27LC in PDX

One thing to remember is that a naval archetict may be different than a "yacht designer". Both may be able to draw good plans, but the NA will have a lot more detail and engineering. There are lots of people who draw boats.

Just scalling up a given length is done often, but that does not always give the best boat. Having a custom built boat is expensive in fiberglass or composits. Metal may be a little cheaper--but still expensive.
 
I have seen the Devlin boats and like them a lot. I am leery of the plywood construction even with the epoxy encapsulation though.

How can you tow a boat with a 9'6" beam? I mean legally w/o a permit. BTW how hard is it to get these permits, do you need a CDL?
 
What my friends have found about towing 9'6" wide boat is that basically the states just want some money.

They have only gotten the permits for the western states so don't know about other areas. They have not had to get any special license. Just fill out the form and pay the fee and good for a year.

They have made 2 trips to Lake Powell and 1 trip to Bellingham - not counting the trip home from Washington when they bought it (without permits). They have never been stopped or asked about the permits but they do have them.
 
Well, heck, that's no obstacle at all! I could go a foot wider in beam and gain a lot more room, maybe I could find a mold for a hull this wide ready made. Now I have another way to go, thanks. Any easterners have any advice or input?
 
Stitch and Glue is an excellent plywood construction technique-and assures total encapsulation in epoxy. There is some merit in your concerns about the plywood boats. I have a friend who purchased a 45 or so foot "Glen L" (Kit design) boat--and along the line found out that the entire deck system was rotted, along with some of the siding. It was an expensive lesson. But that boat was bult with polyester resin and glass over ply. Truely encapsulating with epoxy is a much better technique. Also some of the really good sportfishers are wood encapsulated.


There are molds around for boats--but it is a lot of work to build one. (less than some one offs, but on the other hand, in some ways the stitch and glue method is faster and easier than molding a boat. The bulkheads are put of the setup, and don't have to be put in later, which is time consuming.) If you decide to build a boat--be sure you have the time and will follow the project thru. Also build to professional standards--don't take any shortcuts.
 
I would not be doing the building myself, I have enough on my plate with my Lotus replica car kit! Intellectually I understand how epoxy boats today are essentially the same as Fiberglas boats though with some advantages & some drawbacks. But I still can't get the idea of rot out of my mind. Also the Devlin/Bolger stitch & glue boats have a lot of trouble with compound curves and that often results in a less than optimum hull shape both functionally and ascetically. I am going to do some research and try and find a 9'6" to 10' beam planing or semi-displacement workboat hull mold than can be converted to outboard power. It sure would be a lot cheaper than a custom one-off hull as a starting point, the rest will cost the same.

BTW it sure is hard to find information on towing oversize loads on the internet. Most state sites leave much to be desired. So far I have verified that you need a permit if you are over 102" and don't need a pilot car until you are over 12' wide. Still trying to find out duration of permits and cost. I would be no wider than 9'6" or perhaps 10' at the very most. I don't have a problem with a reasonably priced annual permit if thats all there is to it even with some restrictions.
 
When I tried a search for wide load requirements, it varies state by state. Seems that most don't allow travel after dark or weekends, and the fees vary. Some states restrict the type of roads you can travel on. I've visited with boaters who tow with a beam in excess of 8 1/2' that say they don't bother with permits... if you ever have an accident, regardless of whose fault, I would think the consequences could go very bad. Even though getting the permits would be a giant PITA, I don't see any way around that.

At a certain point, you have to decide what is really important... would the inconvenience of messing with permits keep you from towing state to state? What about the insurance when you're on the road? Only you can decide what will best fit the way you intend to use the boat. Going back to what Bill often says: "simplify"... how much boat do you need, and how little can you make work?

If working around your wife's desires, it would also be a good idea to have her in on the boat selection right from the get-go. Bring her to a C-Brat gathering to meet some very nice people who are using their boats. A few hours of visiting will have her ready to go... or you will know that this isn't for you.

Maybe knowing you can be comfortable with an easy, no-hassle beam would be a good investment in time spent? I'm not saying these boats are for everyone, but we have been delighted in how comfortable we can be on our CD-25. And no "wide load" permits or restrictions on where and when we can travel.

Good luck with your decisions.
Jim B.
 
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