The Steamboating Forum

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since I've been on, getting into school and work are my top priorities now. However, I remain dilligent that I'll be chuggin up the St. Criox one day.

I would like to start on a hull asap and the Felix 15' from selway is closest to what I'm looking for. One thing I don't like though is the 5' 5 1/2" beam and how it looks pretty fat.I would like to know if it is possible to change the plans and shave off a foot? 4' 6" is a nice goal I think. Is such a change a good move in your opinions? Selway's site reccomends a 5 IHP plant to push her along before the proposed beam changes. Another reason why I'd like to slim it down, besides pleasing my aesthetics gremlin.

Thank you all in advance for any advice you can give.
Josh

Taking that much off a boat's design waterlines and beam is going to seriously compromise it's performance- it would be far easier and take less time just to design a strip plank boat yourself- plus 15ft is a funny size- you can build a 16ft boat for just a few pennies more, but you gain what seems like a mile in extra space from a 15ft'er.

If you haven't already got it, Google either Delftship, or Freeship; they both go a long way to helping you decide what you want your boat to look like, and go all the way in telling you whether it'll work or not.

At 15/16ft you can also loft full size pretty easily on a garage floor/wall.

Buy 4-5 books by different authors on boat design and boat building- there are literally 1000's of boats at the size you want- do as much research as you possibly can, find your nearest boat builder or research on the web to find out how other more knowledgeable/experienced people have done it, and then go for it!

Unless you are dead-set on building a new hull in strip plank- which I take you would then be sheathing in GRP- ratch through ApolloDuck and eBay for second hand launches and yacht tenders- you can often pick up a bare hull for less than £400.

Greg

I like Port Pegasus (http://www.selway-fisher.com/Mcup16.htm#SUS allowing clinker plywood construction (A lot less sanding)

For most of these shorter hulls being relatively beamy provides the buoyancy to support a steam plant... particularly if you want to move around in the boat.

If you want a more canoe like hull for a very small steam plant then maybe look at his motor canoes http://www.selway-fisher.com/Mcanoe.htm

Cheers

Paul