New guy in MN...

Introduce yourself here
russellmn
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2019 2:23 pm
4

New guy in MN...

#1

Post by russellmn »

Hello all! Glad to be here. I'm coming around mostly to try to find place to buy plans or a kit boat for something like the Aussie plate boats. Hoping to find something trailerable around 25' long with a closed cabin. Most use would be on Lake Superior and a couple bigger lakes here in MN (Lake of the Woods, Vermillion, Mille Lacs). Hoping to learn plenty and find a nice project for me to build out in the next year or two.
kmorin
Donator 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Posts: 1734
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:37 am
15
Location: Kenai, Alaska

Re: New guy in MN...

#2

Post by kmorin »

russellmn, Welcome to the AAB.com Forum.

You didn't mention it in your post so I'll ask for the Forum- do you already weld aluminum? Have some experience and equipment? and have you built a boat in the Miracle Metal before? Even cut kits require some fairly extensive metal working skills so unless you have some background; its an ambitious project to start with a 25'er and cabin!!

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK
Last edited by kmorin on Sat Apr 06, 2019 5:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: typo's
kmorin
russellmn
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2019 2:23 pm
4

Re: New guy in MN...

#3

Post by russellmn »

Sorry, yeah. I've built a couple mini jet boats with jet ski drivelines, some heavier al and I have some pretty good metal working and metalshaping skills. The toughest part for me will be the rigging/wiring. That's not a strong point for me.
For equipment, I've got a Miller Syncro 300, 252 with spool gun, cutters of all kinds, benders/brakes/bead rollers/slip roll. English wheel, planishing hammer... I can probably make whatever I need, if I can't, I have friends that can...
kmorin
Donator 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Posts: 1734
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 1:37 am
15
Location: Kenai, Alaska

Re: New guy in MN...

#4

Post by kmorin »

russellmn, that's a different story from a complete newbie biting off a 25'er!!!

Specmar (PNW) http://www.specmar.com/ has cut kits in all sorts of models and variations of their designs. They're strong and tested and reliable, but I don't know if they sell a plans package- cut files usually add bit to the cost, however they do save time in the shop as layout and cutting are all done.

John Simpson on the Canadian coast, http://simpsonmarinedesign.com/, offers many different designs of welded aluminum but not sure if his catalog will include the model you're seeking.

Bill Lincoln of Response Marine http://www.responsemarine.com/bkgd.htm has many designs and I'm pretty sure he'll have a design in the class and configuration you're looking for in your description.

You might check out a thread here : http://www.glen-l.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=34367 a post of a build by the designer of this 25' welded aluminum, mid cabin, outboard powered skiff. Yofish (user name) does sell cut file designs, so there's another possibility if the lines appeal to you?

Metal Boat Kits https://metalboatkits.com/ offers several designs in the class and configuration you've mentioned.

Image
My last 25'er in the shop was a walk around cabin model, 25' LOA, outboard powered with a sealed deck and fairly tall topsides.

Image
hard to get an amidships cabin to look sweet on a skiff, even if you lift the sheer up. Here, the skiff sits on the trailer outside that shop on a sloped driveway ramp.

This class of skiff is very popular in the South Central Gulf coast of Alaska, being used in some of the larger lakes as well as bays and bights and even open ocean; in the season.

Hope you'll keep us posted and if time allows post a build thread of your past jet boat work?

Cheers,
Kevin Morin
Kenai, AK
kmorin
russellmn
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Apr 06, 2019 2:23 pm
4

Re: New guy in MN...

#5

Post by russellmn »

Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures while building the jet boats, I built them when decent cell cameras were still a couple years away and social media wasn't even thought of yet. Taking pics as I built just wasn't something I thought of in 1999...
Post Reply Previous topicNext topic