kenfyoozed Posted August 27, 2020 Report Share Posted August 27, 2020 I am looking for a boat design to fit my family. We have a 25' tri-toon with a 250 yamaha and we love everything it can do except that its not a great fishing boat. We also have a 18' CC Blazer bay but its wet when the chop come up. So i want something to kinda bridge the gap. At first I was looking for a power cat, but wanted something with a cabin. We went boat camping with the trip-toon and camped on the beach and we loved it. A boat with a cabin that we could coastal/river camp would be ideal. I enjoy the speed of our tri-toon and jumping the waves but it scares the family so something a slower is needed. The design needs to be able to be fished from in shallow Mobile Bay, but capable of off shore when conditions are right , less than 3' in the gulf to run offshore and fish. I would like to run a pair of small outboards for security sake. Would the Bluejay fit my needs? or do I keep looking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Perkins Posted September 6, 2020 Report Share Posted September 6, 2020 I also wanted for twin outboards on the transom of my Bluejacket but truthfully it is really not needed with the ultra reliable outboards out there today. The Bluejacket has a very narrow transom and two outboard would also require an outboard mount vs a motor box. I have decided to just make provisions to be able to use my tender's outboard as a kicker if needed. The Bluejacket is a very efficient planing mini trawler in my opinion and doesn't need a lot of ponies out back to meet it's design parameters. My 10 meter Bluejacket (adapted from a Bluejacket 28) is far from finished but you are welcome to ride up this way and take a look at one going together. I am off exit 186 of 65 north. This is a link to the album of the build so far. https://www.flickr.com/gp/156988461@N07/5Dm02B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Cote Posted September 7, 2020 Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 On 9/6/2020 at 12:29 AM, John Perkins said: I also wanted for twin outboards on the transom of my Bluejacket but truthfully it is really not needed with the ultra reliable outboards out there today. The Bluejacket has a very narrow transom and two outboard would also require an outboard mount vs a motor box. I have decided to just make provisions to be able to use my tender's outboard as a kicker if needed. The Bluejacket is a very efficient planing mini trawler in my opinion and doesn't need a lot of ponies out back to meet it's design parameters. My 10 meter Bluejacket (adapted from a Bluejacket 28) is far from finished but you are welcome to ride up this way and take a look at one going together. I am off exit 186 of 65 north. This is a link to the album of the build so far. https://www.flickr.com/gp/156988461@N07/5Dm02B Wow! What an incredible project. Love the rotation device you made to flip the boat over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oyster Posted September 7, 2020 Report Share Posted September 7, 2020 If I may be bold I would consider not using the plastic fuel tank. Aluminum coated with Coal tar epoxy or Interprotect 2000 works really well for longevity on the tanks. Beautiful job on laying the hull out and getting it to the rough in shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lathrop Posted September 8, 2020 Report Share Posted September 8, 2020 Oyster is right about a fuel tank. In addition to being a very good choice, a fuel tank made to fit the chosen space will allow for far more fuel to be carried which can be significant on long cruises when fuel supply spaces may be distant from each other. The volumetric difference can be significant if that is a problem for you. I would be very interested in seeing your initial design requirements as well as the changes you made. It is sometimes quit a surprise to see that a Bluejacket has been built or is being built that I was not previously aware of. Your build is one of those that was not known to me and that is very interesting as well as it should make a great cruising vessel. The largest Bluejacket that I know of up to now has been a 29 footer in South Carolina. That particular BJ is also of wider beam than the original design and runs well. I do not consider twin outboards to be a great factor in safety as modern outboards are very reliable. I also think that a smaller kicker is the better choice as long as it uses the same fuel as the main engine. The greatest issue with most any motor reliability is the fuel or battery and most that choose multi outboards use a common source for one or both of these. If reliability is thought to be an issue, multiple motors make multiple sources for whatever mechanical problems that might occur. Experience of Bluejacket builders for 20 years show the above to be true. On the issue of transom width. The outboard powered Bluejacket has proven resistant to the danger that some low power or shaft driven boats can have when running down wind in waves where they often have a tendency to broach. The outboard thrust is easily steered to counter any tendency for the boat to broach so I have widened the stern of later Bluejackets. The stern was originally narrowed to avoid broaching running down large waves as a safety factor that has proven to be not needed. Can you take any advantage of that at this stage of construction? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Lathrop Posted September 13, 2020 Report Share Posted September 13, 2020 I have finally had time to run quickly through your pages of construction. You are making my little boat into a much bigger project that looks very impressive. It is far too much to adequately discuss after a cursory look here but many thing you have done are quite extensive and beyond the simpler concept of the original. Robust is one term that I would use for much of the construction and I can see the boat cruising comfortably and easily on any coastal waters that LIZ and her mates have encountered. I hope to follow the progress as you develop a new Bluejacket.........Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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