Well boats???

[Tabman]

Re: Well boats???

When I lived in Saint Petersburg FL I saw another example of a well boat. Mullet fishing boats used gill nets (I think they are now banned) and required a board transom and stern area to work the nets, while at the same time operated in sometimes shallow water.

As a result the outboard was moved way forward, at times right in the bow.

They are a great example of the specific needs of a local fishery translating to boat design. I never got the chance to go out on one, but would have loved to seen how they ran.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Well boats???

When I lived in Saint Petersburg FL I saw another example of a well boat. Mullet fishing boats used gill nets (I think they are now banned) and required a board transom and stern area to work the nets, while at the same time operated in sometimes shallow water.

Yup, I grew up near St. Pete and saw a few boats like that. Now that I've put a little thought into the hows and whys it seems like a very elegant design.

I sure do miss smoked mullet - my dad would get it from a local fish market from time to time and I loved it. Haven't had any in years.

 

[2ndtry]

Re: Well boats???

A lot of the crab boats (small ones that set blue crab pots in the tributaries of the chesapeake, not the monsters from the deadliest catch) use these. Many of the pots are in areas that can get very shallow at low tide, I always assumed they were better for the skinny water. Alternatively, the it could also keep the prop away from the lines that connect the pot to the buoy. Winding the pot around your motor can ruin your day.

 

[Divecaptchris]

Re: Well boats???

My first boat was a well boat! we built them ourselves! And yes gill nets and draft are the reasons. The design is neat. when running at speed u push a swell of water in front of you, with the motor up front you can jump over oyster bars and only drag the stern a little! Also for net fisherman standing all the way at the bow to drive allowed them to see the schools of mullet. Slow speed maneuvering takes a bit of getting used to! the stern can get away from u quick! its a shame you don't see to many of them anymore

 

[Philster]

Re: Well boats???

What's the purpose of having the motor positioned like that?

Dare I ask how it doesn't fill up with water.... is there a shroud that fits over the lower?

I mean, there is a HOLE in the bottom of the boat afterall... lol.

Why would it fill up with water??? If you put a straw into a cup, the water doesn't pour out of the top of the straw. The top of the well is higher than the water.

 

[Adjuster]

Re: Well boats???

As posted above I am also from the Tampa/St Pete/Clearwater area and 'well boats' are pretty common with the mullet fisherman.

 

[Divecaptchris]

Re: Well boats???

Simmons Sea Skiffs are a good example.

These are NOT well boats! a TRUE well boat has the motor mounted in almost all the way foward, they do not steer as normal boats, if you want to go left u turn the motor left!, There is a name for the boats u are showing but i cant think of it! LOL

 

[TThrock]

Re: Well boats???

The extended bottom beyond the center of thrust of the prop provides lift to the stern, comes on plane quickly, and a flatter ride.
See 1929 Seaman Sea-Skiff using this design http://www.speedskiffs.com/brummers_seaman_skiff.htm.

 

[Ned L]

Re: Well boats???

Yep, not uncommon on the Jersey shore from the 1920's up into the 1960's. Pappy Seaman in Long Branch built them as TThrock pointed out. Also Terry, in Keyport N.J. built them from about 16' to 20'. The Terry skiffs look a LOT like the Simmons skiffs, accept the Terry skiffs were soft chine, typical speeds kiff construction
Here is one of Pappy Seaman's later outboard well speed skiffs

This one was owned by a friends dad back in the 50's.

Really an excellent idea, especially if you are going to be in open water.

 

[TThrock]

Re: Well boats??? Great picture of a great example.

Re: Well boats??? Great picture of a great example.

This one was owned by a friends dad back in the 50's.

Really an excellent idea, especially if you are going to be in open water.

Thanks for the great picture (friend's of dad boat) Ned L, that is exactly the boat I remember. It looks like the picture was taken at one of the islands on the Shrewsbury river, could you confirm that and do you have any other pictures in that era?

An answer to an earlier question about "how does it not sink, there is a hole in the bottom" is that the freeboard of the trunk is 12 or more inches above the waterline, depending on the shaft length of the outboard. The cavitation plate of the outboard would be flush with the bottom

The advantages of the design IMHO are: full height transom resists swamping from following seas; classic beautiful appearance of an inboard skiff's transom; handling feel of the boat with the outboard's thrust coming from under you instead of behind you, a different pivot point in a turn; and the effect of a very large outboard hydrofoil provided by the extended bottom. A hydrofoil provides lift but it also adds drag, so the extended bottom approach to achieve lift would not have the negative
effect of drag.

For a short time the 45hp Mercury outboard skiffs with their lighter weight and quick handling were beating the 265ci wood Jersey Speed Skiffs in a 1/2 mile oval course.

Thanks for the nice dialog.

 

[Ned L]

Re: Well boats??? Great picture of a great example.

Re: Well boats??? Great picture of a great example.

TThrock: Yes, that is the Shrewsbury! I grew up on the Shrewsbury & Navesink, & my passion is for the boats built in the area (mostly the Bayshore (Morgan at the north end) to Long Branch). I have LOTS of pictures & info on locally built boats. The wooden speed skiffs are of real interest to me. I like the bit about the outboard skiffs beating the inboards for a while there!

 

[Rellik546]

Re: Well boats??? Great picture of a great example.

Re: Well boats??? Great picture of a great example.

wait so i can mount my stern drive inside my boat, and mount the engine to the outside of the transom right?

LMAO...jk

Regardless pretty cool looking boat. never seen one. at first glance i was pretty confused. seems like a good design from the manufactures description.

Maybe ill mount my trolling motor thru my hull. JK!!!!! it would be kinda cool though if u could...kinda like a pieroscope(spelling) on a submarine.