Semi displacement power boats

[Peter K]

I currently have a 14'6'' sailing skiff and a 16' 60hp outboard power boat. Due to the conditions here the power boat gets the most use. (7.5kn tidal stream, 15 - 30 kn winds in winter, 7.5kn tidal streams 0kn wind summer)
The thing that bugs me is that planing boats are only good when the wind, and therefore the chop is small. As the wind gets over 15 - 20 knots the chop means that it is just too uncomfortable to plane.
Off the plane, planing boats are ****e.
I have been reading about semi-displacement boats such as the Handy Billy and they sound like the perfect power boat to me. I dont really like tearing around at high speed - even in a flat calm I like to operate my boat at the lowest speed it will plane at.
What I want to know is...does anyone have any direct experience with this type of boat...?
Can you really maintain your speed in a chop.?
Has anyone any experience with Bateau.com's Nina ? Has she been built? Nina would suit me better than Handy Billy since I need to keep my boat on a trailer. I am also capable of building Nina, but probably not Handy Billy.
Your thoughts would be appreciated.
Regards Peter

[mmd]

We have a region in my home area that has similar conditions - the Northumberland Strait that seperates Prince Edward Island from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. A local type of boat has developed to cope with the 3-5 knot tides and fresh breezes and still be a speedy and capable work boat for lobster and other fishing such as swordfish and tuna. These boats are comfortable, knock spray down, and have a respectable turn of speed in not-so-pleasant conditions. They were constructed of wood-strip on bent-frames until recently when FRP took over the commercial trade. This hullform may be a reasonable solution to your problem.

What size of boat were you considering?

[Randy Leo]

mmd,
Is this what you are describing? http://pages.istar.ca/~gadus/photo27.html

http://www.civilization.ca/hist/lifelines/linsg01e.html

If so, the Northumberland Strait boat hull looks a lot like what I think is called a built-down lobster boat downeast.

Regards to all,
Randy Leo

[ 05-27-2003, 11:38 AM: Message edited by: Randy Leo ]

[John Bell]

I was just in the area MMD described where I saw a lot of these boats. I'm kicking myself for not taking a picture of one while I was there.

The typical boat is about 38-48' long (?) with a high bow, lots of flare forward, a bit of powderhorn in the sheerline, nearly plumb stem. They are very powerful looking and attractive in their own way.

[mmd]

There are considerable differences between Down-East style lobsterboats and Northumberland Strait boats, but they do share a common overall style. This comes more from the arrangement for the fishing method than any shared origins. The boats share a similar stern arrangement, but a comparison of linesplans of each shows quite different waterlines and buttocks, especially at the bow. One is designed for long-period swells, the other for short chop.

The sites you have listed show Strait boats that are of a style that has been out of fashion for at least twenty years. The boats are much beefier, wider, and more pronounced flare than those shown in your links. Check out these photos of more modern Strait boat types:

[Peter K]

Thanks fellas...interesting pics but more boat than I wish for or can afford.

My wife and I went out today and circumnavigated Prince of Wales Island which is close to Thursday Is. Picnicked on a tiny island and snorkelled the reef.
Its about 50 miles all up.
In the lee we barrelled along fine but when we turned the corner into the wind we were reduced to maybe 8 knots (guesstimate).
As I increased revs the stinking thing just dug a big hole in the water and stuck its nose in the air. It didn't really go any faster until it slipped onto the plane on the back of a wave.
Then the revs shot up and speed was too high for the conditions.
Backing off the revs dropped it back into a hole.
This boat has no speed between 10 and 20 knots.

So...what I want is a boat that can manage speeds in the 10-20 knot range. (maybe even upto only 15 knots)
Something like 20'- 22'OAL. No bigger.
Plywood,- stitch and glue if I have to, but not otherwise.
Able to maintain speed in a short chop.
To be used for picnics, camping and fishing.
To live on a trailer.

Do boats like Handy Billy and Nina fit the bill?
Ive never seen such a boat and have little idea of their performance.

Cheers Peter