18' Texas Skiff
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Design Number 189
1979 |
Modified dory skiffs, such as this one, are popular fishing and working boats in many areas of this
country, in the Carolinas, on the Gulf Coast, and other areas. She is intended for fishing and general
utility work. Her open layout, with a walkway between the seats, permits easy access from bow to stern.
The design calls for batten seam construction. With the battens as backing for the seams, the frames
can be more widely spaced, and we've put them on the design stations on 24" centers. Alternatively,
she could be built of plywood, with perhaps 3/8" sides and ½" for the bottom. This would permit the
elimination of the battens and the construction would probably go much more quickly.
I've shown the control station to port. This is in line with my philosophy of always putting the helm
off-center to port. My reasoning for this is that the danger zone is to starboard, and any passengers
would also be to starboard. So, if the helmsman is looking at or talking to the person to starboard,
he would be looking towards the danger zone. This is much preferred to turning your back on the danger
zone and should contribute to more safe operation.
The power shown is a 70 hp outboard, with suitable alternatives being in the 50 to 90 hp range, depending
on the speed wanted and how she will be loaded. The fuel tank is a cylindrical tank, located where it is
fully open for service access. It could also become a seat for additional passengers or when commuting
with the engine.
Another alternative for powering would be to build her with no notch and slot for an outboard. Then,
an inboard engine with an outdrive could be fitted in this space. The additional buoyancy gained from
filling in the outboard slot would offset the added weight of an outdrive engine.
A melon hood or Bimini would add welcome shade and shelter. It could be integrated with a full cockpit
cover with screens to turn her into a camp-cruiser.
| Particulars: | Imperial | Metric |
|---|
| Length overall | 18'-0" | 5.49 m |
| Length datum waterline | 16'-0" | 4.88 m |
| Beam | 6'-8½" | 2.05 m |
| Draft | 0'-5" | .13 m |
| Freeboard: | Forward | 3'-0" | 0.91 m |
| Least | 1'-8¼" | 0.52 m |
| Aft | 1'-10” | 0.56 m |
| Estimated structural weight | 500 lbs. | 227 kg. |
| Displacement, to DWL | 1,425 lbs. | 727 kg. |
| Displacement-length ratio | 155 | |
| Prismatic coefficient | .686 | |
| Pounds per inch immersion | 320 | |
| Entrance half-angle | 26° | |
Note: The displacement numbers are calculated to the arbitrarily chosen DWL.
The calculated ratios of displacement-length and sail area-displacement will vary widely
depending on the loading of the vessel.
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