Bluejacket 24 web site

[Tom Lathrop]

At long last I have succeeded in getting a website up and running. Its been a long haul for the computer challenged but, with some help from Frank, it is now hosted by him. You can find it at: www.bluejacketboats.com .

[Frank Hagan]

I fell in love with this design when I saw your first article in Boatbuilder Magazine. What a great boat!

I have one of the early plan sets ... #3 or #4, I think. Its on my list for when I retire (or hit the lottery and can quit my job!)

I didn't know you had put out plans for a 20' and 27' version; the 24' is the size I would want, but stretching it a bit gives you a much larger boat.

[Greg Luckett]

I would like to see more plan views, side, tops, etc. of each of the size boats. Interior layouts maybe?

Thanks

[capt jake]

Like this?

Oh well, you can cut and paste it.

[Greg Luckett]

Yes, like that, but for the two larger boats.

[capt jake]

If you want to see someting that Tom has done that is VERY impressive (as if anything he does, isn't ); look at the pictures of the house. Take a look at the staircase!!! That thing is amazing! I had the gret fortune to take the tour and his house is very impressive. :)

[Greg Luckett]

WOW, no kidding. That stair way is awesome. I envy that you were actually able to see it and the house first hand.

[Tom Lathrop]

Greg,

The BJ 27 interior is the same as the 24 with the hull being redesigned from midships to the transom. The clients wanted a large cockpit for fishing. The first boat will actually be 26.5' LOA due to a misstep in laying out the side panels. Its still a large cockpit. The builder of the second will likely add some length to the pilothouse, like maybe 6". I find the interior plenty large enough as it is and favor the smaller trailer (and storage) package over a larger boat.

There is a BJ 28 on the way but it is a completely new design although the look is very similar. The forward cabin remains the same as it has worked so well for us. I consider this to be the upper limit to still be reasonably trailerable. My idea of trailerable is apparently smaller than a lot of people. We can hook up "Liz" to our V6 GMC Safari minivan and take off although we usually tow with a V8 Dodge campervan. Even the 28 will be lightweight compared to other smaller (much smaller) boats. It will likely be approximately half the weight (dry hull weight) of either the Rosborough 246 or the Devlin Scoter 25.

[capt jake]

Tom, do you have any closer pictures of the Scamp cockpit? I am curious how you finished the Mahogany transition to the carlins. Is there a plywood substrate?

[Tom Lathrop]

John,

I rebated the carlin to let the 4mm ply base set flush. The deck planks then glue directly onto the carlin so the seam disappears.

Today was the official launch and many guests got to buzz around in the creek. Graham was seen to have a large grin on his face as he thundered about. I used a small bottle of Maker's Mark bourbon christening as Scamp is no champaign boat.

[capt jake]

Thanks Tom, I thought that may be the case. How about the transition around the front of the cockpit? Looks like solid stock that you painstakingly shaped to take that corner (curve).

[Tom Lathrop]

Yes and no John. The forward cockpit edge was done by using a piece of the same mahogany as the rest of the deck and gluing a doubler to the aft underside so that it both overlaps and hides the ply subdeck. The aft thicker part was then shaped to the curve you see. The most difficult part of this "marquetry" type work is making multiple joints on the same piece come out right and "hopefully" invisible, or as nearly so as possible.