Messages

1

General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: On bulkheads and secondary stringers

« on: November 27, 2024, 10:02:39 AM »

These boats are relatively light for their size and will therefore trim differently based on loading - more so than commercially-built boats that weigh twice as much and burn twice the fuel.  Ask Dan about his foam core (I believe?) construction .. can't remember the list of items that he did this with, but it lightened up the forward half of the boat, hence his remarks on trim and balance by burning off the aft (heavy) tank first to tune the trim.  Other GA's will trim a tad low at the bow and burn the forward tank first in order to tune the trim while on a trip.

2

General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: 28' GA in Indiana

« on: November 27, 2024, 09:57:57 AM »

Nope ... you can leave the 3 bottom strakes off if you aren't going to be beaching the boat.  As for bottom paint, the general rule is a) if your boat's a trailer sailer then go with paint or graphite-impregnated epoxy, b) if your boat will just spend up to 6 weeks or so in a slip each year, then use hard anti-fouling paint/coating, and c) if you will keep your boat in a slip all the time, then go the soft ablative anti-fouling instead.  The hard anti-fouling can be refreshed as needed, and the same goes for the black graphite bottom.  Soft anti-fouling is generally re-applied annually, but that depends on where your boat is kept (how much growth and shellfish attachment occurs each year).  Also be aware that anti-fouling is often a regulated product and some bays have rules on what you can and cannot use, usually do the presence of sensitive marine life in the area, ex) commercial oyster beds or designated 'marine aquariums'.

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: On bulkheads and secondary stringers

« on: November 25, 2024, 05:01:17 PM »

The decks are structural and required.  Sub-deck structure is primarily for deck support, not hull structure. The aft house bulkhead is structural and required, but it's of secondary nature as compared to stringers, decks, the hull itself, and the sheer structure.  If you look at the 26' Prince Rupert in the 000x series of drawings carefully, you'll see tankage passing by/through underneath the aft house bulkhead.  A sub-deck bulkhead is not necessary there.

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: widening stringers for a bit more fuel?

« on: November 25, 2024, 04:57:18 PM »

Yes, you can sister-in LVL to the outside of original stringers in the space near and a little behind the aft house bulkhead or so ... this adds extra weight to the boat, but it's got the capacity for sure.  This would widen the space between the stringers in the cockpit area by 3-1/2 inches... capacity for 50 more miles worth of fuel or so?  You'd also want a 'floor' (8" wide deck on the keel inside the boat) as well, but most of those with belly tanks add some sort of support under the tank anyway.  We can work out the details when you get closer.

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: Dry decking

« on: November 24, 2024, 09:43:14 AM »

I know someone that used it, or at least a product that looks just like it anyway.  They had 3 things to say ... first, it's fantastic and works well.  Second, fishing slime and other dirt builds up and can be hard to clean. Third, fish hooks and gear gets caught in it.  My conclusion is that if you're going to do some heavy fishing, the temporarily lift it out.  If more of a cruising or camping trip, lighter on the fishing, then put it back in.  Opinions worth what you paid for them 

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Introductions - Are you new here? Say hello! / Re: Cruising focused GA 30

« on: November 18, 2024, 05:05:43 PM »

Trust Chuck ... He knows what he's doin'!  (Don't give him too hard of a time ... he normally throws back the little ones, but hey, it was a slow day!)

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Introductions - Are you new here? Say hello! / Re: Cruising focused GA 30

« on: November 18, 2024, 04:44:07 PM »

First let me say choosing any Great Alaskan is a Major Good Choice!! After reading your introduction post. The GA sounds like it will fit your needs perfectly, for so many reasons. Building is a huge undertaking, the end result is so worth it in more ways than you can imagine.
Just remember that during the build. Every time I go out in my 31 GA Kodiak, I remember thinking I knew it would be worth it in the end. I was so correct!! The pride that comes along with it is priceless and amazing when your out enjoying what you created exactly how it fits your needs.
I can personally attest to it's sea worthiness. The second night of my 1500+km, 8 day/night trip from San Diego to Puerto Vallarta I was not sure we were going to make it, we were at least 100+ miles from shore. Every wave was throwing a lot of water over the top onto the cockpit deck, in part because we were over weight by a lot. I sure was happy I put 2x6 scuppers in, they did there job well. I believe if we were in any other boat in its class we would have not made it.
 Thanks Brian!!!!!

Thanks for the kind words, Chuck!  Be nice to see you sometime ... Hey, do bikini babes cruising around in your boat down in Mexico count as "so worth it in more ways than you can imagine"? 

Brian

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Projects - Glacier Boats of Alaska boat projects / Re: GA28 in Bakersfield California

« on: November 18, 2024, 04:39:37 PM »

Ditto ... the manual describes using a carbide scraper, as shown, for feathering the fiberglass edges ... it'll greatly reduce how much fairing mix you'll have to use too.  The scraper is also great for filling screw holes ... PURPOSELY over-fill them a tad, then use the scraper to scrape the overfill off smooth and even with the underlying surface.  Much easier than trying to fill holes with goopy epoxy then with fairing mix later.  FYI - If you REALLY overfill ... a curved cheese grater type rasp can be used to take off the worst of it, follow with the scraper.  BTW, the rasp is great for getting rid of squirrelly fiberglass threads and bumps too.  Using these tools allow you to work faster, easier, and not have to worry so much about how perfect you must make it.

 

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Great Alaskan FAQ / PLYWOOD - Get Educated!

« on: November 14, 2024, 06:56:06 AM »

All - Attached is one of the best articles that I've seen on marine plywood - every aspect, from manufacturing to usage, what the standards are and what to expect in today's world!  This article will answer a LOT, if not all, of your questions!  (Keep in mind that we design for ACX plywood construction and even with cheap ol' ACX, our designs are nearly twice as strong as required)

CREDIT: Credit where credit is due! This article was posted online by WoodenBoat Magazine and offered to the public for free.  Like it?  Pay for it with a trial subscription to WoodenBoat Magazine as a thank you for the article!

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Projects - Glacier Boats of Alaska boat projects / Re: 13 Bananas New Jersey Kodiak

« on: November 11, 2024, 08:04:42 AM »

Fantastic work and all that fairing is simply AMAZING!  Wow!

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Projects - Glacier Boats of Alaska boat projects / Re: GA28 in Bakersfield California

« on: November 11, 2024, 08:03:25 AM »

Looking good!  You're taking the time to fair and make everything 'pretty' will bring you pleasure in the future each time you look at it.

I should mention that I don't necessarily recommend putting a drain plug at the bottom of the crash chamber bulkhead ... OK if you do, but hard to reach and you could argue that the chance of getting water in there is near zero (if not entirely zero).

Love the updates with pictures!!!  (thx)

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: extended swim platform

« on: November 09, 2024, 07:16:37 AM »

Only thing I would have done different is to slope the back deck to the rear 1 to maybe 1 1/2 inches. I enjoy this boat so much. Have thought about building a new one but don?t want to get off the water to do it. Just been upgrading a few things so I can spend more time on it.

Yeah .. that's one of the updates that I plan for the manual(s) when I give them a refresh this Spring (after I retire, 3/1/2025) .. make it standard practice to raise and slope the cockpit deck, e.g. raise the deck 1-1/2" at the transom and around 4" at the aft house bulkhead.  Also standard practice is that every under-deck bulkhead gets a pluggable (15/16" diameter) drain hole ... clear into the cuddy.  Plug all when underway or sleeping overnight, but open all when trailering (and at a dock IF you are SURE the boat is trimming bow UP).  Finally, if you plug all but the aft cuddy bulkhead drains, then the deck inside the house is high enough to put a bilge pump just aft of the aft cuddy bulkhead, e.g. on the house side of the bulkhead.  If you sleep in the bow and have gear forward, you want the cuddy deck to be self-bailing, and have the cuddy bulkhead bilge pump as a back-up.  Note that if underway and you do have water under the deck, that you can flush most of it just by opening all plugs and getting on plane for a few moments, then plug all bulkheads again before coming off plane... old trick for people that own planing hulls.

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General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: extended swim platform

« on: November 08, 2024, 04:25:48 PM »

The curved transom is a VERY good idea and much stronger than a regular flat transom ... but the flat transom is well-supported inside the boat.  The entire boat was designed overly-strong by a high percentage, the idea that you could build it out of any cheap exterior BCX plywood out there and be fine.  But I do like that curved transom.  if the motor had been hung right on it (or a bracket right on it), the curve of the transom would prevent transom flex as the motor kicks up and down, on water or on a trailer.

You can make the swim platform the same height clear across, no problem.  I also love how this pic shows how hugely the swim platform w/door enables getting in and out of the boat.  Important for toddlers and/or people who aren't entirely stable on their feet ... and you don't have to climb past fishing rods, downriggers, or crab davits either. 

I do prefer a door that swings outward though (hinges on the side closer to the motor) so that stern seas hitting the transom compress the door against seals rather than trying to open the door.  I plan on adding the euro-transom and swim platform to the plans when I update them next Spring... and a few other tune-ups such as giving the cockpit deck a good downward slope to the transom to help keep the boat self-bailing even if you have two people the size of me sleeping in the bow overnight during an extended rainy period.

Brian

14

Introductions - Are you new here? Say hello! / Re: Cruising focused GA 30

« on: November 06, 2024, 08:00:29 AM »

Thanks Brian-

I will work with 28 Feet and focus on the cabin layout for now. Maybe try to squeeze another foot or so if it makes sense once I really know the weights and balance of what I am looking to do.  Looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

When the Gen II Standard comes out, the easiest way to stretch to 29' would be to move the house aft about a foot, or go with a longer house and keep your heavier weights near the aft house bulkhead or just behind.  The boat can be balanced at 29'.  You may find that other methods for moving a little weight aft may be preferable to you.  For example, as mentioned in the current manuals, truncating the forward belly tank so it doesn't reach as far forward works, and if you need/want the extended range that more fuel offers, then add box tanks or saddle tanks at or just behind the aft house bulkhead to make up for the shortening of the forward belly tank.  You can buy tanks that fit the GA premade ...where there's a will, there's a way.  But I will still stand by 28 feet as being a real sweet spot in terms of balance, center of buoyancy, and length/width aspect ratio.

15

Introductions - Are you new here? Say hello! / Re: Cruising focused GA 30

« on: November 05, 2024, 04:43:04 PM »

I really can't recommend a 30 GA Standard ... that would be a bit of a stretch (haha).  Actually, due to the relative movements of the CG and CB (center of buoyancy), stretching a GA Standard that far would make it difficult to balance properly.  Better to wait until the boat is re-optimized around 28 feet long and then it could be stretched to 30 feet more easily.  Really, I would even say that building one of these at the design length or plus 1 foot or minus 2 feet, would be best, e.g a Gen II GA Standard, optimized for 28 feet, would have a suggested range in length running from 26 feet to 29 feet long.