Bartender boats

An older, but well respected and seaworthy design for a small boat, the Bartender is justly famous in some circles. The designer, George Calkins is 90+ now, and still active as I understand it. He isn't interested in web sites, etc. but another man has gained rights to put the design up, including CNC frame kits, etc.

Looks like a good home builders project, and one that will create a very useful craft. Up through the 26' version looks like it would meet standard U.S. trailer width limits (8' 6"). Another skiff style, smaller boat. Not much cabin on this one, unless you go for the larger sizes (up to 29' I think). The double-end gives a bit less space per-foot, but some nice seakeeping abilities.

Wonder how it compares to a C-Dory... hmmm...

A mailing list/discussion group is also available.

Bateau.com

An online plans purveyor since 1993, Bateau.com has a good following. They have a selection of plans, sail and power, including an interesting new 28' Trawler.

One thing I like about their site is the inclusion of online "study plans" which have a great amount of detail about the construction of the boat, various specs, a bill of materials, estimated costs, and even scaled drawings. I think this is a good move on their part... I'm more likely to just order plans than jump through the "study plans", pick one, then order real plans trying to get my refund for the study plans I got.

Bluejacket Boats

The Bluejacket series is interesting design for home building... Tom Lathrop has attempted to address a problem with planing boats, i.e. that they are fine on plane, but behave very poorly between hull speed and plane.

He has produced his design in 20, 24, 25.5, and 27 foot versions.

Mr. Lathrop had a list of design goals:

Light enough and small enough to be easily trailerable with a family vehicle.
Capable of economic cruising at 12 to 14 mph with a top  speed of at least 50% higher.
Seaworthy in coastal and inshore waters.
Economical in and out of the water.
Sitting headroom over the berths in the sleeping  cabin and standing headroom in the pilothouse.
Classic lines.
Comfortable for cruising with a crew of two for  a week or more.
A private head with standing headroom.

That covers a lot of it, doesn't it?

Also check out his cruise log/blog covering the Ontario Waterways.

I tend to keep sites that are "interesting" to me open in a tab on my browser (

)... its interesting to me that I've had a Bluejacket tab open for probably months, but haven't really looked at it. Back when I ran across it, it wasn't a design that was that interesting to me. As my plans have been changing and I go back and revisit it, I find that this is worth a lot closer look. And in the mean time, Tom has updated his page :-)

Bon Viveur 825

Now I've found it :-)



The Bon Viveur 825 is a 27' x 6'9" trailerable craft that is being built of fiber-reinforced epoxy composites. Bon Viveur boats has built a 15 meter version (steel) for some time, and apparently in the past tried a small version like the 825 (called the Gem 23) that didn't work out, mostly due to cost of materials used at the time.

This is a neat looking boat... Something a little wider and maybe a shade longer, but maybe not, would be a great trailer coastal boat for here in the U.S. (in my opinion). This is just really a look I like.

The 6'9" beam is designed around the U.K. canals, not for other reasons. I've been exchanging some emails with the owner to see about plan availability, etc.

Here's an initial model after its first paint job.



They are making these available for outright purchase and also a co-ownership syndicate which I take it is a time-share type arrangement.

Another option is a completed shell prepared for a DIY fitout.

C-Dory

And the "other half" of the C-Dory/C-Ranger group... some neat boats...

C-Dory

A popular small craft, especially on the West coast it seems. Capable and well liked by its owners from what I've seen. One of the best cruising logs/sites I've ran across (Cruising America - Halcyon Days) is the story of a couple who seem to have "done it all" short of trans-oceanic cruising, mostly in a 22' C-Dory. Definitely shows what can be done.

Another couple on the Cosmic C are currently doing the Great Loop... another site to check out.

There is an active and helpful community site: C-Brats.

I like my creature comforts too much to probably manage cruises of the extent they have, but...

C-Ranger

The C-Ranger 25 is a nice looking, "real" boat with accomodations, etc. All in a 25' package. This shows a boat doesn't have to be 40+ feet long to "have it all". Passagemaker Magazine's latest issue (January 2007 I believe) has a full review and tour of the craft, with lots of pictures. Check it out if you get a chance.

Not a bad price either. This is the same outfit that makes the C-Dory, which I've seen mentioned by several for Great Loop and inland river trips.

C-Ranger R21

C-Ranger R25

Chesapeake Marine Design Trailer Trawler 28

Just a quick look at the picture of the Trailer Trawler 28 makes me doubt the "Pocket Cruiser" designation, and this is probably on the upper end of that size range, but its a "trailerable" design that probably relates well to the C-Ranger. Except this is designed for homebuild and plans are available.

This is a real "ship" for the size, at least in appearance.

Another design by Chesapeake Marine Design is the Puffin 28.

Cruising Cats USA

Rod Gibbons has a site full of information geared around catamarans. He has many power and sail designs that may be worth a look.

His site has a lot of information and gives an opportunity to subscribe to a newsletter that looks to be interesting.

In keeping with the smaller, handier, maybe trailerable trend, check the Motorcat 29. One of the few power catamarans that I have ran across that looks more like a monohull than a cat (which for whatever reason just never look quite like I like)... yes, that's being shallow (low draft??? :-), but looks are part of a boat.

Cats can have some good advantages (fuel economy for a given speed is usually one example). On the flip side they must watch their weight a bit more closely than many full displacement monohulls. Trade-offs, trade-offs.

Glacier Boats of Alaska

I ran across Glacier Boats of Alaska long ago, but at the time they didn't have quite what I was looking for. Of course what I was looking for changed several times :-).

Brian Dixon wrote me pointing out that they now have their wood-composite "BC Trawler" design available. He knows of 6 already under construction, so it looks to be a popular plan :-)

25-28', trailerable withOUT a permit, affordable plans. Looks like a nice boat and one to check out if you're looking to build.

Little Island Trader 30

The Little Island Trader 30 design is a Chesapeake Marine Design set of plans... neat looking little "cargo" craft that might have possibilities. Fair amount of room onboard, and a good bit of "living space" above decks in the wheelhouse (Seating for 5?).



Specifications:
Length: 30'-0" to 34'-0"
Beam: 10'-0"
Draft: 3'-0"
Displacement: 14,000 lbs
Power: 60-80 hp

Nimble Boats

Some years ago designer Ted Brewer produced the design(s) that were built as Nimble Boats... the Kodiak, Nomad and Wanderer. These seem to have been well regarded small (pocket) cruisers.

Now Nimble Boats is in business again, building these craft. They have one dealer listed: Nimble Mid-Atlantic.

With a slogan of "A Vote Against Boredom and Mediocrity" the layouts on these boats look like something some other designers could learn from.

Osprey Pilothouse

Another commercial craft in the C-Dory vein. Geared pretty heavily toward fishing, but nice looking.

Other Pocket Cruisers

In my hunting there have been several other designers and designs that would fit in my "pocket cruiser" category. These either weren't quite as interesting to me, or I just didn't find as much about them. Usually for me that means there isn't as much of a "following" in the online world. This isn't necessarily indicative of the validity of the design... it may just be one of those hidden gems we all find time-to-time.

A thread on BoatDesign.net has a log of discussion of similar designs that is worth reading through.


Downeast Cruiser 25 - A nice looking craft with plans from a company geared toward the home builder.



Hercules - a 24' trailerable cruising yacht. A Glen-L design that has some good references.



Noyo Trawler - another Glen-L design, also 24'. Designed as a commercial fishing or cargo boat, but it has been built with at least two other cabin designs (pictures on their web page).


22ft Motor Cruiser Jennifer - a nice, shippy looking design that has made Alaskan and BC trips, according to the designer, Paul Gartside. Some pictures "as built" are available. Mr. Gartside has a fairly extensive plans catalog with boats from small to large.




Chesapeake Marine Design's Puffin 28 - Have seen some references to this, but know little about it. The company has many other designs worth a look also.



Devlin's Surf Scoter 25' is billed as a full sized boat with full size features. Has an 18" draft with the drive unit up. Some pictures of construction are available also. Another designer well worth a look.


The Hilda 26 - Interesting looking craft. I don't have much on the designer, John Holtrop, but he has several designs available, and the plans are relatively inexpensive. Construction photos are available at the same link.

Passagemaker Magazine - Trailerable Trawlers

Got my June 2007 issue of Passagemaker Magazine today. One of the cover stories is concerning Trailerable Trawlers. This is definitely worth reading if you don't normally see their stuff. Its a detailed, 15 page article with lots of pictures.

Natalie Friton covers many of the same craft that you have see on this blog: C-Dory, C-Ranger, Chesapeake Marine Design, Devlin, Nimble, Rosborough and others.

She also speaks of trailers and the requirements for trailering a boat of this type, along with some home build considerations, including a nice mention of Cheasapeake Marine Design's Trailer Trawler 28.

This article also led me back to Passagemaker Magazine's web site which I hadn't visited for a while. It has been re-worked and improved. You can register (free) and see various indexes of back issues, including some free articles.

Another addition is the Web Exclusive Articles which apparently are intended to provide further information above and beyond the printed magazine. In support of the Trailerable Trawlers article, there is a detailed discussion of the building of Greenhorn I, a home built, electric 18-foot tug. 

Rosborough Boats

Some nice, outboard or inboard smaller craft.



The RF-246 Sedan Cruiser is especially interesting. What more do you really need? Bunks, head, cabin... hmmm... another take on a small cruising craft.

This isn't the displacement speed craft I've normally considered, but there are some advantages to outrunning things (weather?). Fuel economy is something to watch.

Tolman Skiffs

This one is one of my "favorites" in this size range... it reminds me a lot of the production built C-Dory, but is viably built by the "average" home builder. Outboard (usually) powered... its possibly to have quite a nice craft.

The plans are available as a book (from Amazon or straight from the author; his website (or this older version of his website) also gives an errata list for the book).

There is an extensive community surrounding these designs, with mailing lists, etc. to support you in your building efforts.

Following are some links to check out:

• Fishyfish.com - an extensive build log and "community" site with a mailing list, etc.
• The Tongass - a build log with other links concerning the Tolman skiff. That's where I borrowed the picture above... very nice job!