W.B.'s Gentleman's 16' runabout

[gert]

What size powerplant would this boat require (idealy to also pull a skier)? Would a IH slant 4 work? It's displacement is 849lbs. Also, could you move the motor slightly forward and enlarge the cockpit to carry four people or is this boat simply too small? Hopefully this type of boat is to be my next project because it will fit in my shop, which means I can work on it in winter.

[ 10-08-2002, 07:54 PM: Message edited by: gert ]

[Matt Middleton]

Hi gert- not much in the way of replies here, huh?

I don't know enough to definitively answer, but I could offer my best guess, and then hope someone will come in here to straighten the mess. The term "gentleman's runabout" seems now to be used for any mahogany runabout type boat, but seems like it used to be used as much for slow (maybe only dosplacement speeds), low power transportation on the water. The fact that this one is described as "low power" makes me think it wouldn't be suitable for what you want.

I personally like the Tahoe designs (19 and 23 ft.) from Ken Hankinson, but like you would rather have a 16 or so ft. boat. I wonder if the Tahoe concept could be redone in a 16 ft. boat, with outboard, outdrive, or V-drive so you could have a larger single cockpit. It may be worth investigating.

Good luck with the search!

[John A. Campbell]

Gert, I purchased a set of the 16-foot "Gentleman's Runabout" plans several years ago and also obtained a set of Hacker's "Lorraine" 16-foot runabout plans from The Texas Dory. The plans are identical.....same lines and offsets. I never built the boat full size but did build a 1/4 scale model and have four 1/5 scale models about 80% finished at this time.....plan to install 12-volt drive motors with nickel metal hydride batteries and radio control equipment in them. When I first began contemplating building the full size boat, I contacted Nelson Zimmer (the architect involved with the Woodenboat G. R. ) regarding engine size. He strongly suggested that anything over around 400 pounds would be asking for trouble and I have also heard from other sources that engine weights upwards of 400 pounds would result in porpoising effect. Also, John Hacker wrote in the construction article for "Lorraine" that engine weight was a serious consideration and I believe the Scripps F4 was the engine of choice at that time (1923). Gert, the 1/4 scale model performs very well with dual electric motors geared down 3:1 to a single shaft with 2 7/8" prop and a 7-pound lead acid battery but in this case the battery is located in the aft section of the hull right behind the seat. I'm quite certain that the model would not perform well with this much weight moved to the engine compartment even if the drive motors were moved aft. I understand that a 1/4 scale model might not be a good measure of the performance of the full size boat but I can tell you for certain that this model is very weight sensitive.

[chesterm]

Gert, The Gentlemen's runabout is a bit small to squeeze a four-seat cockpit into it. I would suggest looking into Nelson Zimmers 22 footers offered through wooden boat. I too spoke with Nelson in the mid 1990's about modifications to a couple of his designs. No surprise that he recommended against it. Many of us knew the late Captain Jim Orrell who ran Texas Dory Boat Plans of Galveston Texas. He sold John Hacker's build-a-boat series plans that included runabouts just like the Gentlemans Runabout at 16, 18, 20 etc. I have some of the over 25 foot designs and some step hydroplane designs. If anyone out there in forumland has copies of the 18-22 foot Hackers please let Gert (and me) know. Gert, I have also heard that the Mariners Museum in Newport News Virgnina may have gotten copies of the old hacker plans. Regards, mitchell in CT

[gert]

My shop is definatly the governing factor here(I wanna work in winter too); I suppose I could sqeeze 18' into it but it won't be easy. Designes here have been discussed earlier but ther realy isn't much to choose from. My ideal is a barrel back with a sloped transome, direct drive, 4 passenger cockpit. Construction method is open at this time. I never considered the weight of the motor to be factor and I'm glad it was pointed out. Can a 22' plan be shrunk? I already added a 6' addition to the shop on the back; I suppose another could be added to the front but thats the street side and could attract city hall.

[chesterm]

Hey Gert - pick the design you want and fit the shop to the project, if that is reasonable of course. It's easy to sit here and tell you that it's no problem to do such things. At my last house I blew the back wall of the garage out and created a garage-shed hybrid structure to fit the boat project. If you added six feet, can ya make it ten? the street-side addition sounds like a no-no. I'm thinking you need that open cockpit utility barrelback design of Ken Hankinson's at 19 feet (built to the 20 foot option length). I've got plenty of moral support for you here in the States. Mitchell

[gert]

Chesterm: thats how we did the last boat. By adding 6' to the shop I got all my son's metal working stuff out of the way. The shop is 20x20 plus the 6' thats not realy usable for the boat cause it's his space; another 2' out front would probably do the trick; but how to make it look legitimat and not an eye sore to SWMBO is the biggest hurdle.

[John A. Campbell]

Gert, unless you're dead set on the 16-foot Hacker (and I can appreciate that), here's another possibility: The Antique Boat Museum at Clayton, NY has a 16-foot Gar Wood "Speedster" on display and I understand that they have developed lines and offsets from it. You would most likely have to loft the boat.....I doubt if they made patterns....but lofting is much fun and quite necessary for this project in my opinion. I have read articles in Classic Boating magazine where owners of the "Speedster" have installed V6's in them and quite possibly small V8's. A word of caution.....the "Speedster" is reportedly a very fast boat but visibility is somewhat lacking due to the crown of the deck as compared to the seat arrangement. I have heard nothing about its ski towing capabilities.

[rustnrot]

Miss Behave, one of the original 15 or so Gar Wood Speedsters built, on display at the Antique Boat Museum, www.abm.org (http://www.abm.org) in Clayton, NY has had the lines taken off it. During the Race Boat Regatta last August, I inquired and purchased a 5-6 drawing set of lines, offsets, and other details from them for $50. Be forewarned however, that even that "original" Speedster at the museum has had extra scoops and a V8 engine added over the years.

Last month, we finished building a replica Gar Wood speedster, tomorrow I will try to figure out how to post some pics. We powered it with a 300 hp Crusader fuel injected closed-cooling 350 cu. inch engine. Very fast, very stable, no porpoising. Visibility is only a problem until you get on plane then it is fine. I seems to plane around 22 mph or so. All reproduction hardware, dimensionally accurate.

[mhoffman]

Gert-
I know what you mean about the gentleman's runabout- the design is beautiful, however I don't think there is any way to fit four folks in it. I am currently building the 22ft version (Palm Beach) and the cockpit will be comfortably full with four.
Considering your space, keep in mind you need at least a couple of feet all around for working. Just my 2 cents...
Matt