Northwest Aluminum Craft, what do they ride like?

[ryanb]

NWAC was charging $1,500 a foot for the metal work, glass, and foam. No interior, etc. This would be an excellent way to obtain a super high quality boat. Personally I would install wood stringers on aluminum tabs, and foam the interior of the hull. This way moisture will not condense and the boat will be drier, warmer, and quieter. So a 25 foot boat would cost $38,000 to buy. This includes the windows and doors.

I do not know if the price is still the same, but I was told that Doug prefers to sell boats this way.

Aluminum tabs are welded on for the wood stringers and any wood bulkheads. Screws pine firing strips to the tabs leaving a space underneath for the foam. Install the bulkheads as well. Foam it 1" thick, and cut off the high spots near the stringers, use a sander to smooth out more of the foam. Then paint it all with white latex, for fire retardant ability, etc. Then screw on a thin layer of plywood. I think 5mm ply would work well, but should calculate the weight of the wood liner system before jumping in.

You have some very interesting ideas. Can't say I agree with your thoughts, but you can definitely be a trend setter.

 

[c1steve]

You keep wood out of the bilge, it will not rot. I built a Brent Swain sailboat out of steel, they are all done the same way. Foam the entire inside of the boat except the bilge area, this makes a great boat. As Brent Swain, from Campbell River, said "welding rod is the best sealant ever".

 

[c1steve]

There have been over 150 of boats built to Brent's design, the foam interior causes no problem and the wood does not rot. However the steel boat does have a some steel angle stringers running longitudinally, and the lowest wood stringer goes on top of the lowest steel stringer. So if water did find it's way up above the bilge, it would not tend to keep the wood stringer wet.

 

[saanauk]

NWAC was charging $1,500 a foot for the metal work, glass, and foam. No interior, etc. This would be an excellent way to obtain a super high quality boat. Personally I would install wood stringers on aluminum tabs, and foam the interior of the hull. This way moisture will not condense and the boat will be drier, warmer, and quieter. So a 25 foot boat would cost $38,000 to buy. This includes the windows and doors.

I do not know if the price is still the same, but I was told that Doug prefers to sell boats this way.

Aluminum tabs are welded on for the wood stringers and any wood bulkheads. Screws pine firing strips to the tabs leaving a space underneath for the foam. Install the bulkheads as well. Foam it 1" thick, and cut off the high spots near the stringers, use a sander to smooth out more of the foam. Then paint it all with white latex, for fire retardant ability, etc. Then screw on a thin layer of plywood. I think 3-4mm ply would work well, but should calculate the weight of the wood liner system before jumping in.

Doesn't wood kind of defeat the purpose of getting an aluminum boat? Also have read about and know people that have had issues with foam holding water and creating corrosion that led to holes in the aluminum.

 

[c1steve]

I can see foam in the bilge surrounding a fuel tank having problems, but well above the bilge does not appear to be an issue. Brent told me some metal fish boats spray foam right on top of the bare steel, in a fish hold, and it works okay. I blasted the inside of my boat and sprayed on 3 coats of epoxy. I do not expect any problems.

However, assume there was a hole in the deck, and water did get inside. Water might saturate the foam in the immediate area, but I do not believe it would spread. It is closed cell foam.

 

[TomicTime]

maybe for grins on the ferry ride to the boat I will list out all the checks I wrote to Volvo this past year....
can only think of two things worse in an Aluminum boat:
any Wallas product
or structural wood

 

[c1steve]

The current owner of my old boat tells me all my work is in excellent condition. Boat has been in Mexico for 16 years. There are no wood rot problems. Foam keeps a metal boat dry.

 

[TomicTime]

no photos on my account, sorry to bug ya
probably call my builder tommorow and ask for less aluminum, more foam and structural wood !!!

 

[TomicTime]

I am considering ordering one of their boats. I have seen them many times at Port Renfrew, but know little about how they ride in a seaway. Does anyone know how they are in a chop? What about in a large and steep following or in a quartering sea?

I know the boats are well built, but can find almost nothing about their performance. Also, does anyone know about their fuel efficiency? I am thinking of a 26' long version, with outboards.

and you lifted the photo from my gallery on ifish without a photo credit to Dr Jon Middleton who took the excellent photo....

7300 + page views in 8 years, must be a great boat.....my memory foggy ...

enjoy your new boat !!!!!!!

 

[c1steve]

TonicTime, so that is your boat! Is it 24' long, and what is the beam? You have a single 250 Suzuki, and obtain about 2.5 nmpg?

 

[Whole in the Water]

Wood in boats is always a weak link IMHO. Wood no matter what you do with it - if it can attract water it will and then eventually need to be replaced. Why not use aluminum stringers and then no wood worries? I have a Silver Streak and like many other welded aluminum boats there is no wood used anywhere.

 

[c1steve]

The wood stringers are only to support a thin plywood liner that covers the foam. If the boat uses aluminum stringers, they will still be used. The wood is not structural. A foam boat is a dry boat, the wood should not absorb moisture.

 

[TomicTime]

nice boat !!!!!

TonicTime, so that is your boat! Is it 24' long, and what is the beam? You have a single 250 Suzuki, and obtain about 2.5 nmpg?

nope my fishing buddy took that picture many years ago
i have a 37' Coldwater, see photo below

 

[TomicTime]

Wood in boats is always a weak link IMHO. Wood no matter what you do with it - if it can attract water it will and then eventually need to be replaced. Why not use aluminum stringers and then no wood worries? I have a Silver Streak and like many other welded aluminum boats there is no wood used anywhere.

Silver Streak is an awesome boat

 

[Gong Show]

There have been over 150 of boats built to Brent's design, the foam interior causes no problem and the wood does not rot. However the steel boat does have a some steel angle stringers running longitudinally, and the lowest wood stringer goes on top of the lowest steel stringer. So if water did find it's way up above the bilge, it would not tend to keep the wood stringer wet.

Brent Swain!

On the other forum I frequent way too often, he has multiple threads going on.
Here is one of the more amusing ones:
http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?/topic/178877-****-brent-swain-says/

Good times!

 

[Sentinel]

Coldwaters are the epitome of a well crafted alloy fishing vessel and were in the running when I bought my Ocean Sport in 2007. I have fished on a couple of walkaround 33's and was impressed. My grandparents were best friends with the Nyblods growing up in Marysville as well and our families both had commercial fishing roots. Anymore my opinions on diesels is go straight shaft or forget it. Even the stout looking Konrad dp drives seem to have some parasitic losses and other issues. I know North River will be in no hurry to hang another on one of their builds. A 37' is a big heavy platform though and I am not sure outboards would be the answer either. Love the one your with at least until you can't afford her!

 

[saanauk]

Brent Swain!

On the other forum I frequent way too often, he has multiple threads going on.
Here is one of the more amusing ones:
http://forums.sailinganarchy.com/index.php?/topic/178877-****-brent-swain-says/

Good times!

Wow I got sucked down the rabbit hole once I started reading.

 

[c1steve]

I built the first Brent Boat in the USA. They are great sailing boats and Brent really knows what works for a cruising boat. He designed a Sampson post to handle 90 tons of sideways force. What fiberglass boat has anything like that? Well the next owner put the boat on the rocks in Mexico. The boat was there for two days, bouncing with the waves, pounding the keel and hull.

Eventually a fishing boat pulled him off the reef and over a second reef. The Sampson post did not budge, and the boat had only very minimal damage. Any fiberglass boat would have been in splinters on the first night.

 

[Sentinel]

90 tons eh! Sounds like B.S. allright.

 

[turbomack]

Without a doubt , some of the craziest stuff i have seen on this forum to date. I had to click the link and read a little Swain. That's not the kool aid you want to be drinking.