Michael Mason's newest boat

[Garret]

Hi - I heard some great news from Michael (mmd) & wanted to share it with the forum. It's in the bilge 'cause 1) it ain't wood & 2) more will see it.

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Today was a good day.

The large lobster boat that I have been designer/project manager for these past many months was launched last Tuesday, and completed her sea trials today. The launch went without incident, and the trials have been more than could be expected.

As a baseline, lobster boats of this size (49'-2"' x 29' x 6') normally achieve a top speed of around 9.25 kts with engine power of between 650 and 800 hp. Theoretical hull speed is 9.4 kts. Our boat hit and held 10.5 kts. with a 550-hp engine.

In a turning test (at ½ throttle and running a straight course, put the helm hard over and turn 360 deg. without adjusting the throttle) the accepted norm for local lobster boats is to end the turn about 30 feet outside the origin point. Our boat sailed directly over its origin wake.

Finally, if the propeller is pitched correctly, at wide-open throttle (WOT) the engine rpms will be at the engine's rated rpm. Too low and the prop has too much pitch and the boat will be slow and fuel-greedy; if the engine over-revs, there is not enough pitch and the high revs will cause engine problems and the propeller is probably cavitating, which will cause pitting and loss of efficiency. Our boat's engine is rated as max rpm of 1800, and at trials today at WOT the engine reached and held 1795 rpm.

I am chuffed, the client - who said he would be pleased with anything over 8 kts and the accepted normal turning radius - is happy as a clam, and the builder (Boudreau's Boat Building Ltd, Morris Island, NS) is ecstatic.

All in all, a very satisfying day


(In the photo below, the builder - Jeramy Boudreau - is at far left, leaning on the “hay rail”; the proud owner - Justin Jacquard - is looking out the open window, and – best of all – the happy guy in the yellow ball cap is the local Transport Canada inspector who pronounced that “this is the best lobster boat I have been on in years!”)

mmdlobsterboat.jpg

[hawkeye54]

A BIG ' THUMBS UP ' to Mr. Mason ! !

[Paul Pless]

phat

[LeeG]

extra phat! congrats mmd!

[George Jung]

That's phenomenal, mmd; congrats.

[David G]

Impressive. Congrats to MMD.

[Ian McColgin]

The bugs will have a nice ride to market.

[Breakaway]

Great news!

Congrats!

Kevin

[switters]

Cool boat

[AndanteEd]

Fantastic results MMD, well done!

[George Jung]

Just curious - is this a one-off, or will they build several (a fleet) based on this?

[Garret]

Just curious - is this a on-off, or will they build several (a fleet) based on this?

It's not a liveaboard, so I presume people get on & off.

Hey - it was there

[Harry Miller]

Good for Michael. Miss him here.

[Bobcat]

Good for Michael. Miss him here.

yup

[Garret]

Good for Michael. Miss him here.

Big time.

[bamamick]

That does indeed look like a large lobster boat! Congratulations on the build, Mr. Mason!

Mickey Lake

[Ian McColgin]

The aesthetics of the photo are wonderful.

[David W Pratt]

Impressive!

[John Meachen]

Good for Michael. Miss him here.

Same here,he was generous with sharing his expertise.Which is certainly a commodity that made this boat work so well.

[Hallam]

Good to hear. Say hi to him and congrats.

[Durnik]

Awesome collaboration of engineering & building!

[Joe (SoCal)]

Thanks for posting this Garret

I know I’m probably the last one to say this since MMD and I have had a few public & private admonishments of me before he departed, but I think this place is significantly less than with his absence. He brought expertise, insight, and nautical flavor to this place and I for one seriously miss his contribution.

I know it’s been said before but I humbly beg for his reinstatement, we need people like him here.

[Garret]

Just curious - is this a one-off, or will they build several (a fleet) based on this?

Michael just sent me a reply to your question - which is likely more useful than my wise-ass response...):

Re: George Jung’s question, “…is this a one-off, or will they build several (a fleet) based on this?”

Every lobster boat is pretty much a one-off, custom-built boat. There are only two or three hull molds for boats of this size available in the region, but each boat hull is ‘sliced and diced’ either as it is being molded or after it is pulled from the mold to widen it, make the skeg deeper or shallower, to raise the sheer, and to adjust the LOA of the boat to suit the owner’s desires. The modified hull is delivered from the hull molder to the boatbuilder who will build all the rest of it including mechanicals, piping, electricals, outfit, etc.

[gypsie]

Nice work MMD.
Missing your input in this place. Sincerely looking forward to having you back.

[Garret]

Thanks for posting this Garret

I know I’m probably the last one to say this since MMD and I have had a few public & private admonishments of me before he departed, but I think this place is significantly less than with his absence. He brought expertise, insight, and nautical flavor to this place and I for one seriously miss his contribution.

I know it’s been said before but I humbly beg for his reinstatement, we need people like him here.

Y'all are welcome. Michel did indeed bring valuable insight to the WBF. Lots of "Ain't what people want in boats something?" pics too...

[LeeG]

Good for Michael. Miss him here.

ditto

[Dave Hadfield]

Well said, Joe.

[Rich Jones]

Impressive that the sea trials went so well.
This type of boat, almost as wide as it is long, is something new and the
dynamics of design must be fairly new and untested.

[C. Ross]

Very nice! Congratulations to Michael!

[RFNK]

I'm guessing Joe meant presence ....

Boat looks good and MMD should return but .... the important question is "What's the "hay rail" for?"

[Robbie 2]

Good news to hear.
Miss you MMD

[Paul Pless]

if michael's not careful he's soon gonna have more work than he wants

[J P]

The aesthetics of the photo are wonderful.

Yes, very nice.

Mackerel sky.

Congrats MMD.

[Garret]

I'm guessing Joe meant presence ....

Boat looks good and MMD should return but .... the important question is "What's the "hay rail" for?"

From Michael:

Re: RFNK’s question about “what are hay rails used for?”, they are called hay rails because they look like the temporary rails put on hay wagons at haying time. They are used to hang trap anchors on, and to tie ropes, buoys to so that the working deck is kept clear. Usually there is only one semi-permanently installed one on the port side, but on “dumping day” when every pot the fisherman owns is stacked on deck, the stbd one is fitted to handle the equipment overload. Neither of the boats in the attached picture is our recent launch, but merely a photo from a previous year’s dumping day to show how the rails are used.

hayrails.jpg

[bob winter]

Nice to see Michael's latest work. nice beat. Wish he was still here but I think it will be a while before that happens.