Plans for a Big Honkin' Family Runabout?

[AndrewT]

Hiya,

Anybody know of available plans for something like the Monomoy First Light? I like the look and size of this boat; seems like she'd be a good family cruiser with plenty of space. I'm just about done with the kids' Westport Skiff, and then I'm going to build an Adirondack Guideboat for myself. After that, I'm looking for a large-ish family runabout to work on.

Monomoy First Light
(The top two versions)

Thanks.

[Breakaway]

Try googling Doug Hylan's Top Hat design

There is also Phil Bolger's Fisherman's Launch

Kevin

[David G]

My first thought was Atkin:

http://www.atkinboatplans.com/Utilities/index2.html

Maybe something like the open version of the Spermacetti:

http://www.atkinboatplans.com/Utilities/Spermaceti.html




Or Bowdidge's "Bosun Mate":

http://bowdidgemarinedesigns.com/Bow...s_Mate_23.html




Maybe Harry Bryan's "Sardine"?

[Robert Meyer]

You might look over the Chesapeake Marine Design Ragtime.



Also look over the Ocean Pointers.
Those Monomoys from Pease Boats would be my first choice - If ever win the lottery. So beautiful they take your breath away.

[AndrewT]

Top Hot is a fine-looking option; I've bookmarked that one (although the plans are a little pricey, particularly compared to his other designs). Ragtime is also good-looking; shame it's not 6' longer. I suppose you could space the frames a little farther apart than the plans call for to stretch her out, but that seems like asking for trouble.

[skaraborgcraft]

My immidiate thought was Sam Devlins Surf Runner,or even his new Blue Blazer, but its an inboard diesel option, though will be far more frugal to run than either of those gas hogs! Atkin "beldame" is a thing of grace. Whats your preffered power? Cheers

[AndrewT]

I don't care for Devlin's stuff, but the Beldame might be an option. I'm looking for some photos of her now.

I'm not too particular about power at this point. I can get an outboard motor relatively cheaply, so that's a plus...but an inboard diesel wouldn't turn me off, either.

[JimConlin]

Our hosts sell plans for an Eldridge McInnis bass boat.


More at http://www.woodenboat.com/boat-plans-kits/bassboat

If $300 for a set of plans is daunting, you're not ready for a project like this.

[AndrewT]

Didn't say $300 was daunting; I said it was pricey compared to their other designs. In fact it's the most expensive design I remember seeing on their site, which I just think is a little odd - particularly since it isn't the biggest boat they sell plans for.

Thanks for the link.

[JimConlin]

I'd pay a considerable premium for a set of plans where the designer is living, in the same time zone, answers the phone and has built the boat.

[AndrewT]

What would you pay for 2 out of 4? Pretty sure he's alive and has built the boat...but website makes it pretty clear he expects plans and FAQ to suffice when it comes to construction help.

But we're getting seriously off-topic here. In the grand scheme of things, $300 is a pittance compared to the cost of the boat, and I'm not worried about it. Again, the only reason I brought it up at all was because I thought it was weird that it was his most expensive plan but not his biggest boat. Shoulda just kept my mouth shut. If I could find some pictures of the Beldame, it might be a moot point. She looks like she might fit the bill, but frankly, Atkin's website is so ugly that it doesn't do his designs any favors. Call me a child of the modern era, but a few pictures or a 3D rendering go a long way toward selling a set of plans IMO. Lines drawings are pretty, but for some of us it's hard to visualize a finished product based on lines alone.

[David G]

AT,

Interesting how perceptions vary. I find the Atkin website to be quite nice. Easy to navigate, good information, etc. I know they include fotos where fotos are extant. Would be kinda hard to get William & John to come back from the dead, though, and add 3D versions of their boats. Their plans (most plans - of that era, and this) didn't originally include a 3D sketch, though I agree they're nice when available.

[skaraborgcraft]

Wierd, i always thought the Atkin site , with many hull lines and sections were more revealing of hull shape than a photo. Of course,you have a point, im sure many people visit the site and get put off by its simplicity........

[mcdenny]

I built a Hylan Pretty Marsh 21 stretched to 24' ten years ago. It gives a remarkably smooth, dry ride on our very choppy river. The 260 hp I/O is a lot more power than I'd use now. Top speed is 50 mph. Materials cost about $25k back then including $11k for the drive package.

There is picture on the 'about the builder' page on my web site www.wolfeboats.com.

We're I building another boat like this now (and I am) I'd use a much smaller outboard. I totally agree about the great looks of the First Light and copied it as best I could for my new design.

Denny Wolfe

[skaraborgcraft]

Denny, we need more pics of your new 24ft launch...especially of that stern. Maybe this is a suitable boat for AndrewT too, should you be offering plans.....

[Oldad]

Has anybody mentioned Hylan's Big Ben, if Andrew is looking for a big honking runabout that would fill the bill for me. Lots of space, relatively easy build and easy to layout the interior to suit.

[AndrewT]

I hadn't looked at the Ben Garveys, but I just checked them out on Hylan's site. I much prefer the Top Hat, although I have to say, at this point I'm strangely attracted to the Marsh Hen. She's a bit bigger than the Top Hat and a different style, but seems like a great platform for a family dayboat. Right now, these two are at the top of my list based on suggestions posted above.

Thanks for the input.

[skaraborgcraft]

Marsh Hen is hardly a stonkin runabout.....but....she looks like a great boat,how big a cockpit do you need? Even a small cabin big enough to answer nature will be appriciated by the ladies,and some men.... squeeze a couple of bunks in there,and suddenly your stonkin runabout has became a much more user friendly and adaptable platform. I would take this over an open boat for my time on the water. Still a hefty boat. Now, if you are going to be open to suggestions for similar boats there will be even more choice! Cheers

[AndrewT]

What I am specifically looking for is a boat large enough for a family of four plus perhaps a friend or three to spend the day on, in protected water (big lake, bays, etc. - no offshore) in comfort and style. Plenty of seating, a place to get out of the sun (but not necessarily indoors), plenty of room for lounging about, iceboxes, etc. Almost certainly needs enough "oomph" to pull a couple of kids on an inner tube, and being able to pull a water skier wouldn't be a bad thing either. Prefer something trailerable, although I'm not going too far with it. Be nice to be able to fish from the cockpit - mostly catfish, not kingfish. Simple construction - this isn't going to be a yacht - painted finish, tough, attractive, but not plain.

So the Marsh Hen looks like it could do most of that; but so does Top Hat. I'd be inclined to build Top Hat without the cuddy cabin up-front and instead add a hardtop or bimini...but that plan's not fully-baked, so no yelling.

[John Martin]

Give Matthew Smith a call. He is the designer of the Monomoy 23' and 26' sold by Pease. If I am not mistaken he owns the rights to the boat plans but Pease owns rights to the name of the boat. He has a couple other boats on his site that I believe he will make plans available for. Can't hurt to ask. Not sure of plans pricing though since he is not a plans house. I can say his plans are probably pretty detailed based on what I have seen on his site.

John

[mcdenny]

Denny, we need more pics of your new 24ft launch...especially of that stern. Maybe this is a suitable boat for AndrewT too, should you be offering plans.....

Not much happening to take pics of, hope to get back to the boat in August. Too many other chores.

I wish I had plans but don't have the motivation or CAD skills to draw them up. I wouldn't mind entering the WB design contest but can't without plans.

Denny Wolfe

[skaraborgcraft]

Not much happening to take pics of, hope to get back to the boat in August. Too many other chores.

I wish I had plans but don't have the motivation or CAD skills to draw them up. I wouldn't mind entering the WB design contest but can't without plans.

Denny Wolfe

Apologies for thread drift........ didnt you do all your design on computer.....thought you had all your plank shapes spat out by programme??
Its actually a big time consuming deal to go through and measure everything for a set of drawrings if everything has not been sized already....that can really slow a build down AND kill motivation. Keep at it. Drift over, Cheers.

[AndrewT]

Denny - I'm a bit of a CAD guy myself. I spend all day with AutoCAD and SolidWorks, and dabble a bit in Rhino. I've done some work for other boat guys who are builders more than drafters. Maybe we can help each other out. PM me if you'd like to talk about it. If not, no worries - keep building those pretty boats.

[mcdenny]

Apologies for thread drift........ didnt you do all your design on computer.....thought you had all your plank shapes spat out by programme??
Its actually a big time consuming deal to go through and measure everything for a set of drawrings if everything has not been sized already....that can really slow a build down AND kill motivation. Keep at it. Drift over, Cheers.

More thread drift .. I did the design in Freeship but that is nothing like a cad program producing dimensioned drawings. It will do weirdly dimensioned plank expansions and produce a table of offsets but the builder is on his own after that.

Denny Wolfe

[AndrewT]

More thread drift .. I did the design in Freeship but that is nothing like a cad program producing dimensioned drawings. It will do weirdly dimensioned plank expansions and produce a table of offsets but the builder is on his own after that.

That's correct. If you want dimensioned drawings, AutoCAD is your best bet. AutoCAD is also the way to go if you want files suitable for CNC machining. This is exactly what I've done for a few other builders - create CNC files from either drawings or preliminary CAD files. SolidWorks is nice for pretty 3D models, but I suspect Rhino and one of its plug-ins is better for realistic renders. I don't get into that stuff much (Rhino renders).

[skaraborgcraft]

More thread drift .. I did the design in Freeship but that is nothing like a cad program producing dimensioned drawings. It will do weirdly dimensioned plank expansions and produce a table of offsets but the builder is on his own after that.

Denny Wolfe

More drift.......Isnt that all anyone really needs?? Since when do pretty 3-D drawrings ever help?? Am i missing something or has the whole world moved on without me.....??? Cheers

[AndrewT]

Since when do pretty 3-D drawrings ever help?? Am i missing something or has the whole world moved on without me.....??? Cheers

Clearly you are a builder and not a marketer. Pretty 3D renderings help sell things to people who can't visualize things from lines drawings. They also help less-experienced builders (much like myself) visualize things that aren't necessarily clear on a lines drawing. They might not be absolutely necessary, but they're nice to have.

[skaraborgcraft]

Clearly you are a builder and not a marketer. Pretty 3D renderings help sell things to people who can't visualize things from lines drawings. They also help less-experienced builders (much like myself) visualize things that aren't necessarily clear on a lines drawing. They might not be absolutely necessary, but they're nice to have.

Unfortunately i have not kept pace with everything CAD wise, and the only programme i ever really used in the past was "plyboats" , which is probably so behind Freeship and Rhino its a bit of a joke. To be honest,being able to put up a moving 3D detailed boat on a webpage would no doubt,as you suggest, have a much bigger marketing effect. I would love to have the time to master Freeship,but anything more than that is wasted on me. I actually enjoy having very large sheets of paper around to doodle on.Kudos to you for having the mindset to cope with CAD! Cheers

[AndrewT]

It's funny you say that, because one of the first things I do when I get a set of lines is to print it on big sheets of paper so I can doodle by hand.

[donald branscom]

Hardly any photos on these threads anymore.

[AndrewT]

They make it so hard to post photos; each time I want to do it I have to go back through a dozen old threads to figure out (again) how to post them. I swear the routine changes from one post to the next.

[AndrewT]

So, here's a brief update on this particular search. Of all the suggestions above, Hylan's Top Hat was my favorite. I've corresponded with Doug, and unfortunately, that boat is probably not going to fit the bill. It's designed rather specifically for semi-displacement (semi-planing?), which likely rules out pulling anything faster than an inner-tube. While I'm not looking strictly for a speedboat, I do need something that will plane and pull a kid or two on skis. (My kids don't ski yet, but I'm assuming they will.)

Doug suggested his Pretty Marsh, but frankly that one doesn't speak to me. Another likely contender is Kevin Doyle's 22' Yacht Tender, which I really like the looks of. Anybody know if he's still around, and/or does he offer plans for sale? I sent an email to the address on his website, but it immediately came back with some kind of undeliverable error.

I haven't contacted the designer of the First Light yet, but that's on my list of things to do. Pease Boat Works' website doesn't mention performance data for the boat, but it does list a 140hp motor as standard, which seems big enough to push that boat up on plane.

[rbgarr]

I'm not too particular about power at this point. I can get an outboard motor relatively cheaply, so that's a plus...but an inboard diesel wouldn't turn me off, either.

Ethanol in gas fuel is a problem up this way unless you burn through it within a few weeks. I understand Yanmar made diesel outboards at one time though mostly for foreign markets.http://www.marine-power.co.uk/d2736.htm

Anyone had experience with any diesel outboards?

[AndrewT]

No kidding? I've never even heard of a diesel outboard.

On a completely different note, how about this thing:

[donald branscom]

Our hosts sell plans for an Eldridge McInnis bass boat.


More at http://www.woodenboat.com/boat-plans-kits/bassboat

If $300 for a set of plans is daunting, you're not ready for a project like this.

Now that looks great!!!
Protected propeller, cuddy cabin for the seasick .
Easy to hose down the fish blood.


This was built by The Landing School.Design #542