stability for standing & casting.

2. Propulsion. The sailing rig appears trim & spars short. I really like how the motor is enclosed & the batteries stowed forward. Oar locks will work for open water pulls & it looks like the ends are narrow enough for paddling or poling.

3. Seating arrangement. The two seats aft will be nice for those evening cruises. Interior looks nice & open for flexibility while fishing and moving around.


REASONS I DON'T LIKE THE HIRD ISLAND SKIFF:

1. Paddling. That wide middle will make paddling alone difficult. I don't know if that can be avoided given my desire for a wide beam for stability while casting.

2. Skeg. A nice smooth bottom would be ideal, however the skeg may be necessary for decent sailing ability as well as protecting the motor head.



So thanks for reading, let me know if you have any other ideas. I am very open-minded!

[Thorne]

Not many boats will meet your requirements, as the need to stand while casting and the need to have it narrow enough to paddle are in direct opposition to each other. Sailing also makes more beam desirable to reduce tenderness / tippyness under sail.

The skeg is needed for directional stability / control particularly under oar and sail, so not much of a downside there.

The David Nicols' non-sailing designs may be of interest, including the Lutra Flyfisher, Laker and Little Laker -

http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/nichols/flyfisher/flyfisher.jpg

http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/nichols/index.htm

[Steve Paskey]

For those who haven't seen it, the Hird Island Skiff. I like it: very shapely lines for a little skiff.

http://www.dhylanboats.com/images/hird_island_sail.jpg

http://www.dhylanboats.com/images/hird_island_const.jpg

http://www.dhylanboats.com/images/hird_island1.jpg

[jtrieck]

I've seen the Lutra Fly Fisher. I am basically trying to find something like that but with sailing capabilities & electric motor facilities.

Hird Island does have good lines , no?

[mcdenny]

A critical question when it comes to electric power is range - how far and at what speed. A ballpark range/speed figure for boats like you are considering is about 10 miles at 4ish mph with one 60# battery. Two 60# batteries will take you a bit more than twice as far.

I've adapted Hylan's "cut off trolling motor in a well" idea to my Oughtred Arctic Tern. The well is 4.5" x 14" and the hole in the bottom is 3.75" x 10.5" You could do the same for pretty much any boat.

For sure you should try more efficient props (like APC model airplane props) and make a fairing for the round motor tube. These two simple mods will increase your range 50% when running at 4 - 5 mph.

[Steve Paskey]

Hird Island does have good lines , no?

Yep. There's something about the curve of the sheer in plan view (from above, looking down) that reminds me of Herreshoff's Coquina. I think it has to do with the relative proportions of the maximum beam to the width of the transom, and position of the maximum beam in relation to bow and stern.