Aluminum boats and fuel efficiencies

[Redfisher]

Has anyone looked at fuel efficiencies and the various aluminum hulls? With fuel at $1.50/litre in Ukee this year I have friends who charter out of there who are looking at their boats totally differently now. I am looking to upgrade to welded aluminum but when I look at the write-ups on numerous forums here they to be more of a focus on performance, comfort, looks and speed. I fully understand the details around construction and the differences between custom boats ( like the Cope Sculpin is looking at building) and the cookie cutters like Hewes. Valco built light welded aluminum boats years ago but they never got inot the cabin thing.

I had been looking at fibreglass and know I could work with an Arima or C Dory and sacrifice speed and certain ride elements but can see good fuel economy and some comfort with these boats. I fished an Arima 21 out of Kyuquot, a 24 Osprey diesel off Ukee, numerous other glass boats elsewhere but really like the simplicity of aluminum (powerwash rather than polish). I am thinking of 20-22 feet with a smaller cabin for overnight trips. I commercially fished for many years, pounded herring skiffs all over the coast and don't really need a yacht but do appreciate a dry bunk and being able to make a cup of coffee each morning.

Is there a model of aluminum boat that would have similar characteristics? Your thoughts appreciated.

 

[JAC]

Northwestern boats I think there company is called the hybrid boat company it's a really nice aluminum dory but it's about $100k


http://www.hybridboatcompany.com/in production.html

 

[rustmaster]

Red fisher
I sent you a pm

 

[seadna]

Fuel economy depends on just a few factors - speed, weight and hull shape. Most all boats can get great fuel economy if you run at hull speed. For the typical size recreational boat (15-30') hull speed will be between 4 and 7kts. If you want to go faster than that, hull shape matters a lot and there's generally a tradeoff between fuel efficiency and ride comfort in waves and swells. A nice deep V will ride much better in waves and swells than a more flat bottom hull. But you pay for that ride with increased fuel usage and there is a cost to pushing that V-shaped plow through the water. A flatter bottom boat (like a C-Dory or Arima) will get 1.5-2 times the fuel economy at the same speed relative to a deep V BUT the hull will pound hard in 1-3' chop when that deep-V is running right through. All boats are compromises so you have to pick a hull shape that best matches your needs.

 

[Saxe Point]

Fuel economy depends on just a few factors - speed, weight and hull shape. Most all boats can get great fuel economy if you run at hull speed. For the typical size recreational boat (15-30') hull speed will be between 4 and 7kts. If you want to go faster than that, hull shape matters a lot and there's generally a tradeoff between fuel efficiency and ride comfort in waves and swells. A nice deep V will ride much better in waves and swells than a more flat bottom hull. But you pay for that ride with increased fuel usage and there is a cost to pushing that V-shaped plow through the water. A flatter bottom boat (like a C-Dory or Arima) will get 1.5-2 times the fuel economy at the same speed relative to a deep V BUT the hull will pound hard in 1-3' chop when that deep-V is running right through. All boats are compromises so you have to pick a hull shape that best matches your needs.

This is exactly right. If you're inclined to build a boat, look at the Tolman Skiff or it's slightly larger cousin, the Great Alaskan. They're plywood core boats encased in fibreglass and epoxy, and they are even lighter than aluminum. They will get you 4-5 MPG where the deep V fiberglass (i.e. Grady-White) will get you 1-2. They'll even give you better MPG than most welded plate aluminum boats. They are light, durable and can be built for half or less than half the cost of an aluminium. They are offshore capable. Here's a Tolman Skiff that I saw at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. As gas goes up, they are going to get more popular.

 

[Redfisher]

Thanks to JAC for the info on the Northwestern boats. They have some very similar properties to the C Dorys. Neat boat but do to their newness outside of my budget.

SP I have a friend who is currently looking to build a Tolman, they do have some neat characteristics. However I am still wanting to lean towards aluminum, and will have to compromise as seadna suggests but am looking for options for used boats either up here or down south to find a new ride.

Again appreciate the wealth of knowledge from people on the site.