need your thoughts on customing Tri hull

[tnobes]

I was offered a 21 foot fiberglassTri Hull with a inboard engine, deep V 21 foot long. The boat has sat for
probably 5 years. My question is this, what would happen if I cut it down to a 14 foot boat ? or even less,
Short and stubby, how would it perform in say a 4 foot chop, it is 90 inches wide. i was thinking of glassing a new transom on it and putting on a outboard. I salmon fish west coast ,Your thoughts

 

[southkogs]

Re: need your thoughts on customing Tri hull

To me, I'm thinking you create something that will be really hard to flip - but will bob and rock with the waves pretty hard. I'm wondering what the hull effect on speed would be too. Seems like she'd run more like a barge than a runabout.

It should be "doable" though - HERE is a thread that goes the other direction.

Welcome aboard.

 

[pckeen]

Re: need your thoughts on customing Tri hull

Why not just find a 14' Shell and then go from there - that would be a heck of a lot simpler than what you are suggesting.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: need your thoughts on customing Tri hull

here is how you take a 21' tri hull inboard boat and turn it into a 14' outboard boat

step 1 - sell the 21' to someone who wants it
step 2 - buy the boat you want

or if you really want to go thru the work, plan on spending about $2k in materials, sell the I/O, then get the hull surveyed / inspected to get a new HIN and rating for the 14' outboard. As southkogs said, its "doable". however it is not practical.

regarding the 4' chop, I would never think about going smaller, I would most likely go larger.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: need your thoughts on customing Tri hull

Totally impractical. Something that hasn't been mentioned.... boats aren't shaped like a rectangular box, in other words they don't stay the same width from front to rear. Even if it appears to stay the same width for a few feet it probably doesn't. Given that fact you'd either be throwing away the rear 7 feet of the boat and building a new transom, splashwell, etc. etc. (and figuring out how the hell to make it look good, or else trying to fit the rear section that might be 6 feet wide at the joint to the front section that might be 5 1/2 feet wide at the joint). And not just for the hull but the cap also.

THEN You'd have to design all new stringers, new deck, new transom..... If you really want a project of that magnitude go to Glenn L or one of the other places that sells boat plans and build one from scratch, you'd end up with a lot better finished product and it would be a proven safe design.

OR, if you don't want a project of that magnitude and simply want to get on the water ....

here is how you take a 21' tri hull inboard boat and turn it into a 14' outboard boat

step 1 - sell the 21' to someone who wants it
step 2 - buy the boat you want

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: need your thoughts on customing Tri hull

4 foot chop in a 14 foot boat or less that has been chopped. No thank you.

 

[tnobes]

Re: need your thoughts on customing Tri hull

my wife liked your reply the best Captain....

 

[tnobes]

Re: need your thoughts on customing Tri hull

Okay I see by everyones thoughts not the brightest idea I have had lately, thanks everyone I appriecate your opinions

 

[crabby captain john]

Re: need your thoughts on customing Tri hull

Nice to see you have had a change of plans. Your description of "customizing" was more like "butchering and praying" in addition to spending more than needed to buying a serviceable boat.

 

[roscoe]

Re: need your thoughts on customing Tri hull

Okay I see by everyones thoughts not the brightest idea I have had lately, thanks everyone I appriecate your opinions

Welcome to iboats.


I certainly hope this is not the brightest idea you have had.

all in fun.


Why do you want to shorten the boat?


Are there issues with it now, that require repairs?