Hi all, I?ve been lurking here and on Fishyfish for the past 6 months or so. I want to build a GA or a Tolman but I can?t decide which or why. I know almost all the differences (?monohedron?, more efficient hull, less deadrise, more hull volume, etc.), but I?d still love your 2 cents.
I?m a competent amateur builder - this will be my 4th, and largest by far, stitch-and-glue boat.
Basically I?d like to build a boat for 80% family cruising - camping, tubing, etc., 20% fishing. It?ll be mostly a Puget Sound boat (rarely out to the coast), but occasionally will cross to Vancouver Island or maybe the inside passage and some exposed seas there. The sound is pretty friendly, but it can definitely blow some days.
Hoping to primarily trailer it, not store in a marina, so weight is a factor, and I don?t want to tow a 28-30 foot boat.
At this point, I?m thinking a 24-26 foot boat with a head, fridge, heater, and room to sleep 2 adults (I?m 6?6??) and 2 kids. The ?Pau Hana? that I?m sure a lot of you have seen looks pretty ideal size-wise.
Construction space is also a big factor. I will likely be building this in a standard garage (hopefully 3-car, but we?re moving, so we?ll see), so that means no overhead chain lifts, no building it on the trailer after the flip, and will probably mean that I build the boat on the ground, essentially, with the wheelhouse, then have to cut it off at the base of the pillars, and reassemble/glass it when outside of the standard 7-foot garage door and before the windows go in.
I?m also a bit intimidated by the weight of 3/4?? ply compared with 1/2?? - seems like it?ll be a lot harder to move around and flip, but I?ve never build something like this before, so who knows.
Anyway, thanks for listening to my ?design brief?, I appreciate your thoughts.