[su_tabs][su_tab title=”Rounded Bilge design approach” anchor=”Rounded-Bilge”]
Rounded Bilge design approach
The single biggest difference between our boats and 99% of the other outboard powered center console boats built in the U.S. is the bottom shape of the boat and how it runs thru the water.
99% of outboard powered, “offshore” center consoles
Almost all “offshore” fishing boats have an industry-wide accepted, deep-vee hull with up to as much as 24 degrees of deadrise aft, very hard reversed chines on the outboard edge of their hulls, and large aggressive lifting strakes on each side of their centerline, up to as many as 3 strakes per side with 2 probably being the norm. That design concept is intended to use all of the lifting strakes and flat angular surfaces to provide lift and reduce the length of the hull that is running in the water and thus reduce the wetted surface and friction on the bottom of the hull in order to gain speed. It predetermines that the boat must blast through waves on a repetitive basis, wave after wave. And hopefully they have the structural integrity built into their boats to withstand that approach over many years.
In most instances when running at speed in medium-to-rougher offshore conditions the only person that is truly mentally in touch with what the boat is likely to do next is the helmsman. Everyone else is hanging on and reacting as best they can. Not the most comfortable of rides.
If the conditions get rough enough that the crew becomes uncomfortable or maybe it becomes actually unsafe to run on top, on plane, and at speed, this design loses lift as the speed is reduced, the bow lifts, the stern squats, and the hull falls off plane. These boats are known to have a fairly large unusable range of speed and motor rpms between idle speed and finally being up on plane. You are either running 20-25 mphs or you are at idle, no-wake speeds.
Our bottom is derived from a 150+ year old wood boat design. It has a rounded bilge with no continuous flat sections anywhere on the bottom. Our one small lifting strake per side on our hulls is minimal in size in comparison to deep-vee hull designs and provides very little hard edge for water to make impact with.
We also have a small “magical” keel that runs the length of the hull which provides overall general seakindliness, whether tracking at any heading to the seas or drifting sideways to the wind.
Also we have a very sharp entry that rolls into the rounded bilge shape. Visually out of the water the hull shape difference between our boats and production deep vees is somewhat subtle, but on the water it is noticeably different.
Contrary to deep-vee hull design, our rounded bilge design concept is to keep as much wetted surface in the water as possible as often as possible and allow all of the continuously rounded surfaces to flow thru the water.
Contrary to deep-vee hull design, our rounded bilge designed hull experiences relatively little bow rise when coming on plane. As a result, as sea conditions worsen the helmsman can reduce the speed of the boat and still maintain the proper running attitude for the boat to perform as designed. This correlates to a very comfortable riding experience for all of the crew, not just the helmsman.
Again, contrary to deep-vee hull design, our rounded bilge hull design feels in the water like a longer, bigger boat than its’ actual length due to its’ relatively flatter running attitude which keeps more boat in the water, instead of on top of the water. The more hull in the water that you experience with our design creates a relatively more comfortable ride than a shorter hull in the water which is what a deep-vee hull design creates when running “trimmed out” at speed.
One of our owners described the ride of his boat recently as being like a cloud riding over the waves, almost as if they were not there. Another owner describes his boat as being a bar of soap running thru the water. Interesting stuff.
In summary, you will not find a hull shape that does so many things so well with virtually no shortcomings.
[/su_tab] [su_tab title=”Total Versatility of Design” anchor=”Versatile-Design”]
Total Versatility of Design
Everybody claims their boats are versatile, but are they really?
Maybe you want a hard-core fishing platform.
If so, we offer:
- a completely flush cockpit sole from bow to stern
- a heavily insulated above-deck coffin-style fish box forward
- a standard 330 quart insulated fish box below the coffin fish box
- a leaning post with a substantial tackle center
- or a 40 gallon leaning post livewell
- Two aft insulated in cockpit sole compartment optioned to be plumbed as fishboxes with diaphragm overboard pump out
- electric reel outlets
- Horizontal rod racks beneath the cockpit sole that can easily handle up to 9’ fly rods or 8’ gaffs
- A center console mounted, folding tower with full controls and electronics, or low profile second station
- Hardtop mounted outriggers
- As many flush mounted rod holders as you would like installed where YOU want them
- Sea chest
- Second and third live well
- Trolling motor
- Power Poles
Maybe you don’t even own a single fishing rod. Maybe you want the ultimate soft riding family boat.
If so, we offer:
- forward wrap around seating with cushions and storage below
- Forward facing backrests
- forward fill-in section with cushion
- a center console with room for a marine head and substantial luggage storage for those runs to the islands
- 20 gallons of fresh water with shower fitting
- A wrap around leaning post with a cooler below on slide-out tracks
- a removable, fold-down stern seat with removable backrest
- Custom seating designs
- Custom shade options
Or maybe you want some combination of the two.
If so, we offer:
- Single Outboard, or Twin Outboards
- Forward Seating or Flush Floor
- Bimini Top, Aluminum Top, Hard Top, Key West style Hard Top, low profile second station or Folding Tower
- 1, 2 or 3 or no livewell
- … and, of course, any color scheme that you can imagine including painted motors to match.
Keep it as simple or make it as elaborate as you would like.
You conceive it and we will build it … just for you!
[/su_tab] [su_tab title=”Designed & Built Tough” anchor=”Built-Tough”]
Designed & Built Tough
When we set out to establish our company we shared a vision to, among other things, build boats to structural standards well beyond what is considered to be “overbuilt” for the industry for boats of our size.
We decided to design and build boats that would astound even other boat builders in terms of our structural strength. We encourage you to take the bottom of your fist and soundly strike the side of our hulls and hear for yourself how our vision of building exceptionally strong boats manifests itself in the finished product.
If you are looking for your last boat, you owe it to yourself to check us out thoroughly.
[/su_tab] [su_tab title=”Semi-Custom Boats” anchor=”Semi-Custom-Boat”]
Semi-Custom Boats
Unlike Production boats builders that manufacture hundreds or thousands of boats per year, Stuart Boatworks is focused on building a few dozen, semi-custom boats per year.
Our small, highly skilled staff take great pride in building a limited number of boats with yacht-class fit and finish, yacht-class detailed wiring and plumbing, and an overall feel of being what they are – a “lifetime” boat.
Our small, semi-custom focus allows us to build a boat to truly meet your needs and desires – not the thoughts and desires of a Production boat design/ engineering group.
Why not treat yourself to owning a special boat built for the discerning few?
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