Southeast Alaska boat build

Ask questions before buying our plans or request a new design. Anybody can post here
x2gailey
New Poster
New Poster
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:03 pm
Location: Southeast Alaska

Southeast Alaska boat build

Post by x2gailey »

All,

I've spent the last couple of weeks reading through a lot of the past posts and there is a wealth of information on this site. I couldn't find a post that seemed to directly fit my situation so I figured I would appeal to the knowledge of the other members of the site. I'm am looking to build a boat for use in SE Alaska. I suspect over time I will find that I need multiple boats for different purposes, but to get started I am thinking of a landing craft style boat. I have a buddy who owns both a specmar designed boat and a munson pacman and they have worked really well for him. If I could weld aluminum I'd probably go that route, but since I don't, I'm thinking a fiberglass build. Here's what I think I want in a boat. It will probably change once I start using it a lot but that will be a good excuse to build the next one:
~23 feet long
self bailing decks
fairly easily trailerable
be able to handle going to shore frequently (perhaps some type of sacrificial bottom plate?)
ideally have some type of ramp up front as my Father isn't capable of jumping on/off boat like he once could
be able to haul something like a four wheeler
be able to handle some rough choppy seas
be a tough working type boat (I'm not very good at treating things gently and my vehicles often have more scratches than paint)
have at least some small shelter/pilot house
being relatively fuel efficient would be a great bonus

I'm probably asking too much out of a single boat but appreciate some guidance in narrowing down the design

Jared

Image
Image

TomW1
Very Active Poster
Very Active Poster
Posts: 5844
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:57 pm
Location: Bryson City, NC

Re: Southeast Alaska boat build

Post by TomW1 »

The GT23 is the closest boat to what you are looking for. Jacques should see this and as the designer help you make any changes. You can get rid of the full cabin and put on a pilot house, that is not a big deal, in fact there are plans for a large pilot house on here. Once you get the deck down you can make any changes you basically want as long as you keep the frames in place. Working with Jacques you will need to design the front platform door, it will need to be to be hefty.

Finally there are at least two builders in Alaska that can help in getting you supplies and material from here to you, Fuzz and Narfi. I know there is another but I don't recall his name right now.

Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978

x2gailey
New Poster
New Poster
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:03 pm
Location: Southeast Alaska

Re: Southeast Alaska boat build

Post by x2gailey »

Thanks for the input. With so many good designs on the site, I've been struggling trying to figure out which is the easiest to adapt to what I have in mind.

Jared

Fuzz
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
Posts: 8920
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:23 am
Location: Kasilof, Alaska

Re: Southeast Alaska boat build

Post by Fuzz »

First welcome to the fun house :D Building your own boat is both fun and rewarding. Lots of good folks here who do their best to help any way they can. I agree with Tom about the GT23. You could also build a GP21 and upsize it 10%.
A couple of questions. Do you have any beam restrictions? What sort of beaches will you be landing on? Sand or mud is one thing but gravel and rocks is another kettle of fish.
If you do go ahead and build a boat I would call the folks at BBC and get a price for them to ship you every thing you need in one shot. Shipping can really drive the costs up but they do a great job of finding the best price. Narfi and I had an order shipped to Anchorage and the cost savings was well worth it.

x2gailey
New Poster
New Poster
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:03 pm
Location: Southeast Alaska

Re: Southeast Alaska boat build

Post by x2gailey »

Thanks. I built a strip canoe with my boy a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it (except perhaps sanding all the inner curves). I don't have any beam restrictions other than I want it to be fairly easily trailerable. My road system is pretty laid back when it comes to hauling things. I expect that based on what I've seen of the coast it will most often be rocks and gravel landings with an occasional sandy one. That's one of the reasons I was looking seriously at 1/4" aluminum boat. Thinking that I'd definitely make use of sacrificial skids as part of the design and figuring that if I can build one I should be able to repair one when necessary... any insight would definitely be appreciated.

Fuzz
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
* Bateau Builder - Expert *
Posts: 8920
Joined: Tue Aug 02, 2011 4:23 am
Location: Kasilof, Alaska

Re: Southeast Alaska boat build

Post by Fuzz »

Metal, glass or wood all have good and bad properties when used to build with. Aluminum really shines for the kind of use you are planning. It just takes the scrapping type wear better than glass or wood. If I were building a glass/wood hull for this use I would put a number of solid glass runners on the bottom. They would be thick enough to hold screws so I could bolt aluminum strips to the runners. Glass can be drilled and tapped to hold machine screws.
Just wondering where in southeast you are at? The reason I asked about the beam is you could build the GP21 and add 10% to it also. But that adds complications that you might be better off skipping.

rick berrey
Active Poster
Active Poster
Posts: 382
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2009 2:16 pm

Re: Southeast Alaska boat build

Post by rick berrey »

a layer of Xynole , Dynel , or Kevlar if you build with fiberglass wouldn't hurt

x2gailey
New Poster
New Poster
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:03 pm
Location: Southeast Alaska

Re: Southeast Alaska boat build

Post by x2gailey »

I'm in the Ketchikan area. There are a bunch of remote salmon and steelhead streams that I am looking to explore... The fastened aluminum runners is a good idea. I'm sure that I have the skills necessary to catch a big rock right between them, but overall it seems a good compromise. I was planning on a couple extra layers of glass or alternative material in expected high contact areas.

TomW1
Very Active Poster
Very Active Poster
Posts: 5844
Joined: Sun Apr 19, 2015 10:57 pm
Location: Bryson City, NC

Re: Southeast Alaska boat build

Post by TomW1 »

If your landing on rock and gravel most of the time I agree with Fuzz. I would plan for 3 strakes, one on the centerline ending 18-24" in front of the motor to avoid turbulence to the motor, the other 2 split out from the first to the side of the boat. Add a piece of marine SS as it will last longer than aluminum. The ones on the sides can go to the end of the transom If you can't find SS in 304 or 316 grade, aluminum in 5052 or 6061 will work just fine.

Tom
Restored Mirror Dinghy, Bought OD18 built by CL, Westlawn School of Yacht Design courses. LT US Navy 1970-1978

x2gailey
New Poster
New Poster
Posts: 9
Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2022 1:03 pm
Location: Southeast Alaska

Re: Southeast Alaska boat build

Post by x2gailey »

Thanks for the details on the strakes and ideas for sacrificial material. I think it would be a workable solution. Any thoughts on whether to build the performance version or the houseboat version? I would put a small cockpit towards the stern similar to the pictures in my first post. Also leaning toward a engine bracket and trim tabs. Would the deck area need additional reinforcing to handle a load like a 4 wheeler?

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot] and 9 guests