31 Comments
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Marty Loken's avatar

Hope we’ll get some specifics from readers choosing “Other.” - Marty

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Norman J. Stringfield's avatar

If I were in the market for another sailboat (which unfortunately I am not because of health reasons) I would chose either the Victoria 18 (primarily because my grand daughter's name is Angelina Victoria and I would want to name it the Angelina so it would be the Angelina Victoria). My other choice which I have lusted after since I first saw one is the Cape Dory Typhoon. I don't know the sailing characteristics of either but I am very enamored of the lines of both, very traditional looking vessels.

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Steve Judson's avatar

Not so much a particular design as urge considering electric propulsion, using one of the available electric outboards, lightweight and safer LiFePO4 batteries and solar panels to charge.

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Marty Loken's avatar

Stay tuned, Steve. We’re going to publish a two-part feature on just such a camp-cruising boat….a 22’ fully-electric shantyboat that’s a lot more than a cement-mixing box with cabin. It’s under construction as we speak, and the owner is almost finished with the first written installment, that’ll focus on the design and construction. Part Two, coming later, will review the boat’s performance—and delightful appearance—in the water. (Kits will be available…but details are not yet available.) - Marty

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David Bower's avatar

Dipper 19 is well-designed and good-looking, but Bo Jest is well-laid-out and simply marvelous in appearance. If ever there were a mini-tug, Bo Jest is it.

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Ferdinand Johns's avatar

It is all I can muster up to "sorta" restore a 44 year old GlasPly for the same purpose. And somebody already built her! Out of frozen snot, no less............ with a 44 year old i/o----worst of both worlds!

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Marty Loken's avatar

GlasPly boats were really popular in the Northwest; nothing wrong with one of them. - Marty

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Ferdinand Johns's avatar

Boy, Marty! You make me feel totally lazy! And tired!

Ferd

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Marty Loken's avatar

Ferd - I’m not as energetic as you might imagine, but projects keep me going (away from the rocking chair). Best, Marty

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Cooper Parish's avatar

I like the Pogy best, it looks like a full displacement hull, not semi-displacement or planing, which you'll never be going fast enough to take advantage of. The Dipper has the biggest single advantage, offering a kit build, but has that hull shape designed for higher speeds. I like bigger mini-tugs, but I feel like the design insipiration is in the wrong place for this use case; tugs never need to be efficent or lightweight, so copying the design and scaling down this much seems odd to me.

I like the Pogy's inboard-outboard, unique dory-like hull shape, and it could be an advantage that the plans aren't 100% complete yet, there may be opportunity to work with the designer on any ideas you might have... If only it came in a kit!

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Marty Loken's avatar

Cooper - You’re right, the Pogy does have somewhat more of a displacement hull, but none of these designs—including the Dipper 19–are really supposed to get up on a plane. (A lot of Sam’s similar outboard cruisers are go-faster designs, with lots of recommended horsepower and far greater fuel-burning that the Dipper….with its two (or one) 9.9-hp outboards.) I’ve always loved the Power Pogy, so I’ll be eager to see the changes that Tad wants to make. (He said yesterday that after living with the unfinished design for a few years, “the low freeboard aft bothers me, as does the twist in the bottom panel forward.”)

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Carolyn & Kees's avatar

I liked the Power Pogy with the motor mounted in a well, but then I saw that there is no rudder behind it, which is why I would choose it. If the Bo Jest were built with a motor well so the prop wash flows over the rudder, I think it would be the cats meow. The keel/skeg would protect the lower unit. The turned drop table for the bunk is a nice touch, although I am not fond of a chemical toilet by my head when I'm sleeping.

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Nathan Lunstrum's avatar

A vote for the Dipper 19, I've been eyeing it myself for awhile. Seems like the perfect PNW motorboat to pull behind a modestly sized SUV/truck.

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Marty Loken's avatar

Nathan - My long-time favorite has been Sam’s 22’ Surf Scoter, but it’s too heavy for the parameters we’re trying to live with. The Dipper 19 has “the look,” but in a smaller and lighter-weight package. (And, unlike the Surf Scoter, it can sensibly be powered by a much smaller outboard than the Surf Scoter.)

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Glenn's avatar

Devlin L'il Coot. With electric power.

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MarvP's avatar

Power Pogy is my choice, solely because of the inboard motor well.

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Jeff Doubrava's avatar

Who deigned the Mouse? Are plans available?

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Marty Loken's avatar

Jeff - MOUSE was doodled by a now-deceased Center for Wooden Boats volunteer who was interested in late-1800s beach boats of the UK. His rough-draft drawing was clearly inspired by some of those early fishing boats. It’s a one-off, and no plans are available now but I have full-size lines that were used to build the bare hull so I might be able to develop plans in the future…after finishing construction and testing the boat for awhile. (If you want to build something almost identical to the MOUSE hull, look into the ILUR design of Francois Vivier; it’s very similar but with 6 inches less beam than MOUSE and a different sailing rig.) - Marty

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Jim Harris's avatar

I wonder if the tug would have more supper structure windage and be harder to handle in windy conditions. As many sailers know a transom mounted outboard can be difficult to keep in the water when it gets rough. I don’t have enough experience with power boats to know if they have the same issue, which would favor the motor well of the Bo-Jest, even with the loss of cockpit space. One thing the dipper has, that I really like, is the forward hatch that allows a person access to the bow area for anchoring or picking up a mooring buoy with out having to walk along the cabin side. Balance is the reasons I will have to give up sailing, but this may be something that can be added to the final Bo-Jest design. I think your parameters are right on with what a pocket sailor would be looking for as we age and transition to power.

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Bob Cornwell's avatar

I'd want one of the two displacement hull designs in hopes of getting better milage. The Power Pogy is the longer of the two, so that's why I would choose it. A longer waterline on a displacement power boat almost certainly assures better milage.

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Dave Hilton's avatar

John Welsford's upcoming Scallywag 16 1/2 ft. A big brother version of Scamp. Sleep 4 with room for a porta potty.

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Rob Kunzig 57's avatar

Love the look of the Dipper 19, but I'd want more hp to cruise at max knots regardless of wind or current and or to be able to tow a dinghly in need? But hey I'll just be happy when OCH puts out a video of Mouse! Glad to hear we'll see her in the spring! Bravo

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Marty Loken's avatar

Rob - OCH is aware of the project and may produce a video once I’m camp cruising MOUSE. In the meantime I’ll cover origin of the design, construction process and early on-the-water experiences right here…with lots of photos. (Can’t wait to launch this one!)

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Dan's avatar

I agree with Rob - I cruise the Maine Coast on my Sisu 22 powerboat. Although I cruise at 5-6 knots when in the destination cruising grounds, it is best to be able to go faster when making passages “outside” in open water. I also appreciate being able to make distance before a weather system hits.

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Marty Loken's avatar

Dan and Rob - I don’t disagree about the beauty of a go-faster option, and while I’ve been searching here for a way to do everything with a 9.9, it’s conceivable that—regardless of which hull design—I might end up with a single Yamaha 25hp…fuel efficient at 5-6 knots but capable of scrambling when you’re crossing the Strait of Juan de Fuca, pushing through Deception Pass when you failed to arrive at the brief moment of Slack, or when you’re running from weather.

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