Aluminum Boat Porn

[Paul Fitzgerald]

The Dashews have just launched their new 64 foot version of Whitehorse.

The engineering details are amazing

http://setsail.com/fpb-64-photo-details/

Enjoy.

Cant say I am a big fan of that level of complexity, or a single engine, V drive and unprotected rudder in a boat designed to cruise around the world, but they have the miles under their keels and know what they are doing.

[paladin]

That is waaaaay too much stuff......

[TerryLL]

Not the best example of the "Less is More" principle. I hope there's an extra berth for the liveaboard service tech.

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

.
"Aluminum" and "porn" sounds like a contradiction in terms to me....

Mike

[eleventhirtyfour]

I am impressed, but not in the least bit jealous. Wow. They must own shares in Alcoa by now.

[boylesboats]

This is Wooden Boat Forum...
Go post it elsewhere

[EastCoastChris]

I like that there's a picture of the boat in the engine room. You may forget what the outside looks like; looking after that lot would be a full time job.

That much effort produces a boat that ugly :rolleyes:

Chris

[mmd]

"This is Wooden Boat Forum... Go post it elsewhere" - L. Boyle


By that measure, all postings about cats, guns, politics, and guitars should go elsewhere, too.

And not a moment too soon!

[boylesboats]

I can deal with hardwares, fittings and such... but beer can boats, naaaaaa

[mmd]

Then we'll not see any more postings from you about guitars, Larry? I mean, I can deal with the woodworking bits, but strings and tuning? Naaah...

[Wooden Boat Fittings]

By that measure, all postings about cats, guns, politics, and guitars should go elsewhere, too.

Yep. To The Bilge. That's what it's for. Still on the WoodenBoat Forum though....

Mike

[essaunders]

This is boat related - thus posting in the "Misc. Boat Related" section seems appropriate.
Now, do we need a "Misc. Wooden Related" for all the non-boat, but wooden topics?

[TerryLL]

Larry, I love ya man, but get over yourself. There's been plenty of threads about aluminum and plastic boats. What about this one:


"Naval architects and designers are a waste of money!"



829 posts on this thread and 120,000 views, for a dang ugly steel boat, and no one is saying the thread is inappropriate.

Here's an idea: If you don't want to see threads about aluminum boats on this forum, then don't open them.

So watcha building these days?

[willmarsh3]

I was hoping to see what a fabulous interior all that machinery supports but nope.

[ILikeRust]

After looking at the pics, I have decided that boat should be named "Why?"

[TimH]

http://www.boattest.com/All-boats/AllBoatsThumbs/Alumacraft/Alumacraft-VB1860AWTunnelCC-run.jpg

[Tom from Rubicon]

Will.
Interior pics.
http://dashewoffshore.smugmug.com/Boats/Dashew-Offshore-Slide-Shows/10248842_pCnJk#729225653_h4EXD-A-LB

Tom from Rubicon,WI

[Ian McColgin]

The Dashews are behind boats that are overly expensive for may taste but from engineering and systems points of view they can be elegant and if one chooses even simple. The aesthetic is remorselessly efficient in terms of well defined requirements. For those reasons, even though not of wood these boats are most instructive.

[htom]

The previous post has interior and exterior shots.

I really like the labeling. I don't understand the single bow anchor. The inflatable dinghy makes no sense; since they handle it as a rigid dinghy, why not have one? (perhaps they use it for diving?) Single engine, single non-varying non-folding prop?

[TerryLL]

http://www.boattest.com/All-boats/AllBoatsThumbs/Alumacraft/Alumacraft-VB1860AWTunnelCC-run.jpg

You're on dangerous ground here Tim. I have about a thousand photos of my time as an aluminum boat builder. Happy to post them all if that's what you want.

[TimH]

The thought of getting banned DID cross my mind :)

[L.W. Baxter]

Very interesting slide shows, thanks.

Those boats are an over-the-top mix of well-considered and nicely executed ideas and a few really bizarre innovations.

Take all the lexan panels on the railing around the flying bridge, for example. Those should look fine for the first couple hours at sea. I'd think they'd be heading for the dump after the first serious voyage.

And building such a complex passage-making powerboat around a single screw just seems kind of perverse to me, somehow.

[BA.Barcolounger]

My brother has one of these that he restored...

http://www.theclassicboathouse.com/lonestar53a.jpg

^This isn't his. It's the same model though.

He completely gutted it and replaced the interior with all varnished mahogany. Odd boat. He got it for free.

[S/V Laura Ellen]

I've always liked the boats made by Kanter Yachts.
http://paulrosenyachts.com/images/d/36/Spirit_Benford_65__Medium_.jpg

[JimConlin]

There's a lot to learn from those boats.
When a constraint is relaxed, some different solutions become feasible.
The Dashew boats aren't constrained by cost and conventional outside aesthetics, and they are reported to function well.
The last cycle of AC boats, dumped constraints of cost and seaworthiness and achieved some breakthroughs in performance.

[David Tabor (sailordave)]

FUG-LY! :p

But that mechanical room is incredible!:cool:

[openboater]

I really like 'Idlewild' better, and plans are available for plywood if you wish.

http://georgebuehler.com/Idelwild.html

I wouldn't try this with the plywood version though.....

http://idlewildexpedition.ca/pictures/004_May_2005.htm

[boylesboats]

Then we'll not see any more postings from you about guitars, Larry? I mean, I can deal with the woodworking bits, but strings and tuning? Naaah...

hummmm.. ya find it in "The Bilge" not in "Misc. Boat Related"..
Anyway truthfully.. ya seldom hear much about me and geetars...

[mmd]

Misc. Boat Related doesn't say Misc. Wooden Boat Related...

There is a lot to be learned from boats in other materials. One must try not to become hidebound...

[TerryLL]

I do love that aluminum plate for its mechanical properties, and the ease with which it can be stuck together.

[mmd]

So far in my experience (and I consider this experience to be relatively extensive), the main PITA with aluminum is the risk of stray-current electrolysis in crowded marinas. That, and clients who drop pennies in the bilge and don't pick them out...

[boylesboats]

So far in my experience (and I consider this experience to be relatively extensive), the main PITA with aluminum is the risk of stray-current electrolysis in crowded marinas. That, and clients who drop pennies in the bilge and don't pick them out...

I am curious.. what will happen if someone pick them out?

New American pennies are only copper foil over zinc..

[mmd]

If they pick them out, nothing happens other than the person gets to keep their pennies and their boat...

[boylesboats]

Misc. Boat Related doesn't say Misc. Wooden Boat Related...

There is a lot to be learned from boats in other materials. One must try not to become hidebound...

Maybe I am so sick of seeing all those aluminum boats around my area...

[boylesboats]

If they pick them out, nothing happens other than the person gets to keep their pennies and their boat...

I thought there would be some changes in electrolysis...

[TerryLL]

So far in my experience (and I consider this experience to be relatively extensive), the main PITA with aluminum is the risk of stray-current electrolysis in crowded marinas. That, and clients who drop pennies in the bilge and don't pick them out...

The harbors up in Sitka were pretty darn hot, but the AL boats didn't seem to be affected, at least no one up there considered it a problem. What does that kind of electrolysis look like?

[mmd]

Larry, I'm teasing you... In your post #32 you asked what would happen if the picked out the pennies. No pennies = no problems. If they didn't, the copper in the pennies would react very badly electrically with the aluminum and cause a spot of severe galvanic corrosion. And the corrogated sheet aluminum abortions that they call "fishing" or "runabout" boats that are so common in your area are poor excuses for boats. Good at carrying stuff & people in dangerous amounts and capable of being phenominally abused and still being useable, but as a boat they are like a MacDonald's hamburger - it looks good enough to eat, but anything good in it has been removed to appeal to the widest possible demographic.

TerryLL, in the PacNorWest aluminum boats are so common that proper galvanic protection is pretty much common knowledge amongst boaters. Here in the Mixed Metal East, such is not the case and there are lots of poorly grounded electrical systems on marina docks, lots of badly maintained steel hulls, and lots of poorly protected aluminum boats. Unfortunately, this conspires to produce some sad stories and bad reputations for aluminum boats. With proper understanding of the material, good galvanic protection (zincs or impressed-current systems), and diligent marina operators there is little trouble with ally boats.

[Captain Blight]

I like what Dashew did with Sundeer. But this latest one... it looks like he was sane up till the top of the bulwarks, then he went completely off his onion. That's a shame.

[pipefitter]

Regardless of the material, much of the engineering in many of these misc threads is relative and adaptable.

Which reminds me, MMD is about due to show some project pics. What's on the drawing board?

I have had customers beg me to build an aluminum boat.

[erster]

Speaking of aluminum hulls on the eastern seaboard, many moons ago there was a well known tug boat called Hero, owned and captained by a salty guy in Ft. Laud. He built the boat using alum and an air cooled engine from Deutz. He made many miles up the river towing mega yachts to the high profile boatyards and the boat never had a single ounce of paint on the boat either.

The original builder=owner=captain that now has moved on would joke about all the aluminum yachts with their fancy two part paints blistering along their sides and seeing holes eaten away in their critical points of welds. He said that for the costs of yearly maintainance he could have himself owned like boats that he himself towed up and down the closed river. So the moral of the story too, proper selections of metals will provide lasting affects and sucessfull builds in alum. This tug is probably going on 30 plus years now.

http://www.bradfordmarinetowing.com/images/yacht-towing-6.jpg

[Paul Pless]

I have had customers beg me to build an aluminum boat.jet sleds?

[Paul Pless]

there was a well known tug boat called HeroWhat a great name for a tugboat!

[SV Papillon]

The Dashews are behind boats that are overly expensive for may taste but from engineering and systems points of view they can be elegant and if one chooses even simple. The aesthetic is remorselessly efficient in terms of well defined requirements. For those reasons, even though not of wood these boats are most instructive.

Pretty much right on Ian. The boat seems extremely simple. With the recent push of motor sailor concepts, they are taking it to the nth deg by making a concept boat for a couple who wants to go anywhere and no longer sail. That said I'm more of a Bewolf fan.

As the Dashews are tech eng purists I would be interested on there thoughts on cold molded construction.


Note for PNWers Todd formelry of Sound Rigging is outfitting the boats, his brother Brian is in one of the pics.



Jake