Hull Changes

[Spidercrab]

Hi
My name is sam, I just found this web page and i own
a big seacraft my grandpop gave me in the 1970s that I
use for claming crabbing in the bays. The problem is its to big and i need to make it smaller for low water use.
Mabe I can make it 16 or 17 ft ore so my brother uses
fiberglas repairs and can help me out.
Have anybody changed the boats to make them small again?
Please help if you cood

sam

[edloh]

sam,

what is the size of your current boat? you would be better off selling your current boat and buying a bay boat instead. there would be a lot of glass and structural work to cut the length and make it a shallow draft boat. unless you need to have a project boat. other more experience board members would probably provide some suggestions

[Finster]

Yeah, thats a bit of a frightening prospect your talking about. Maybe selling the boat and buying a Garvy might be a better option for you.

[Bigshrimpin]

Sam - Cutting down the length of a boat will not significantly reduce the draft. It might actually have the reverse effect depending on how much weight is added from the new materials.

Sell the boat especially if it's a "big seacraft" (23 ft) and use the cash to buy a sweet economical crab'in / flats boat with a hydraulic jack plate.

[Spidercrab]

hi Mr Shrimpin
I mesured the boat today its about 23 plus 4 inches feet and
its to big. I dont want to sell it because it was
grandpops and he was teaching me to catch crabs
when is was young. I thought I could add stirofoam
under the boat like we put on the duck blins so it
will float better. I hope more people say things
to help me.

sam

[Mark]

Sam,

Be sure to post pictures once you get the styrofoam installed. This may be the first Styro-SeaCraft in the making, and I doubt that I'm the only one dying to see photos of what you come up with.

[Capt Chuck]

Yo Sam

I thought I could add stirofoam
under the boat like we put on the duck blins so it
will float better. I hope more people say things
to help me.

Come on man, Keep the SeaCraft in the shed and build your own crabber!!

[RS]

The more you cut from the rear, the greater the transom deadrise becomes. So you probably won't get more draft and you'll have a boat that rocks easily. I suspect Grandpa will be turning in his grave if you try this.

To get a few more inches of draft consider replacing the probably waterlogged floor, transom and stringer foam. Then get the smallest lightest two stroke that will push that thing.

[pogden]