Culler's Otter Bateau

[davebrown]

Salty Dogs: I have recently got ahold of Culler's new book, and I was intrigued by the photos and descriptions of Culler's Otter Bateau. Has anyone built that boat? How is rough water capacity? It looks to be a little bit more seaworthy than a three plank skiff...

Opinions?

[adampet]

Culler's new book? I didn't know there was such a thing. Not sure how rough water capable, though Capt. Pete rowed a lot in Hyannis Harbor and Nantucket Sound, both of which are choppy . It should be a fast boat, though I imagine wet at times. All depends on the rower.

Hopefully Ben Fuller will chime in here.

Adam

[rbgarr]

A consideration with low-sided, narrow boats like Otter is not rowing into or with sizeable waves, but across them. The low height of the oarlocks off the water can make it awkward for the oar blades to clear wave tops without banging the oar handles on your thighs and knees, even when the boat is lightly loaded. It gets old fast as you go slower and slower.

[davebrown]

I should say, the combined texts of two of his prior books--now offered by the wooden boat store as one of their new items.

I have Gardner's books but none of Culler's.

[rbgarr]

There is also material included from other publications.

[Thorne]

Would those two books be _Skiffs and Schooners_ , and _Boats, Oars & Rowing_ ??? I'm guessing you are referring to this book -

http://www.woodenboatstore.com/images/300722.jpg
In the latter he shows some designs that would be better for launching through surf or heavy swell, which have a lot more freeboard than the low-sided rowing designs he favors for speed.

Check out Michalak's "Batto" --
..."Batto is a close copy of the Pete Culler clipper bateau Otter which appears in John Burke's book PETE CULLER'S BOATS. Batto is only very slightly different in shape and size from the original Otter and is in no way intended to be a parody of it, only a reworking to the type of construction I prefer. Burke points out that the boat is about as close as you can get to a racing shell with traditional hull, and that it was unforgiving and cranky if improperly used and very elegant and fast if properly used."
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/jim/batto/index.htm

[davebrown]

I looked at that website prior to posting. The "batto" seems closer to a gloucester gull or an oarling (though granted the batto is a double ender) than the photos of Culler's Otter.

Well, I guess that is what interpretation is all about--close but not exact.

I keep having the hankering to build a double sliding seat pulling boat. But I have been learning how to sail lately and want to build a Whilly boat, or something similar, as well.

It's a sickness worse than motorcycles.