Low power planing skiff - inboard?

[SurlaCraque]

Hi folks I'm getting curious about acquiring / building my next boat. I've been mostly a sailor but I'm thinking of getting a motorboat I can store in my garage on a trailer and use for fishing / crabbing / general boating adventures with my sons on the waters around here: Puget Sound, Lake Washington.

Budget is a concern and coming from a sailing background I value efficiency, quietude, not sucking down loads of climate changing fossil fuels, etc. That being said, I don't see much point in getting a small trailerable dory/skiff/runabout whatever if it doesn't plane. I'd be limited around 20 ft LOA so hull speed would be what around 5-6 knots. It doesn't have to be a racehorse but 15kts or so loaded down would be nice. Loaded being my family and some gear so two adults, two growing boys. Call it four adults reasonably comfortably. Willing to do without the weight and expense of a cabin, this would be more-or-less a fair weather boat. Maybe get some kind of bimini or bow tarp arrangement.

I'm relatively handy, but don't know that I have the time to take on an involved boat building project, though it does seem like the ideal type of boat I'm looking for would likely have to be built. The easiest route would be something that has a CNC kit. Some options I've identified are:

Devlin Candlefish 16 - this is the leading candidate for me in this category.
Point Comfort 18 - a little longer and slenderer than the Candlefish
PT Skiff - cool design, but seems complicated and also seems as of last fall no longer in production and no plans available either.

There are some other options with plans only:

Tango Skiff 15 or 17
Bolger Diablo 15
Handy Billy 21 - I like this one, but that's a lot of boat for me to realistically try to build as my first boat. It's not stitch and glue.

All of the above seem to be designed for 20-30 HP motors and will exceed 20kt solo and 15kt loaded.

So I'm curious. I discovered the Atkin boat website and there are a couple low power v-bottom inboard boats on there, the XLNC and the Slipby:
http://www.atkinboatplans.com/Utilities/Slipby.html
Slightly larger at 25 ft the Sergeant Faunce.
Atkins makes some pretty bold claims about how efficient these boats can be, like more than a 1:1 ratio of kts to HP.
These are some pretty old designs, has anyone ever seen one for real, have any experience or photos?
Not that these would be easy to build at all, but I'm just curious, they look like neat boats, it'd be fun to show up at the fishing grounds in one.

Of course the easiest thing for me to do would be to hunt around on craigslist for an old tinnie with a two stroke (blech) and trailer and be on the water for $2K...

[BBSebens]

Ill give a strong nod to the Candlefish. There's another forumite in your area with one, with the same MO. Works a treat. Use the forum search to find him.

[Thorne]

I've always loved the looks of Welsford's Rifleman. It could be a contendah!




http://www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz/plans/rifleman/index.htm

https://www.duckworksmagazine.com/05...man2/index.htm

[Andrew]

You might want to look at FAO V-bottom skiff

https://oceancolor.gsfc.nasa.gov/sta...at_Designs.pdf

They were designed for 10 hp The larger versions show some details for a 10 hp farm diesel engine in a pivoted "roostertail" configuration for beaching.

[Thorne]

Is the Handy Billy the only design being considered that has a housing for the outboard? I've been on a couple of boats with outboard housings like the Redwing 18 and they really quiet down the engine noise. So if the minimal motor noise element is an important requirement, the Handy Billy might be your best bet.

[Breakaway]

The best of example of a low power, inboard skiff is probably Robb White's version of the Atkin-designed, Rescue Minor." Hit the speeds you want with a small engine and floats in a puddle. Low freeboard though, which may make it less than optimal for open water.

https://www.robbwhite.com/i/rescue.minor.800.shallow.c.jpg

Screen Shot 2019-01-18 at 1.44.46 AM.jpg


Kevin


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

EDIT: Re-upload image.

[SurlaCraque]

Hey guys thanks for the comments. I realize there were a lot of questions mixed into my lengthy post. I may make another post specifically about the Atkin type inboard boats.

Ben: yeah I found that local Candlefish owner's posts, looks like he's just over in Bellevue. Looks like he did a great job on his build. Perhaps I'll contact him if I have more questions or even to see if I can get a look at it. Yes the Candlefish seems like a solid choice for these parts. Makes sense given the designer's location and philosophy.

Andrew: interesting, thanks for the tip.

Thorne: good point about the motor housing. I just figure a modern four stroke is so much quieter than the two strokes I grew up using in sailing schools that just that would be enough improvement. I do like the Handy Billy, but if I actually take the leap to rolling my own I think that design is just too complicated and time consuming a build for a first timer.

Breakaway - yes I remember reading about that Rescue Minor before, a very cool boat. However, not the boat for the PNW (we have deeper, open water than Florida tide flats). Also a very complex hull form. There are other Atkin designs that would be better suited, but it's hard to find much real information about them out there. The small inboard skiff is pretty much a relic of the past I guess.

[koederfischgriller]

Try to get your hands on one of harry sucher's books. v bottom or flat bottom.
lots of informations for inboard skiffs

[Rmarsh]

I built a 17' s&g design, from a cnc kit from Bateau.com.....it made for a quick and precise start to the project. Things slowed down a bit after the flip.
I put a 60 hp 4 stroke on it...very quiet, no smoke, very fuel efficient, out fishing all day on 5 gal. of gas. Cruise speed in the low 20 mph. It has more cockpit depth or freeboard than most designs and it is one of things i like best. I can reach down to the water with my knees wedged under the coaming to handle fish at the side of the boat, and feel absolutely secure about not falling over the side while doing so! I don't see any upside to an inboard motor design.



DSCF0581.jpg

[Rmarsh]

Same hull as above with cuddy cabin option
https://smallboatsmonthly.com/article/classic-17/

[spirit]

A lot depends upon the kind(s) of waters you wish to be in.
For rough offshore water you will be happiest in a V-bottomed boat, even at 15 knots. And a windshield helps. Consider Atkin's Ninigret.
For quieter inshore waters, a flat bottomed boat has better capacity and stability, and it will move easily with a 20HP outboard.

[rbgarr]

Marissa meets all your criteria: 15 knots with four aboard, CNC kit, moderate power, efficient, suitable for Puget Sound excursions.

https://bandbyachtdesigns.com/marissa/

[peter osberg]

There are a lot of great designs out there, but each has a different set of positives and negatives. For the northwest coast 26" of freeboard and some bow hieght is a good idea; If beaching is desired then that adds a weight restriction; then what your loading capacity needs to be. I would think 16-18' is a minimum in length here on the coast if you are going anywhere. For me beaching and getting it above the tide line was the requirement that was most demanding.

[TomMcKinney]

Just go talk to Sam Devlin. He uses the same Puget Sound water that you would be using and he designs and builds boats for that water. And they come in CNC kits. No boat us perfect, so don't make the decision too complicated when it doesnt have to be.

[Edward Pearson]

One thing an outboard comes with is a power trim button. Since a boats optimum trim angle varies with speed and conditions that can be a gain over an inboard instal. A Rescue Minor is a very cool boat though. Possibly a 'sub zero'.