GA kodiak center console or narow pilot house

[noexcuses]

can the GA Kodiak be built in a center console or narrow (5' wide) pilot house. I want a complete walk around boat that with a center console or small narrow cabin that I can chase fish around completly and not have to climb up around a cabin.  I am really leaning towards the walk around to keep the crew and myself out of the weather on the runs to and from the dock. How wide is the Kodiak at deck level?

[Brian.Dixon]

can the GA Kodiak be built in a center console or narrow (5' wide) pilot house. I want a complete walk around boat that with a center console or small narrow cabin that I can chase fish around completly and not have to climb up around a cabin.  I am really leaning towards the walk around to keep the crew and myself out of the weather on the runs to and from the dock. How wide is the Kodiak at deck level?

Good questions!  The Kodiak, a bit more than the Standard Great Alaskan, needs to weigh a certain amount in order to provide good stability.  You don't want it too light.  For that reason, I do not recommend building a center console Kodiak - The boat's center of gravity and design waterline were designed to provide the aforementioned stability, and the design waterline can only be achieved if the boat weighs enough.  Boat designs are like teeter-totters ... everything is a balancing act.

So ... Another option for you, as you mentioned, is perhaps a narrower house and cuddy.  The 26-ft Great Alaskan below has a very lightweight pilot house and a walk-through (step-through?) cuddy and it works well.  The Kodiak would too.  BTW, I do not recommend the sponson style stern, but instead prefer a full-width hull extension with the motor mounted on that - and if you build light, you'll want to keep the motor on or very close to the transom, and you do NOT want to over-horsepower the boat.  On lighter builds, it's easy to get silly with brackets and heavy motors that end up moving the center of gravity too far aft.  If you build light, then make an effort to keep the CG f'w'd.

You can build a narrow enough pilot house to allow walking around it as you suggest, but don't forego the pilot house ... and try to provide some seats, storage, and at lease a mid-size cuddy to keep a little weight in the boat.  If you are going to build the boat, I can show you how to interrupt the bulkheads that tie the sides together with a framing method that beefs up the boat in this regard. This is, more or less, what Chuck Mazzola (see West Coast Boat Works on our KITS page) is doing as we speak.  Contact Chuck via the info on https://www.glacierboats.com/Home/Kits

PM on this if interested.

Brian

[Brian.Dixon]

can the GA Kodiak be built in a center console or narrow (5' wide) pilot house. I want a complete walk around boat that with a center console or small narrow cabin that I can chase fish around completly and not have to climb up around a cabin.  I am really leaning towards the walk around to keep the crew and myself out of the weather on the runs to and from the dock. How wide is the Kodiak at deck level?

Missed the deck width question.  At the stern, if you do NOT raise the deck and it's right on top of the stringers, the deck is about 82" wide ... and about 84" wide at amidships.  You gain about an inch in both if you raise the deck 3 or 4 inches like most do.

Brian

[Grady300]

can the GA Kodiak be built in a center console or narrow (5' wide) pilot house. I want a complete walk around boat that with a center console or small narrow cabin that I can chase fish around completly and not have to climb up around a cabin.  I am really leaning towards the walk around to keep the crew and myself out of the weather on the runs to and from the dock. How wide is the Kodiak at deck level?

Good questions!  The Kodiak, a bit more than the Standard Great Alaskan, needs to weigh a certain amount in order to provide good stability.  You don't want it too light.  For that reason, I do not recommend building a center console Kodiak - The boat's center of gravity and design waterline were designed to provide the aforementioned stability, and the design waterline can only be achieved if the boat weighs enough.  Boat designs are like teeter-totters ... everything is a balancing act.

So ... Another option for you, as you mentioned, is perhaps a narrower house and cuddy.  The 26-ft Great Alaskan below has a very lightweight pilot house and a walk-through (step-through?) cuddy and it works well.  The Kodiak would too.  BTW, I do not recommend the sponson style stern, but instead prefer a full-width hull extension with the motor mounted on that - and if you build light, you'll want to keep the motor on or very close to the transom, and you do NOT want to over-horsepower the boat.  On lighter builds, it's easy to get silly with brackets and heavy motors that end up moving the center of gravity too far aft.  If you build light, then make an effort to keep the CG f'w'd.

You can build a narrow enough pilot house to allow walking around it as you suggest, but don't forego the pilot house ... and try to provide some seats, storage, and at lease a mid-size cuddy to keep a little weight in the boat.  If you are going to build the boat, I can show you how to interrupt the bulkheads that tie the sides together with a framing method that beefs up the boat in this regard. This is, more or less, what Chuck Mazzola (see West Coast Boat Works on our KITS page) is doing as we speak.  Contact Chuck via the info on https://www.glacierboats.com/Home/Kits

PM on this if interested.

Brian

Brian,
As far as a smaller censer console on a Kodiak being heavy enough would it be an option to add weight under the hull in strategic locations to balance it the hull out. Sounds weird to add weight when most builders trying to stay as light as possible. Just a thought I had, you would definitely be the authority on this feel free to tell me how crazy I am, I am an out of the box thinker...lol

[noexcuses]

can the GA Kodiak be built in a center console or narrow (5' wide) pilot house. I want a complete walk around boat that with a center console or small narrow cabin that I can chase fish around completly and not have to climb up around a cabin.  I am really leaning towards the walk around to keep the crew and myself out of the weather on the runs to and from the dock. How wide is the Kodiak at deck level?

Good questions!  The Kodiak, a bit more than the Standard Great Alaskan, needs to weigh a certain amount in order to provide good stability.  You don't want it too light.  For that reason, I do not recommend building a center console Kodiak - The boat's center of gravity and design waterline were designed to provide the aforementioned stability, and the design waterline can only be achieved if the boat weighs enough.  Boat designs are like teeter-totters ... everything is a balancing act.

So ... Another option for you, as you mentioned, is perhaps a narrower house and cuddy.  The 26-ft Great Alaskan below has a very lightweight pilot house and a walk-through (step-through?) cuddy and it works well.  The Kodiak would too.  BTW, I do not recommend the sponson style stern, but instead prefer a full-width hull extension with the motor mounted on that - and if you build light, you'll want to keep the motor on or very close to the transom, and you do NOT want to over-horsepower the boat.  On lighter builds, it's easy to get silly with brackets and heavy motors that end up moving the center of gravity too far aft.  If you build light, then make an effort to keep the CG f'w'd.

You can build a narrow enough pilot house to allow walking around it as you suggest, but don't forego the pilot house ... and try to provide some seats, storage, and at lease a mid-size cuddy to keep a little weight in the boat.  If you are going to build the boat, I can show you how to interrupt the bulkheads that tie the sides together with a framing method that beefs up the boat in this regard. This is, more or less, what Chuck Mazzola (see West Coast Boat Works on our KITS page) is doing as we speak.  Contact Chuck via the info on https://www.glacierboats.com/Home/Kits

PM on this if interested.

Brian

Brian, I would go with the center island pilot house 5'x7-8'ish with a 5'x3-4' coffin box/fish tote right in front of the cabin that can be split into 2 separate halves. Keep ice on in one half and fill with fish ( i hope lol) and then start on next half. The 5' width would still give me room to walk around the cabin. I would also go with the full width hull extension like Chuck is building on his. Two forward facing seats for driver and copilot and bench seats on both sides with storage under them. Slider doors port and stboard and At least 120 gal of fuel with a 40-50 gal livewell.

I am at least  a year or so out on this as we are just starting building our new house.

[Brian.Dixon]

Brian,
As far as a smaller censer console on a Kodiak being heavy enough would it be an option to add weight under the hull in strategic locations to balance it the hull out. Sounds weird to add weight when most builders trying to stay as light as possible. Just a thought I had, you would definitely be the authority on this feel free to tell me how crazy I am, I am an out of the box thinker...lol

Did you just say "ballast"?  For a second there ... I thought I heard the word "ballast"?!!

Bring more friends, use bigger gas tanks and go further....

Brian

[Grady300]

Brian,
As far as a smaller censer console on a Kodiak being heavy enough would it be an option to add weight under the hull in strategic locations to balance it the hull out. Sounds weird to add weight when most builders trying to stay as light as possible. Just a thought I had, you would definitely be the authority on this feel free to tell me how crazy I am, I am an out of the box thinker...lol

Did you just say "ballast"?  For a second there ... I thought I heard the word "ballast"?!!

Bring more friends, use bigger gas tanks and go further....

Brian

LOL.... Ballest, That's the word I was looking for!!!

[noexcuses]

[

Good questions!  The Kodiak, a bit more than the Standard Great Alaskan, needs to weigh a certain amount in order to provide good stability.  You don't want it too light.  For that reason, I do not recommend building a center console Kodiak - The boat's center of gravity and design waterline were designed to provide the aforementioned stability, and the design waterline can only be achieved if the boat weighs enough.  Boat designs are like teeter-totters ... everything is a balancing act.

So ... Another option for you, as you mentioned, is perhaps a narrower house and cuddy.  The 26-ft Great Alaskan below has a very lightweight pilot house and a walk-through (step-through?) cuddy and it works well.  The Kodiak would too.  BTW, I do not recommend the sponson style stern, but instead prefer a full-width hull extension with the motor mounted on that - and if you build light, you'll want to keep the motor on or very close to the transom, and you do NOT want to over-horsepower the boat.  On lighter builds, it's easy to get silly with brackets and heavy motors that end up moving the center of gravity too far aft.  If you build light, then make an effort to keep the CG f'w'd.

You can build a narrow enough pilot house to allow walking around it as you suggest, but don't forego the pilot house ... and try to provide some seats, storage, and at lease a mid-size cuddy to keep a little weight in the boat.  If you are going to build the boat, I can show you how to interrupt the bulkheads that tie the sides together with a framing method that beefs up the boat in this regard. This is, more or less, what Chuck Mazzola (see West Coast Boat Works on our KITS page) is doing as we speak.  Contact Chuck via the info on https://www.glacierboats.com/Home/Kits

PM on this if interested.

Brian
[/quote]

Brian, I would go with the center island pilot house 5'x7-8'ish with a 5'x3-4' coffin box/fish tote right in front of the cabin that can be split into 2 separate halves. Keep ice on in one half and fill with fish ( i hope lol) and then start on next half. The 5' width would still give me room to walk around the cabin. I would also go with the full width hull extension like Chuck is building on his. Two forward facing seats for driver and copilot and bench seats on both sides with storage under them. Slider doors port and stboard and At least 120 gal of fuel with a 40-50 gal livewell.

I am at least  a year or so out on this as we are just starting building our new house.
[/quote]

Oh and if going to 150 plus gallons of fuel would help with "Ballast" I would be good with that also. lol

[Brian.Dixon]

Sounds like that would work fine ... and if the house is not tying the 2 sides together, I've got a solution for that already ... I'll email you a drawing that shows what I'm talking about.

Brian