Messages

2701

Projects - Non-Glacier Boats of Alaska boat projects / Re: Wish list

« on: January 13, 2010, 11:44:44 PM »

I tend, initially, towards boats useful in Alaska ...the next will likely be a small set of driftboats, then likely a couple of river boats.  I have a pirogue design that I used to sell and will likely give away for free ...but it's in hard copy format and needs to be converted to PDF drawings for download.  And then there's the book on wood-composite boat building that I need to finish ...Sigh.  Family, work, kids, the great outdoors, my own boat projects ...who has time to do all that they dream of?

Brian

2702

Health and Safety / Re: Gloves

« on: January 13, 2010, 08:28:00 PM »

Actually, I always recommend nitrile gloves when working with epoxy.  Hands sweat and while biohazards won't go through latex, that I know of (?), chemical can.  The sweat can help communicate chemicals in hardeners and other boat building chemicals through to your skin, and solvents can go through latex as well.  The place to look for Nitrile gloves is your local auto parts store.  If they don't have them, look to your local supplier for auto body repair shops.  Buy the stretchy ones, not the silly clear plastic ones that fit loosely on your hands, and greatly prefer those that go up your wrist a couple of inches.  When reaching over long sticky surfaces, wear Tyvek sleeve guards.  If you, like me when I was living in Fairbanks, can't get nitrile gloves very easily, at least look for heavy-duty latex ...not the drugstore type that your doctor uses with that little tube of silicon lube that nobody loves.  Same rules for the gloves going up your wrists a bit.

Just my 2-bits.  I go through a lot of gloves.

Brian

2703

Introductions - Are you new here? Say hello! / [For DEPTHCHARGE] Quatro

« on: January 13, 2010, 12:00:25 AM »

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Hi guys. I live near the Texas coast. I'm a nurse by trade but I used to be a mechanic and have military experience. I"m looking for a trailerable boat that can take some minor seas, has some range and a place to take a break. I was looking at the glen-l calypso but the Great Alaskan has higher freeboard, shallower draft (a factor here on the Texas coast), and a much better building method so I found my new favorite! I'll be moving to the Corpus Christi area this summer and I want to get situated there before starting so it will be awhile for me. I look forward to getting to know everyone here.

2704

Introductions - Are you new here? Say hello! / [For AlaskaTex] Third in line

« on: January 12, 2010, 11:59:26 PM »

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Hey Y'all:

I'm glad to be on board with you. I first discovered the Great Alaskan online about two and a half years ago while doing a search for things related to the Tolman design. It was love at first sight. I really like the Tolman Jumbo but it left me wanting just a little more boat with the same general build sequence and such; then along comes Brian and the GA. Brian, I doubt you remember but I talked to you on the phone about getting my hands on a set of drawings. At the time you told me I needed some fancy progam to read the files. About that same time life happened and my wife and I decided to move back to Texas from Kenai, Alaska. Since then I've built a house, landscaped a yard, started a shop, and lots of other things beside build my dream boat. Well I'm just about ready to start on the boat stuff again.

My wife and I still have a recreational cabin in Kenai and have spent the last three summers there rather than melt in the Texas heat. I can't hardly wait to add the "big" boat to my stable of Alaska toys. Heck, I guess I could put an A/C unit on it and use it on the Gulf Coast too?

Look for many, many question in the near future.

Art

2705

Introductions - Are you new here? Say hello! / Re: ok' Ill be second on the list.

« on: January 12, 2010, 11:58:07 PM »

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Capt,

  Thanks for both the compliments and for being the first person other than I to post something in these forums...

Brian

2706

Introductions - Are you new here? Say hello! / [For captmlowry] ok' Ill be second on the list.

« on: January 12, 2010, 11:57:18 PM »

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Hello, I am Marshall Lowry from florida. Just got the plans Brian this week. I was very pleased to see the work done on the design. I typically build designs from B. Roberts and J. Benford however I wanted a Trailerableish work boat that can double for some light cruising. - and Here it is.  Honestly I have studied marine design for several years and this is a very well thought out craft with ease of consturction that is very impressive. -  I am a diver, captain, and shipbuilder part time second to working for the state department.  I have about 60k miles seagoing in boats under 85' and like to travel the eastern seaboard by intercoastal for vacations. Addtionally being in florida I do alot of fishing recreationally and find that a tough boat with plenty of space on deck is a real run way to spend the warm saturdays.

I hope many builders from all over sign up for this forum as it helps to have encouragement from other builders to finish the progects and do the design justice. - I know I used to build airplanes from plans. !

- Cheers. - M.

2707

General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: Possible mods...

« on: January 12, 2010, 11:55:09 PM »

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One thing to keep in mind is that the number one thing that prevents good economy in boats is weight, with the deadrise and hull form being number two, all other things are a distant 3rd and further.  This boat is light for its size, so you really don't want to add lots of weight up on top.  So, yes you can reinforce the roof any way you want ...and that adds weight up high.  A helm station adds weight even higher, and 2 people really add weight up on top.  I'm not sure I'd encourage a helm station up there, but one person and railings in calm weather doing 'look out' duty would work while someone else stayed below and steered as directed... but the boat is light for it's size and weight up high is going to want to make it want to roll more.  Again, I'll leave those ideas up to the builder as an experiment and they can report back on how it worked out!   It IS possible for me to model this from a stability perspective, but I'm going to be short on time for many months ...job related work, long hours and what not.  Without doing that work, I really can't answer this question with much precision.  Note that structures up high also cause windage issues.  The reason the Sea Sport with stepped pilot house wasn't very popular is because it had windage issues... and that boat was much heavier than the Great Alaskan.  (As you can tell, I run conservative on most things ...and on all things when it comes to boats that go offshore.)

Brian

2708

General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: [For DEPTHCHARGE] Possible mods...

« on: January 12, 2010, 11:53:58 PM »

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Thanks for the quick reply Brian!  Don't get me wrong, I don't want a traditional metal tuna tower. I just want a helm station on the pilothouse roof.  I think what I'm asking is if the roof could support a couple people walking around on it and if it can't, is it possible to reinforce it appropriately to allow it?

2709

General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / Re: Possible mods...

« on: January 12, 2010, 11:53:10 PM »

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Hi,

  The Prince Rupert and Newport pilot houses are similar since both basically 'box in' space for you to configure as you like.  The Prince Rupert, as shown, has a longer pilot house ...but the construction manual describes how to make the cuddy (sleeping area) shorter or longer, how to make the pilot house shorter or longer, and what the limitations are.  Otherwise, the Prince Rupert has the following differences as compared to the Newport:

  - A 7" bulwark along the fwd sheer
  - A taller cuddy (more headroom inside)
  - Backswept windshield, rather than forward, together with a larger "Grand Banks" style visor
  - Coaming around the cockpit area that forces water on the sheer to drain off the sides or into the drywell and also allows the boat to roll further by a few degrees before water spills into the boat.

  The Prince Rupert is slightly more seaworthy as a result of the above mods, but the Newport is fine as well.

  As far as a tuna tower type of arrangement goes, I will leave that up to you, noting that if you add one that you should keep it light, and don't put a lot of weight up there (like someone MY size) if the seas don't allow it... You'll mostly likely lose someone over the side that roll the boat, but who wants to do that?

Brian

2710

General Discussion about the Great Alaskan / [For DEPTHCHARGE] Possible mods...

« on: January 12, 2010, 11:52:40 PM »

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 Brian, I have a couple of questions:
     1. What's the difference between the Prince Rupert and Newports cabins? Since the interiors are interchangeable I'm assuming it's to have a choice of styles. I'm partial to the Newport. It looks good with the upswept bow.

     2. Is it possible to add a flybridge on the roof? Weather usually isn't much of an issue and the added height helps to find "fishy" spots.

2711

Introductions - Are you new here? Say hello! / Who I am...

« on: January 12, 2010, 11:50:33 PM »

Hi,  I'm Brian Dixon, designer of the Great Alaskan.  I got my boat design training from the Westlawn School of Yacht Design - Professional Program.  The Great Alaskan was first designed as an assignment for Westlawn, then later on I fleshed out the design and put together the builder's manuals, construction drawings, and what not and had a design check accomplished by a professional naval architect (who gave it his blessings) and a structural check by a mechanical engineer with large scale marine design experience.  Then after that, I offered the plans for sale in both printed and digital format.  All in all, it took me about 3 years to accomplish all this, but mostly because I  do have a regular day job (as a senior software architect / electrical engineer), a family, and a too-long list of hobbies...

Thanks for stopping by!

Brian Dixon

2712

Great Alaskan FAQ / Re: Stern drive use

« on: January 10, 2010, 02:43:34 PM »

Built exactly as specified, there is 27-5/8" from the top surface of the deck to the top surface of the sheer deck right in front of the transom.  Unless you choose a particularly tall unit, there should be no reason for the stern drive motor box to end up higher than the sheerline.  Example:

Cummins/Mercruiser 170-200 hp sterndrive is 31" from bottom of oil pan to top of motor.  It is 20" from bottom of motor mount to top of motor.  Given the mounting specifications, the motor mounts will be just below the top of the stringers.  The top of the motor would be at about 19" or so above the deck, so you have an extra 8" or so above the motor for the top of the box (and insulation).  I think you'll find this motor to be fairly typical.

Brian

PS: See attachments

2713

Projects - Glacier Boats of Alaska boat projects / Adrian Pau's Great Alaskan in Gresham, Oregon

« on: January 10, 2010, 12:54:10 PM »

Hi,

Post this for Adrian Pau of Gresham, Oregon:

  Slideshow link

I think the pictures are more or less in reverse order, so start and the end and work back.

Brian

2714

Board Help / How to Post Images

« on: January 09, 2010, 11:52:35 PM »

To post an inline image in your topic:

1. Upload the image to a web site (your own, PhotoBucket, etc)
2. Copy the link to the image from your browser's address bar
3. In your topic message, click the image icon (usually below the 'Italics' icon above the edit window) to insert BBC code for an image
4. Paste the link in between the IMG tags
5. Click Post
6. If it didn't work, then click the Modify icon (top right) and try again

To post an image as an attachment:

1. Click the "Additional Options..." link below your post (while editing)
2. To the right of the "Attach:" edit box, click the Browse button and browse to an image file to upload
3. To add more attachments, click the "(more attachments)" link and continue

Examples:

INLINE IMAGE:


ATTACHED IMAGE:
(see attachments below as thumbnails)

Brian

2715

Great Alaskan FAQ / Can I put a tuna tower or a bridge helm on top of the pilot house?

« on: January 09, 2010, 11:39:41 PM »

Q) Can I put a tuna tower or a bridge helm on top of the pilot house?

A) Well ...outside of following the plans, anyone is free to experiment, but before you do please consider the following:

• The number one factor that affects the economics of operating a boat ("miles per gallon" for you lubbers out there) is the boat's weight.  The Great Alaskan was designed for high efficiency and as such, has a relatively light hull for a boat of it's size.  It doesn't take very much weight up high to impact the boat's stability (increased roll, possible unsafe conditions for people and boat), nor does it require a lot of structure up high to result in increased windage problems.
• The Great Alaskan utilizes a "semi-dory offshore sea skiff" type of hull form.  The boat has generous flare to the sides, a modest (and efficient) deadrise, and a relatively stiff transverse metacentric height (GMt).  What this means to you is that one of the features of this design that makes the boat seaworthy is how it bobs up and over waves rather than slice through them (assuming adrift or not under much way), and that includes how the boat responds to waves and swells approaching from the side.  The 'roll with the flow' response that occurs while the boat bobs up and over seas will increase the sway of any structure mounted up high ...Depending on weight (including yours) and what you've put on top of the boat, you could find yourself in the drink if you experience the right sized or sort of seas or swells.

Be careful and be conservative out there!

Brian