Simmons Sea Skiff (Seats or Console?)

[Thomas Williamson]

Hello all,

This is my first post here and I am looking for some advice. I am just getting started on an 18' Simmons Sea Skiff and trying to get some of the final details together. I am getting a professional boat builder to help me with the hull and internal framing after which time I plan to do all the decking, finish work etc. myself. My question is: What are people's thoughts regarding a center console type configuration for one of these boats? I have seen some really attractive boats with this set up but I was wondering how they work. Does the extra weight up high cause any problems with the narrow beam of the 18 footer? The original configuration used by T.N. Simmons also looks very good. What are peoples thoughts on that design?

I would really appreciate any input that people may have.

Thomas

[Tar Devil]

A tasteful example of a Simmons CC...


Here's one by a well-known Simmons builder, but personally I think his CC set up is rather unsightly and out of porportion with the boat...


A sweet 18 foot tiller version...

Thomas, there are a couple other Simmons threads underway in Building/Repair and in Designs/Plans.

As for advice, you need to ask Oyster or Dave Carnell. Personally, I love the boat and I think a low, small center console would work fine.

Later,

Phil

[Tom Lathrop]

I agree with the Devil. A small center console will be OK but remember that the Simmons is a narrow bottom boat. A large console like those in the photos can make the boat a bit tippy when passing around it.

[ 12-03-2002, 10:19 AM: Message edited by: Tom Lathrop ]

[new2this]

Thomas,
Let me know how your project goes. What are you going to use yours for? Ocean or inland waters? I'm thinking of building one at ome point in the forseeable future, but I haven't decided for sure. Tar Devil, SOme really nice pics. I guess there are still a lot of Simmons around where you live. Whereabouts in NC do you live? I know Shelby, but what is that close to?

[Tar Devil]

What is Shelby close to...?

Hmmmm... been living here for 25 years and the only notable answer is the Broad River (full of fiesty smallmouth bass).

Shelby is about 50 miles west of Charlotte, NC... we're 4 1/2 hours to the coast and 1 1/2 hours to the mountains. Basketball star David Thompson is from Shelby. Legendary bluegrass artist Earl Scruggs is from nearby Cliffside. Not one single Simmons nearby that I know of.

Later,

Phil

[new2this]

Phil,My mom's family is from Eastern NC, which is why I asked the question in the first place. From the Plynouth area, close to the Outer Banks. My grandfather used his Simmons down at Swan Quarter, Morehead and the sounds, and some in the ocean. I like that CC you showed us. Looks better than having it all the way in the front.

[On Vacation]

This is one that we did with a sealed deck with a center console that is a little softer to the eyes. IMHO.

[Lowell Bernhardt]

Pretty boat Oyster!

Thomas, FWIW I don't think that a Simmons would look right with anything but a center console. But then again what do I know.

Best
Lowell

[Thomas Williamson]

Thanks for all the ideas everybody and thanks for the pictures TarDevil!

Now that I see Oyster's boat, I realize that is exactly what I really want. What a great looking boat! I am even more excited now than ever. Do you have any suggestions or pointers on your sealed deck Oyster? That definitely looks like it would be a nice feature.

I will keep everyone posted with pictures as we get moving with this project. We will be getting all the materials together this week and hopefully will get started soon. Maybe new2this can learn from my trials as we go along.

[new2this]

Yeah,
Let me know how it goes and what materials you decide to use. I'm still in the "thinking about it" phase. I'd like to see how hard you think this is and whatever else you'd like to share. They really are neat looking boats especially with the CC. Maybe Oyster or someone else who knows could tell me what the draft on one of these is.

[Thomas Williamson]

I will definitely keep you posted new2this. The original literature states that the 18' boats have a 5" draft. I am assuming that is with no load.

[helvit]

Oyter, and all, could you give a rundown on the pros and cons of the valved scuppers you could have maybe put through the transom of your Sea Skiff?

[first time builder, working on an Ocean Pointer. Second post here, lurking for a while. Thanks all, for the great and interesting words, for sharing your hard won experience. Really.]

[whb]

Oyster,

Not to hijack the thread but did you leave inspection ports in the sealed deck. I am considering a sealed deck on a flats type boat I am considering and would leave a small opening for the air to expand/contract but was not planning on an inspection port. Lovely boat.

Thanks,

Howard

[Todd Bradshaw]

I would think that it's worth figuring out what you want to do with the boat. Oyster's center console looks sexy and gives a lot of room to walk around for fishing, etc. On the other hand, if you want to put the wife and four kids in the boat and go for a picnic, you are pretty hard-up for seating. The old Simmons that I rebuilt had a bench seat behind the front decking, another just forward of the motor well and a split, walk-through mid bench with the small gunwale-mounted wheel steering console on the starboard side. It wasn't the kind of boat where you want to be moving around a lot, stepping over benches, but it really held a lot of bodies for cruising around. The neat thing about these boats is that they can do so much, yet still be fairly light, easy to trailer and use smaller motors than most. Tailor the seating plan to whatever you think your primary use will be and I'm sure you will love the boat.

[ROWE BOATS]

If you use a center console rather than the original three thwarts you will need to build some side decks such as the ones Oyster has done. Mr. Simmons considered the thwarts to be necessary to keep the boat from panting . I personally wouldn't build an 18 with a stand up console due to the tippiness of this narrow boat. I would also be hesitant to build one without a foredeck.