PG25 or GS28

[Johnston]

I am looking at plans and have read a few posts on this forum - I believe I have narrowed my search down to either the PG 25 or the GS28...

Which hull will be a more comfortable ride (less pounding) traveling into chop at approximately 17-20kts? And which one has a sharper entry at "cutwater"?

Many thanks

[jacquesmm]

The PG25 is a much smaller boat than the GS28. Look at the beam.
The GS28 will run better because of it's size.

[Johnston]

Could I scale PG25 up by 10% and if so which would be the better ride? The PG seems like a much simpler build.

[jacquesmm]

Yes, the PG25 is much easier to build: smaller, less capacity.
I would not compare those boats, they are vey different.
You can scale the PG25 but it will still be a smaller boat than the GS28. The PG boat types are long and narrow which gives them a smooth ride and good offshore capability but the GS28 will still be a more capable boat than a PG28.

[Johnston]

I know it is hard to compare different designs, so I can understand how frustrating some of these questions might be, but I remember reading somewhere that the GS28 evolved out of an initial idea to have a larger Panga - so I thought maybe there were similarities?

I guess the real question is this. If one was looking for a 27/28 foot long offshore capable fishing boat, efficient through a wide range of speeds - but a high top speed not particularly important, and with modest power requirements, would a scaled PG25 perform all these duties well, or would one be better off biting the bullet and building the GS28?

Weight carrying capacity is not really an issue, as the boat would never have more than 3 on board with modest loads, but the reason for considering a stretch is that I believe a longer boat rides better in choppy conditions.

[Browndog]

Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your decision to embark on a boat building project.

I’m curious, how do you intend to use the boat you are contemplating and where?

Do you need a boat that is capable of handling rough conditions miles off shore in the ocean or are you looking for something for nearshore, inshore or in large lakes or reservoirs? What part of the world will you be operating the boat in?

Will you be fishing out of these boats? If so, what type of fishing?

Your answers will determine what type of program and design is required and will help with the recommendations.

Looking forward to learning more about your requirements.

[Johnston]

Thanks Browndog. I am based in Gabon in West Africa. We are blessed with a wide variety of fishing ... From in shore waterways and estuaries to some very good big game fishing off shore - often near oil rigs. The river mouths out to sea can be quite challenging/ dangerous with big breaking waves. Variants of “Pangas” are quite common here. Fishing would be everything from casting to trolling depending on location. We also cover large distances on waterways and rivers inland, but there are often floating logs/ debris so super high speeds make me nervous!

[TomW1]

Johnston, you need yo look at a variety of things. Both boats are offshore capable as designed. But for inshore work the Panga has a 8" draft vs, a 14" for the GS28. The GS28 is a much larger boat, designed for offshore work almost exclusively. The Panga will be much more efficient for you and allow you to explore shallower waters.

You need to so set up spread sheet and determine exactly what you need. Then determine which is best for you. Things like # of passengers, range with fuel each can carry, cost including motor, and other things like draft limitations.

Tom

[Johnston]

Many thanks for the suggestions. Yes a part feels a Panga is the better fit overall.

Does anyone know what cruising speeds the PG25 perform best at. I know the GS 28 says 20kts cruise in the study plans.

Thanks

[Browndog]

Your response is very helpful.

From what you’ve shared, I understand more about your requirements. Tom has made some good points about prioritizing your needs and how that might help narrow down the options.

I live in an area on the other side of the Atlantic where our fishing grounds are somewhat similar. I’ll share some of my experiences and how they may relate to your situation.

Where I live we experience rather large tidal fluctuations with the tides averaging between 7-10 feet depending on the moon phase and time of year. Imagine having at low tide an area with bare mud flats or sand bars and then 6 hours later that same area covered by 8 feet of water. Because of the tides, boats are either kept at a floating dock, that rises and falls with the tide, or suspended from an overhead lift. Boats kept on trailers are also most often put in and out of the water with an overhead lift. Boat launching ramps exist but can at times be difficult or impossible to use due to the strong currents and the water depth changes.

The bottom is mostly sand, mud or oyster shell. No natural rocky bottoms around here, so wood or fiberglass composites are preferred here over aluminum. It is also very hot and humid here in the summer and fairly mild in the winter, so shade is required, but not really warmth. You see more center consoles here as opposed to boats with cabins or pilot houses, especially on inshore boats that are mainly used for day trips.

For inshore fishing bait livewells, coolers with ice for drinks and fish keeping, shallow water anchoring systems and trolling motors are heavily relied upon. There are lots of flat bottom Garvey style boats here that work great in the marshes and rivers, have very shallow draft, large carrying capacities, are efficient to power and operate, but they don’t handle any kind of chop well at all at planing speeds.

The distance from the shore to blue water, i.e. the Gulfstream, for offshore species like tuna is about a 70 mile run one way. Inshore is an expansive area of tidal marsh followed by a very gradual sloping of the depth until finally reaching the deep blue sea 70 miles away. The near shore reefs that are 10-20 miles offshore are in about 40-50 foot of water. The area of live bottom known as the Snapper Banks are 40-50 miles offshore in about 60 feet of water.

The requirements for our area are very much influenced by the water depth and the tide. That much water flowing because of the tides creates strong currents and when the wind is going against the tide it creates a nasty chop.

For inshore fishing a boat with shallow draft is a priority here and if frequently crossing a sound or operating on the larger rivers the need for some ability to handle a chop is also required if you don’t want to get wet or pounded to death.

For offshore fishing the priority is for a boat that can carry the crew safely, comfortably and efficiently a long way, while operating in an area where the need to be self sufficient is paramount. Fishing is done either by trolling at displacement speeds or fishing on the bottom depending on the fish species being targeted. With the introduction of large 4 stroke outboards and the advancement in steering and controls to operate them the most popular boat for offshore fishing around here now is a large, 28-36 foot deep v center console with multiple large outboard engines that can cover some distance fast, handle rough water while still being trailerable.

Most people in our area have either an inshore boat, an offshore boat or both. It is very hard to have one boat that does it all for our area.

The current trend is to have a Bay Boat 21-24 foot long with about 12-14” draft to try and cover both, but they are too big for the creeks and have too much draft at low tide on the flats and can’t be poled in shallow water very well. They also have too low of freeboard to be safe or comfortable in the ocean with any kind of swell or when the wind kicks up a chop. But they are good in the rivers and sounds and are a decent compromise for most things.

So what do people do? It depends on their needs.

I have three boats, a 16 foot aluminum skiff for freshwater fishing, a 19 foot flats skiff for inshore fishing and a 24 foot deep v-hull with a walk around cabin for nearshore and limited offshore fishing. I also have two kayaks and a canoe for mucking around in the creeks and marsh.

Best wishes as you determine your needs and narrow down your choices.