Kellan and Lily Hatch glide past Mount Moran in their XCR

Kellan recently returned from a wonderful, but all too short, cruise on Jackson Lake in Wyoming’s Teton National Park. Imagine a lake that is beautifully positioned at the foot of the stunning Teton range. Imagine primitive camping sites on the non-inhabited side of the lake with wilderness all around you in virtually the same state as it was when the area was visited regularly by the fur trapping mountain men of the early 1800′s.

Kellan had those images and much more running through his head when he joined his wife, Lily with their XCR, along with good friend, Mike Jackson and his Hobie Adventure Island, for a long weekend adventure of sailing and camping.

Yukon Expedition kayak on beach Jackson Lake, WY

 Some years back, I also enjoyed a beautiful canoe and kayak trip along those same shores in early October, so seeing the photos from Kellan and Mike brought back a heady rush of clear crisp air, scenery that is some of the most dramatic in the US and the shrill whistling sounds of bull elk as they called out to the opposing males during the annual rut.

Kellan and Lily hangin' with the XCR and Hobie Adventure Island

The three sailors launched from Coulter Bay and then made a big looping tour of the southern end of the lake, staying overnight at different  camping sites on the western shore of the lake.

Lily tends to the boats on the beach

Kellan heads for the bear proof steel box at one of the campsites

Soft cruisin' at the foot of the Tetons

Mike Jackson Mirages across the water in calm conditions

Scenic camp cruising in the Wild West

 If you are interested in finding out more about Kellan’s boat, he has started a personal blog  http://deviantwind.blogspot.com/  specifically about the XCR, his adventures with family and friends and the remarkable improvements he has made to his boat along the way. In one of the articles, there’s a really tasty cockpit cover that was sewn by his wife. Really great stuff from a very talented family with very diverse interests.

A fabulous cockpit cover created by Lily Hatch

I’ve been getting a significant number of inquiries for the power version of my Gato Especial sailing cat. I let it slip out, some time back, that there would be an engine driven version coming along, but time got away from me and so, the project sat idling on the design table.

I’m kind of drawn to cars and boats that can solve a host of utility needs, as well as provide a comfortable, transportation experience. I’m about to sell my venerable Toyota Landcruiser and get myself into something that makes a lot more sense when it comes to utility and fuel efficiency. As a result, I began to think of a motorized version of the Gato platform as a Crossover/SUV type of vehicle with a big interior volume aft of the helm station and truly fuel-efficient engines to complete the picture.

The new boat would have a stand-up position for the driver with a sliding, deck-mounted seat that would allow the skipper to sit while steering. There would be a huge deck surface behind the helm for all sorts of seating and/or gear carrying options. The new boat would have a tailgate/liftgate setup for ease of loading. The new design would have a big storage space forward of the helm for the odds and ends that always end-up on a boat. Power for the initial design would be from a pair of four stroke outboard engines for redundancy, as well as beneficial weight distribution.

On a personal level, I am attracted to design concepts that deliver a responsible set of solutions for this new economic reality in which we all live. I like the term, Crossover, which is openly lifted from the automotive industry, as it touches on the realities we will all face in the coming years. We are headed to a time in which our vehicles will need to do more than just give us a sedan in which to cruise around, or a truck to do our dirty jobs.

In the world of cars, the Crossover approach has created vehicles that live in the niche right between the heavier, clunkier, SUV’s and the typical, everyday passenger car. Similarly, with this new design, I was looking to take the slot right between the generously proportioned sport cruisers you see at marinas all over the world and something like a cleanly drawn work boat. I wanted some of the people driven touches of scale and fit/finish, while being able to morph from one working task to another as a truly useful, all-around watercraft.

The result would be my take on what a boat should look like which is much more fuel-efficient and less expensive to build and transport. It would provide a very high degree of utility and of course, it would need to be wrapped in an aesthetically pleasing package.

 The aesthetic, design component is pretty much a subjective thing, but the fuel-efficient aspects are a design process that combines easily driven lightweight hulls, drive systems with high economy for delivered horsepower and a significantly reduced aero drag signature allowing the boat to just slip through the air.

I’m of the opinion that I have reached all the basic design criteria with this new design, The Largo.

Yeah, sure there’s a distinct connection to the Bond films, Thunderball and Never Say Never Again, with the bad guys both being named Largo. Beyond that, Largo is also a direct take on the ’48 Film Noir thriller with Bogey, Bacall and Edward G. Robinson. It is also, the well-known island in the Florida Keys where boating adventures await in every direction.

Largo Specifications

LOA 21′
BOA (trailer legal) 8′ 6″
Height 6′ 5″
Displacement 2000 lbs.

Suggested engine package Twin 9.9 hp four stroke outboards

The aft cabin space of the trimmed-down version will have the potential for a huge, manual, slide-back sunroof for a full open-air effect in the main cabin volume, as well as large side openings for breeze and visibility. The side openings can be fitted with removable, semi-structural soft windows for better streamlining and also for inclement weather.

Way back at the aft end, the boat has a floor level, drop-down tailgate, as well as a glassed, liftgate. I see this as a utility benefit when the boat is beached, bow out, in a marina slip. The tailgate will allow easy loading of gear and anything else that might be shoved in the back of this boat while it is still on the trailer. It will also give a chance to sit on the tailgate and hang out. The entire hardtop can also be removed for a full-on waterborne convertible. Or, if you like, a pick-up truck for the waterfront that can haul a whole bunch of oddly shaped objects, should you have a need for that kind of utility with friends while enjoying a sandwich or cold beverage.

The suggested engine package is based on need. If the owner wants to cruise with high efficiency and still be able to bang out 11-12 knots when he likes, then a pair of Yamaha Hi-Thrust 9.9 hp engines will do the trick. The engine setup can be equipped with remote starting, steering and power engine tilt. They both have pretty healthy alternators to keep any onboard electrics going, so lighting, navigation and radio systems can be easily powered-up.

Cutting edge enthusiasts will ditch the outboards and equip the boat with a bank of batteries under the deck in each hull and a pair of powerful electric motors that drive matched, counter-rotating props. As an alternative to the twin outboards, this boat so equipped, will silently cruise with a pretty decent range and be able to go to full power instantly whenever the owner wants the buzz of the electric drive potential.

The hulls of the Largo are exactly the same as those of the Gato Especial sailing cat. They are 10-1 in Length to Beam ratio at the waterline and will be very easily driven while still providing a respectable displacement payload. The is a spray chine on the inside and outside of each hull to direct wave action away from the boat while underway, as well as reduce drag on the hull. At cruising speed, a small amount of hull lift is also a side benefit of the spray chines.

The aft end of the hull bottoms is relieved with a slot to allow engine placement forward of the typical transom mounting and to allow the power tilt capability to raise the props well clear of the hull bottom for beaching and trailer loading/unloading. Moving the engines forward adjusts the balance point of the boat forward and helps with handling and pitching moments. It also puts the engines inside of sound deadening boxes, so the overall noise level is reduced while underway. Cruise the harbor on a warm summer evening with soft music playing on the surround sound system and you can really hear the soft music.

Bridgedeck clearance between the hulls is a generous 17″, so wave slap under the main deck will be kept to a minimum. This raises the overall comfort level of the boat, which is especially nice on a longer trip.

The large deck space inside the boat will make for a spacious camping environment, gear hauling space, or just about anything else you can think of doing with a boat that is this versatile. The tailgate opens to a generous 49″ width, allowing the owner to load full sheets of plywood right through the back of the boat without leaning them up on edge.

The hull volumes below the main deck can also be used for the storage of fuel, batteries, water tanks, anchor, rode, etc. It’s always a good thing to keep the heaviest items on a boat as low as possible to enhance stability and improve ride. The space in front of the main forward bulkhead can be accessed via a large hatch. This is an excellent location for lighter weight storage needs such a sleeping bags, tents, clothing, etc.

Clearly, the Largo is a boat with a generous latitude of use potential, it draws design cues from a pretty diverse group of sources and sets a new standard for homebuilt power boats with a decided edge towards fuel economy and responsible boating.

Chris Ostlind
Lunada Design

Over the past couple of years, as I’ve been drawn into the world of boat design, I’ve made a concentrated effort to confine my work to both sail and human powered vessels. I’ve been a multihull sailor and canoe/kayaker for a long time and have found most of my experiences in that part of the boating world. My design portfolio reflects that background.

Recently, after successive readings of the exploits of many different guys and their construction of the nearly legendary Tolman Alaska Skiff, I was pulled into the potential of designing a multi-purpose power boat. It wasn’t just the Tolman form that enticed me so much. It was the complete enthusiasm for the design and the potential that the design represented to the user/builders in the pursuit of their boating dreams, that got me all caught-up with the fever.

Like a moth circling a back porch light, I searched the web and found dozens of references to the classic skiff form that were available as finished boats, as well as plan sets for homebuilders. Gosh, there were ultra deep vees, asymmetrical catamarans, mislabeled party barges, pseudo bass boats, flat bottom ski boats posing as off-shore hulls…Wow!, the parade of hulls being offered as suitable for near offshore conditions was bewildering.

After reading reviews and reports from experienced designers, as well as fishermen who used the hulls to make a living, I settled in on the same form that is used in the Tolman, as well as several other successful designs for the application.

For boats of this type, there were far more examples in the over 18’ range. That makes a lot of sense, as the boat is typically used for off-shore fishing and pleasure boating and smaller power boats don’t do especially well in the bigger conditions typically encountered, nor is it advisable to have a small boat out in conditions of that sort. Virtually all of these boats have strong vee sections forward with the angled deadrise easing off and being carried all the way aft in varying degrees.

Most of the boats settle into a deadrise formula that finds something in the neighborhood of 14 degrees amidships and around 8 degrees at the transom. Longer boats, with their heavier weights are deeper in the water with stronger angles to reflect their displacement needs. I decided to put some time on my sketch pad and the computer to pull together some of my own thoughts as to a suitable skiff for near, off-shore and lake boating.

The boat had to be manageable for a single user, easily trailered and launched and be suited for smaller water conditions such as one would find close to shore and in semi-protected bays and lakes. I didn’t have the burning need to develop a full tilt, enclosed wheelhouse or fully constructed forward cuddy. I felt those design concepts were better handled by the boats that were in the 20-26’ range with their superior load carrying ability and size proportions.

I was more after a boat that could be used completely open when the weather was nice and could have a soft, fold-up cuddy cover for drizzly conditions or sleeping aboard. In short, I wanted the top down convenience of a nicely performing, convertible Grand Touring sports boat. One that handled exceptionally well and could get up and fly when asked.

Since very few designs were available in the 16’ length, I settled on that size as the perfect fit for my design criteria. With a beam of 6’ 8”, the Redondo Skiff is a boat that is simple to build, fast on the water with her 30-50 hp outboard and can handle chop with pronounced vee sections up front that are carried back to an 8 degree deadrise at the transom.

I really liked the incorporated spray rail chine that is seen on several designs of this type for a lot of reasons, so I incorporated a nice rail into the Redondo that starts at the stem and sweeps back to the transom as it echoes the shear. This rail does a couple of things for the design. It deflects wave action and generated spray away from the boat, giving it a drier ride. It really does a job helping to dampen roll when at anchor and it provides a boost to getting the hull up on plane when powered up on long rides.

The penalties (there always seems to be some kind of penalty for every design decision) are that there is an extra piece to each side of the hull during the build and there is extra wetted surface drag when tooling around in displacement mode. I decided to take those hits and design-in the extra chine for all the added benefits they provide.

The boat can be built with a standard steering position to the side of the cockpit or with a centrally mounted steering position if the boat is going to be used more for fishing. The central position allows fishermen to freely move about the hull perimeter while they have a fish on the line without having to climb over the wheel and seat.

Actually, this whole thing about being able to fish right around the hull kind of busts me up in a way. I fully understand the  reasons for the free access, but I have never seen an actual fishing boat of this size that would allow you to move freely around the boat. I mean, what with all the tackle boxes, beer coolers and semi-dozing, grumpy teenagers who are typically on-board for a day fishing trip, it’s just not going to happen the way it is designed. Let me know if you have other experiences

No matter, just go by yourself, because this is a nice boat for fishing, as well as just tooling around and enjoying the water on a nice day. With an appropriately sized outboard, you can get excellent fuel performance while retaining a spirited ride when you want to dial it up.

Chris Ostlind
Lunada Design
Chris@Wedgesail.com

One day I was driving around the industrial area near my boat shop and happened to pass the local power boat center. Sitting out front of the store were two, rather homely looking aluminum skiffs that are typically used around these parts to hunt ducks and geese and perform general boating duties for outdoorsmen.

 I had never really taken a good look at the type before as I had more pressing matters in front of me trying to finish the build on a sailboat. For some reason, I pulled over to just get an idea as to how these metal boats went together and to understand the shapes that went into the hull. Most folks refer to the form as a Jonboat, although I’ve also seen it as Johnsboat and Flat-Bottomed Skiff, by various other sources.

Jim Michalak’s version of this simple skiff has been a real hit with homebuilders and there’s a bunch of good reasons why that’s so. They’re easy to build, provide hours of trouble free operation with the simplest of outboards and can do just about anything you could ask for a utility boat.

I went home that night and dialed-up the design software and started fooling around with a few ideas as to how I would design one of these boats for my portfolio. The result is that I came up with two versions that are very much alike except that one is a bit longer than the other for added carrying capacity.

Swamper

This boat is designed to take advantage of the physical properties of the standard, 4×8’ sheet of plywood and make the most of the sheet goods while still imparting a bit of style and form enhancement to the hull shape.

Rather than design a straight, flat-bottomed hull, I chose to give the Swamper a very slight Vee shape for the underwater parts. This gives a much better ride through choppy conditions such as those you would find on any small lake when the wind comes up. If you’ve ever ridden in a flat bottom hull while pushing through small waves and experienced the slamming effect that comes with a flat surface as it hits the oncoming wave, you already know what I mean by this.

The overall length of the boat is 15’5” and the overall beam is just a shade over 55”. The height is 22” along the sides with the gunnel rising from that height in a soft curve, yielding a bow that is only 28.5” above the floor of the boat.

The main components come out of seven total sheets of plywood. The two bottom panels are from 3/8” material and the rest of the boat is from ¼” stock with the exception of the transom which is built from two layers of 3/4” ply. The boat is epoxy filleted and taped on the inside and completely covered in epoxy glass on the outside surfaces. The build style is simple, stitch and glue with one butt joint connection to be made to get the full-length hull panels.

There is a full-length stringer at gunnel level and it is covered with a four-inch wide cap rail completely around the boat with the exception of the transom mounting location for the engine.

Built-in flotation chambers are installed throughout the hull, starting with a big standing platform in the bow that is suitable for fishing. The forward seat is enclosed with watertight bulkheads as is the far aft seat platform. Two enclosed flotation boxes sit on either side of the engine splashwell. You can swamp this boat and it will not sink.

The flotation chambers can be easily adapted to provide on-board storage if the builder installs watertight hatches or inspection ports.

I feel that the optimal, outboard engine size for this boat would be in the 15-20HP range. It will work just fine with a smaller engine, though, as the boat is quite light. I’m sure somebody will hang something bigger than this, but I’m not recommending it.

The Swamper is perfect for fishing; hunting work related tasks on the water and just plain old fooling around. It can go into some pretty thin water with its draft of just under 7” at 650 pounds of displacement and can easily be setup with oars and a removable center seat for human powered applications.

If you live out in the country and have a good relationship with the local Sheriff, the Swamper will fit snugly between the wheel wells of the standard American pickup. With the tailgate down, you’ll have five feet of boat hanging out, but it is doable. Again, I’m not recommending the practice; just letting you know it can be done… if you’re so inclined.

Normal transport would be with a lightweight trailer, which would allow you to keep the outboard on the boat for short distances. A 15 Hp outboard doesn’t weight too much, but I prefer to see them removed from the transom for transport over long distances.

Swamp King

This boat is very much like the Swamper with virtually the same lines. The biggest differences are the length at 18’, the ability of the boat to carry more weight and the addition of an extra, installed seat with its enclosed flotation volume. With an extra layer of ¼” plywood on the transom, this boat can easily handle a 30-40 HP motor.

The costs to build the Swamp King are slightly greater due to the added plywood for the increased length and some additional trim, structural material as well as extra epoxy and glass.

Even though these are simple boats, they are capable of providing years of wonderful service to the owner/builder with only very minor maintenance. If you have a teenage son or daughter who likes to enjoy outdoor activities with you, this boat would make for a terrific joint project over the winter. Either the Swamper or the Swamp King would make an excellent first boat to hand down when one of them gets old enough to have a boat of their own.

Chris Ostlind
Lunada Design
Chris@Wedgesail.com