size limitations

[arthor]

Ok.Brian. Here is what sounds like a looney question. I have a real hankering to build a Great Alaskan and have the plans. Thing is, I already have a 27' boat (semi displacement Fjord Selco) and would feel a bit daft if I ended up with something round the same size. My intended use would be inland, estuary and coastal with some offshore trips to maybe Ireland or Holland. I realise that I would be waiting a bit for fairer weather, I also intend trying a circumnavigation of the British Isles at some point. Although we would be on the boat for extended periods, we would be breaking it up with B and B stops in ports.

What would be involved in taking this design out to perhaps 33/34' and maybe 9/10' beam. There seems to be some room for extra width in cutting the bottom panels. Maybe deeper or perhaps more stringers. Wider chine flats? I would be happy to pay for such modifications to the design if they were possible. I see that Adrian Pau has an extended swim platform/bracket and if that is on a 28 footer, surely that must take it up round the 30' mark.
Is any of this feasible?
regards

[Brian.Dixon]

Unfortunately, trying to make the boat bigger would disturb too many parameters and the project would result in a redesign, not a design modification.  Why?  To give the larger boat a reasonable waterline (stability, on plane and off), the required increase in weight to get the required displacement is more than the additional weight the boat would weigh just from the added materials alone.

And BTW, Adrian's boat is a 25-footer (w/o the sponsons) ...I may have stated something else elsewhere, but it was a misunderstanding rolling around in my head before Adrian corrected me.  Ed's boat in Perth, Australia however, is a 28-footer if I recall and he's making several changes that he's responsible for, e.g. a different stem design, a rounded transom, and I think he might be adding sponson-like extension similar to Adrian.  It'll be an interesting experiment to watch, but he's an experienced guy and knows what he's doing.

Brian

[arthor]

Thanks for that Brian. I thought it might not be feasible. When I first got the plans, I didn't have a boat at all. Thing is, I still fancy building and really like the Great Alaskans. I will be interested to see how Ed's boat turns out.
I am fairly happy with the space on a 28' er. What made me ask about the larger size was that on a cruising forum I go on, some have said that 27/28' is a bit short. They seem to be referring to the older design of cruisers from the 70s (Sealine, Fairline, Bayliner etc) generally used inland or coastal. I have always regarded your boats as an offshore anyway. If they are fine in the Alaskan offshore waters, could I take it that they would handle conditions offshore here in the UK? I am not intending to venture out in storms but would like to be confident that if the weather caught me out, I could run for home in a chop or slow down and still be happy she would handle it.
So although I would end up with a boat only a foot longer than my current one, surely it would be a far more seaworthy boat.

[Brian.Dixon]

Thanks.  Some advantages that you'd have with the Great Alaskan is its higher efficiency, and it does have more room inside than most any other boat in its size class (wood or fiberglass) unless we're talking aluminum.  As far as offshore use goes, that's what it's designed for.  But no matter the boat size, there is always a day where the ocean's bigger than the boat.  Captain's with good judgment are the only type of captains there should be.

Brian