Someone built my boat!Well,,,,Kind of.

When I first came here,I was researching systems info to build my first big boat.Then I came down with some serious health problems and kind of gave up, temporarily, on boats,while I was under going treatment and recovery.Still recovering.I stumbled upon a boat build of the same, but smaller, boat I was planning to build.The boat is Jeff Spira's (Spira Internalional's) Sitka.There are three sizes,25'5",27',and 30'.Raymond Pollock built the 27' version with a long style cabin.His build is similar to my plans,except I would build to 30' with an LOA of around 34',and I would run an I/O instead of an OB.Raymond built light with simplistic systems.My plans were a little more grande,so to speak,but I'm here just to share a nice smaller boat and say hello to my friends.


All links and pics are directly from Spira International's website and hot linked.I won't take credit for someone else's work.





Raymond's mom having a go at the wheel.

One of my boat building dreams is Spria's 49' Tanuki with the long crusier style cabin.

Ben I've been asking about you (Craig and others). Very glad to hear from you and glad you feel like posting.

Chris and I are working on Willy now most every day. Starting to look like a boat again.

Yea I look at the Spira 24' Key Largo from time to time. Would like to build it w a vertical stem and no OB well. Longer footprint. Footprint dosn't sound very knotical but it conveys. I want a 12 knot 25' OB.

Speaking of OBs do they still make IOs? Lots of extra weight and cost. Why would you want an IO?

Have you been lurking? Hope you've been following along. Sounds like you're doing better and that's wonderful.
Eric Henning

Welcome back Ben, I've been expecting you to return for a while now. Glad to see your boating mojo is returning.

Ben, you had us wondering where you were at. Hopefully your health, works itself out. Glad your back.

Thanks all.I been lurking for this past month.I got an email update to an old thread about a month ago.I slowly started lurking more and more until I couldn't take it any longer.:lol:

manyboats said:

Ben I've been asking about you (Craig and others). Very glad to hear from you and glad you feel like posting.

Chris and I are working on Willy now most every day. Starting to look like a boat again.

Yea I look at the Spira 24' Key Largo from time to time. Would like to build it w a vertical stem and no OB well. Longer footprint. Footprint dosn't sound very knotical but it conveys. I want a 12 knot 25' OB.

Speaking of OBs do they still make IOs? Lots of extra weight and cost. Why would you want an IO?

Have you been lurking? Hope you've been following along. Sounds like you're doing better and that's wonderful.
Eric Henning

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Good to hear you guys are getting on top of Willy and taking care of business.I should reword that but I'm going to leave it for comic relief.:lol:

Talk to Jeff Spira.He is flexible with his plans.I talked to him about using an I/O and he said no problems,he would make the needed adjustments when I order his plans for Sitka.The I/O is kind of a thing in my area.A lot of lakes around here banned 2 stroke O/Bs many year ago, unless they are the newer type that is computer controlled.Oily residue in the water was taking it's toll,or so I'm told.There are few of them around, and used they are fetching top dollar.Used four stroke O/Bs are up there also.When I first started planning this,there was a guy on boat design net that had mated twin VW 1.9TDI to inboard transmissions and made them run properly.I was going to follow his plan and mate a 1.9M-TDI to a Mercruise I/O.From my understanding,this was done briefly before they went to 5 cylinder Diamler(Mercedes) engines.I wanted the ability to run the engine completely independent of the electrical systems like the old diesels.Anyway,I can pick up a complete running boat with I/O set up around here between $1500-$5000.I recently passed up a $3500 wake board boat with a perfect running 5.7L Mercruise.It was a good boat other than the gelcoat was oxidized and the interior was starting to look ratty.Plus,it would provide other goodies I could use in my boat.The extra 100 to 150lbs isn't that big of a deal in a 30' boat.Plus the weight will be closer to center,instead of hanging off the transom.

CPseudonym said:

Welcome back Ben, I've been expecting you to return for a while now. Glad to see your boating mojo is returning.

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I been watching, and a lot of my friends have been hitting the big lakes along the SC/GA state line.I'm kind of getting jealous you know.

Sailor of Fortune said:

Ben, you had us wondering where you were at. Hopefully your health, works itself out. Glad your back.

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I been seriously working on my health for the past three years.I'm determined to get back to good health.I kind of hit a period of depression and need to step back a little while.As time as went on and my health is slowly improving,I'm starting to snap out of this funk.

Ben-also glad to see you are back and especially glad to hear the health is improving. Of course, nothing will get you out of a funk quicker than being on the water. Of course, nothing can get you into a funk quicker than contemplating all the money you have to spend to stay on the water!

These boats remind me of the C-Dory 22' I had recently. Fuel efficient, run in skinny water, but complete kidney busters in any kind of chop. Never again except perhaps inland. Like Lake Powell.

THD said:

Ben-also glad to see you are back and especially glad to hear the health is improving. Of course, nothing will get you out of a funk quicker than being on the water. Of course, nothing can get you into a funk quicker than contemplating all the money you have to spend to stay on the water!

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Thanks and I agree.

refugio said:

These boats remind me of the C-Dory 22' I had recently. Fuel efficient, run in skinny water, but complete kidney busters in any kind of chop. Never again except perhaps inland. Like Lake Powell.

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That's why I like them,looks,shallow draft,and fuel econ.I saw a few C Dorys down on the coast and then found these plans.

I would build the optional vee bow to help with pounding.I would be doing mostly inland boating for a while with some ICW cruises from time to time.Eventually I would do the Great Loop.Depending on money and time,I may do it in stages with this boat.If I could live the dream, and buy a different larger boat,grab the admiral,and make a life of it for a while.

ben2go said:

I would build the optional vee bow to help with pounding.I would be doing mostly inland boating for a while with some ICW cruises from time to time.Eventually I would do the Great Loop.

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That might be a good fit. Not sure what the optional vee bow is, but another characteristic of this hull shape is "bow steer". When that happens at speed your heart will stop - hopefully it restarts!

The pounding cannot be eliminated, but trim tabs are probably necessary to help get the bow down.

Oh, and consider twin outboards with some separation between them. With nothing in the water, it's a bitch to get the bow into the wind when maneuvering.

refugio said:

That might be a good fit. Not sure what the optional vee bow is, but another characteristic of this hull shape is "bow steer". When that happens at speed your heart will stop - hopefully it restarts!

The pounding cannot be eliminated, but trim tabs are probably necessary to help get the bow down.

Oh, and consider twin outboards with some separation between them. With nothing in the water, it's a bitch to get the bow into the wind when maneuvering.

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In my pics in my first post,Raymond's bottom profile at the bow is flat and up turned.You know how rough those can be in a chop.Jon boat kind of rough.The Vee bottom is straight with a more conventional shape like the boat below.The boat below is a good deal smaller.The Vee bow on Sitka would be more pronounced and travel back a little further.



I really won't be running on plane a lot,except maybe inland lakes.The trim tabs I will have to see about.With O/Bs,I could see a need.Not real sure about I/O.I have considered O/Bs but they are crazy expensive and even used units are expensive.Some lakes will only allow the newer 2 stroke O/Bs.I can get the old 2 strokes fairly cheap,in compared to the techy newer ones,but they are not allowed in some areas I go.

I do agree,bow steerage maybe a problem.Bow thruster! :lol: Draft maybe a problem there.