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30 Foot Salty Boat Build 9'8" Beam

58K views 202 replies 52 participants last post by  Grady 300  
#1 Ā·
After a bad mishap last fall with my 28' Albemarle getting totaled out I decided it was time to step up to real off shore boat that does not break the bank every time I pull up to the fuel dock. Started this project 2 weeks ago. I plan to splash it this time next year for the 2021 fishing season. At this a point I an thinking twin 115 HP 4-stroke Yamaha's, might go for twin 150's but I really would love to keep the 115's. Lots of time to decide at this point. I'm planing on a bow thruster if I get brave enough to cut a huge oblong shaped hole in my hull. I will make a mock-up of the hull area and practice on something first. I am pretty sure this will be the first GA with a bow thruster.
 

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#13 Ā·
One of the big reasons for the build is I should easily get 3 mpg loaded for tuna, I suspect it will do a bit better. After owning 2 different offshore boats getting 1 mpg the Kodiak will be a welcome change. The savings will easily pay for my 6 months of moorage, yearly insurance and a few others. Not to mention I get to build it the way I fish. All in cost to build should not exceed 45K ready to fish.
 
#14 Ā· (Edited)
I remember when you were building your Jumbo. Are you happy with the power of the 150 HP? I'm sure the 150 HP does just fine, I'm asking more about the power when loaded up with ice and gear how the power is climbing a large swell or plenty of power when that sneaker wave shows itself. Any idea what you mpg are loaded up? Docking in the wind is one of the reason I want twins. The 30' Grady White I used to have had twin 225 which made docking in the wind much easier, solid it after too many $1500 fuel fill ups with a 310 gallon fuel capacity. The 286 Albamarle I just lost had a bow thruster, now that is a dream to dock with a single big block engine.
 
#9 Ā·
Awesome Chuck! I’ll be watching closely. I still love my Jumbo, but something in me keeps thinking about another build some day. I would strongly consider the bow thruster, as elk said the real only downside on these boats is docking in the wind. Other than that, not a single complaint with the jumbo.

Short story about the 24 foot jumbo you pictured. That picture still up is on the wall in my shop, even though we are on year six fishing the jumbo. I found a post written by the builder of that boat. It was along these lines: ā€œ I named my beautiful boat Celia, after my wife of many years. The divorce was last week, I got the boat. All is wellā€.

Good luck Chuck, enjoy the build.

Mark
 
#10 Ā· (Edited)
See a triple-axle trailer on another board that may work for your build. Posted on the Tolman board. I can see the twin 115's being adequate do to the light-weight construction. After our launch of the first 'stretched' Jumbo in 2003 (originally a J22 and Renn Tolman signed off 6-months later) we've found it more than adequate. B & B
 

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#23 Ā·
I know the jumbo and GA are not equal hulls. I did not consider that I built heavy. I used spec. cloth, went little heavy on the taping of the keel and corners, I did go heavy on transom, I added more verslam in places that did not call for it (center floor support under the fish deck, the sub. stringers for the floor I used versalam, Inside my cabin has minimal weight, I used plastic boxes and drawers for storage.
With freezer, ice chests full for camping, kicker motor, 50 gal. fuel, sleeping bags, fishing gear. no POBS. on the trailer axles my weight is 5,500lbs, estimate 600lb tongue weight. my trailer empty is right at 1,300 lbs. Jumbo =4,200 + POBs + ice I am typically running really close to 5,200 +/- wet. With a 150hp single. 35lbs per hp. As I mentioned my WOT speed is 29 mph (4 blade prop), no plowing to get on plane so she runs right up on plane. Cruise at 24-25 mph @ 4,000 rpms. I am happy with a 35lb per hp. I could be off alittle on weight. I weighed my trailer empty at a set of scales. My number should be very close.
GA @ 4,800 lbs dry, 80 gal. fuel, twin 115 800lbs, 400lbs ice, 4 POB 800lbs+ fishing gear/food/other 200lbs gets you at 7,500 lbs, 33lbs per hp. twin 150 which are still 4cyl motors gets you the 25lbs per hp.
 
#24 Ā·
Pretty close but my estimated dry weight of 4800# includes the motors. So going with your other weight estimations which look pretty right on would total 6680 pounds. With twin 115's looking more like 29# per single HP. Twin 150's would make it more like 22 pounds per HP. I'm still a bit concerned my weight estimation could be off. Who knows I may change my mind and go with a single 250HP with a kicker+ a few hundred pounds less and about 5k cheaper that would pay for the kicker and 1/2 the maintenance cost. As long as I can get my bow thruster figured out. Big reason for the twins is way better control while docking than a single.
 
#25 Ā·
Remember that 25# per HP is the "go fast" ratio and 40# per HP is just adequate. There are not many days you're going to be running at "go fast" speeds. Correctly pitched 4-blade props along with the Great Alaskan hull design will take care of responsiveness and low end grunt.
 
#26 Ā·
If I were building that boat, I’d go with the twins, and big fuel tanks. I love my boat, but still after six years still hate docking it. Having twins would help immensely with docking. Bigger tanks gives you great range, but also is a significant ballast low down in the hull. I’m personally skeptical about how effective a bow thruster would be because of the shallow draft.

Go twins, and go fishing!
 
#29 Ā·
I agree. I almost wish I would put twin 100hp honda's on and cut the transom wide to spread them apart. But twins cost more than a single so I went with a single because of cost and the fact if I hit an underwater log I figured I might take out both twins, kicker up out of the water was better, and kicker fuel tank helps if somethings wrong with the gas in the main tank. Trade off anyway you look at it. The jumbo is too shallow of draft for a bow thruster. I half way looked into a remote steer bow mounted trolling motor, did not want that clutter on the bow.
 
#28 Ā·
In case anyone is interested in some technical data about a Standard GA or the larger Kodiak GA the info below is from Brian Dixon the designer of the Great Alaskan.

A variety of size-related questions come up, with most people wondering about things like waterline, freeboard, interior freeboard, height and width required for a garage door ...on and off a trailer, etcetera. In light of those questions, here are some answers that should help (noting that the design waterline is at standard displacement ...1/2 fuel, typical crew, gear, equipment, etc):

Waterline at the stern, typical displacement (3800-4000 lbs total, 4000-4200 lbs for Kodiak): 4 inches (add about an inch for each additional 650 lbs or so)
Total hull draft, including bottom strake but not including motor skeg (same load): about 12 inches
Exterior freeboard (waterline to sheer deck): about 31-1/2 inches measured at the lowest point near the stern (add 5" inches for Kodiak Model)
Interior freeboard (main deck to sheer deck, at stern): about 28-3/4 inches (add 5" for Kodiak Model)
Total boat width: 8 feet, 5 inches, at widest point, measured at the sheer (Kodiak Model is 9 feet 4 inches wide)
Total boat height (off a trailer): 7 feet 9 inches (Rockport, Newport), 8 feet 7 inches (Prince Rupert w/visor) (Kodiak Model is same height)
Hull height from bottom of keel strake to top of cuddy roof: About 6 feet 7 inches (Kodiak Model is same height)
Total height when on a trailer: 9 feet 5 inches (Rockport, Newport), 10 feet 3 inches (Prince Rupert w/visor) (Kodiak Model is same height)
Total width on trailer: MOST trailers will not be wider than the boat (see boat width above)
Length overall of primary hull (LOA): The advertised boat length, e.g. a 26-foot GA will be 26 feet from tip of bow to aft-most top edge of the transom
Length including anchor pulpit: Allow about 30" for the anchor pulpit and anchor
Length including outboard motor: Allow at least 40" for outboard motor, leg, and propeller behind the boat
Length of trailer tongue: Depends on your trailer selection, typically allow at 6 feet forward of the bow point (anchor pulpit do not matter here)
Total Length: Off trailer for building purposes, add LOA (above) and anchor pulpit lengths PLUS at least 4 feet for space to work in front of bow and behind the transom
Total Length: On trailer, fully outfitted, Add LOA, trailer tongue length, and mounted outboard length (including propeller) PLUS 2 feet to leave room to pass by either end of the boat when the shop door(s) are closed
Headroom inside pilot house is 76" (6'4", 1.9m) - assumes per-spec build with pilot house decks on top of stringers (unraised) and measured to inside of actual pilot house roof (between handrails, center)
Decks can (typ.) be raised up to 4" above stringers for more fuel tank space, extra height of scuppers above waterline, sloping and/or crowning cockpit deck downward towards the stern to enhance self-bailing etc

Total height of the boat depends on whether or not you add rocket-launcher rod holders, rafts, radar, antennae, and other items to the top of the boat, and how tall you choose to make your visor on roofs such as on the Prince Rupert (or even the Newport if you add a tugboat-type visor to it). Total height on a trailer depends partially on the trailer that you select, and the above assumes that the boat's keel will be off the ground by about 19" or so for a typical trailer that has 14" trailer wheels. Total width of the boat itself is accurate given you apply rubrails 3/4" thick as specified, but total width on a trailer depends on your trailer selection, fenders, etcetera. The measurements above are intended to be approximate in order for you to do appropriate planning. For example, I would not personally choose a new garage door of less than 11' high by 8' wide or so in order to allow a boat of typical configuration to slide through it on a trailer, and even that would require radar on a pedestal that can be removed or hinged forward. You CAN get away with a typical 10 foot high garage door if you commit to not having a visor on your pilot house roof (or only a low one) and don't back the boat into the shop/garage with anything on the roof (antennae, raft, rods, radar etc).

Hope this helps,

Brian
 
#31 Ā·
Glass for bottom all rolled up ready to go on the inside of the bottom. Bottom all glassed with 10oz cloth including one extra 9" on each scarf joint. Glass applied side to side. Glass goes on so easy if you wet out the ply first and roll the glass on right off the stick applying light pressure, greatly reduces wrinkles in the glass. Finished up putting the 2 bottom pieces of 1 3/4" LVL on the transom. One more coat of epoxy tonight then one more tomorrow morning. I will take the bottom off the building jig the next day and set it aside. This weekend I hope to get the framing done on the jig to carry the stringers and the bottom. If all goes well I hope to have the bottom glued on by the end of next week as long as my real job doesn't get in the way too much.
 

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#34 Ā·
The bottom is completed, time to take it off the building jig and flip it over. Setting it to the side while I start the next the step. Next need to build 2 different internal support structures to support the transom, sheer shelves, stringers. Once this is done its time to scribe the stringers to the bottom then glue it on. I will be working all weekend to hopefully set the bottom on the stringers Monday ready to scribe. Hope to glue the bottom on Monday or Tuesday.
 

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#37 Ā·
Today's progress:
I changed the interior framing structure a bit from the plans. The main vertical support is on top of building jig rather than mounted on the inside then added an extra piece to the inside. I dropped the framing down 2 3/8" to allow for my raised stringers. Checked it all out with my laser. I went with 11 7/8" rather than 9 1/2" stringers. Added the extra height just to have a few more options during the build. Besides the Kodiak has another 5 1/2" of height over the typical GA so I figure I had some height spare
 

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#39 Ā·
Today's progress:
Transom glued on, Stringers set in place dry fitted, Bottom set on top to see if any scribing the stringers to the hull needs to be done (very little needs to be done they fit well) Next step is to glue the stringers in and then glue the bottom to stringers, transom and bow stem. Then time to start prepping to put fit the sides. Still need to cut side panels out and scarf 2 different section together. I will also glass the inside of the side panels prior to putting on the hull, much easier than doing it later.
 

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#41 Ā·
The entire boat is covered in fiberglass mostly 10oz. on the flat surfaces and up to 30 total ounces of glass on most structural seams/corners. I use Aero Marine epoxy to bond the glass to the plywood, used this brand on the last 3 boats and really like it. Most fillets are done using epoxy with 80% wood flour and 20% silica mix to get the peanut butter consistency for forming fillets. Stitch & Glue boats are super easy boats to build no real woodworking experiences necessary when starting with a CNC pre-cut kit.