Down East Style boat

My wife and I have purchased a used Atlas Acadia 25 footer. With a 100 hp Yanmar she cruises around 10 knots nicely . It is not a trawler but with the canvas enclosure, air conditioning below, as well as other amenities, she is a nice trailerable cruiser. She sits on a 10k pound GVW aluminum trailer with EOH brakes and torsion axles. She is easily towed as boat and trailer combined come in around 8500 to 9000 pounds, depending on how much is aboard. She draws 2 1/2 feet, and is a very comfortable ride. We are looking forward to exploring the upper Mississippi River as well as Lake Michigan. I have been a lurker here for some time and am excited to be a member here.

Welcome Bob, do you have any photos?

I have a couple so far, I just have to figure out how to post them.

Bob

Welcome. Down Easter’s are the best! Pictures are necessary

(You may need to make a few more posts before you are allowed to post pictures.)

I hope this works. I can add some better pics this weekend, we are planning an over night shake down cruise with our daughter and 2 dogs Friday on the Upper Mississippi River.

Bob.

Welcome aboard. Congrats on your new boat. Have a great cruise.

Cigatoo said:

Welcome. Down Easter’s are the best! Pictures are necessary

(You may need to make a few more posts before you are allowed to post pictures.)

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I also thought that you had to have a minimum number of posts before you could post photos but some of the site team said no you could post photos immediately.

Nice little pocket cruiser. Does she have a canvas enclose for the rear cockpit area?

Bob nice boat and what I’d very much like now.
Nix the truck though .. we wanna see da boat better.

Nice looking boat, but guess we may be bias. We also bought a Acadia 25 a couple of months ago.

I searched the internet over for an Atlas owners group but could not find one. So yesterday I started one on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/2403459163276768/?ref=group_header

I just sent a request to join your new Facebook group. Starting that group is probably a good thing for Atlas owners and wannabes.

This forum has a diverse membership but I suspect few here care for a minimalist outboard powered (well newer Atlas' at least) trawlers or maybe cruisers would be a better term although I characterized my Pompano 23 as a Tiny Trawler. The alliteration sounds good to me at least.

FWIW, downeastboatforum.com does have a bit of coverage for Atlas boats. I believe that Atlas boats are true downeast designs but most of the DBF guys would never consider a boat built in Florida to be a downeaster. Sisus, yes and those seem to cost much more than an equivalent Atlas. Maybe it is the bespoke image of Maine built boats.

Look forward to reading and participating in your new group.

David

OK, we are back from our trip om the Mississippi River and I have pics of the canvas enclosure as well as more of the boat per request. We traveled up and down the river in pretty good current, the boat handled well. My wife, daughter and two dogs had a great time.

I think I may need to have my injectors looked at or check the valve timing as the boat, 4hj2-ute 100 hp motor would start to smoke a bit at any rpm over 2700. Up River we could travel at 6.14 knots at 2600 rpms, and down river hit 10.74 at the same engine speed.

The AC worked great and the ladies enjoyed sleeping in comfort while my dogs and I slept on the deck under the canopy each evening. My wife and I are planning a longer 4 day trip later this week on the river. the boat is wonderful for a couple even with two 60 plus pound dogs.

I am excited to tell my wIfe about the Acadia face book page. I do not do any social media but will check it out with her as she does daily.

IronZebra, would love to see pics of your boat and see pics of it as well.

Oops forgot a picture, more of canvas ben2go, sorry about it being at night. The air conditioning will keep the helm ( no sun in windows at night) with a cabin fan feeding cool cabin air to the help station.

That is a really nice setup. I like that you have a back enclosure for the pilothouse and a full rear cockpit enclosure as well. Most boats similar to yours, that I see, only have the rear pilothouse enclosure and leave the rear cockpit open. Just having all that canvas would be a big bonus to me.

Here`s the Aussie extension of the down east style, by Palm Beach,who effectively bought out/merged with GB a couple of years back. They are beautiful boats.

https://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/new/power-boats/palm-beach-45/197062

ben2go

Tom at Atlas Boat Works builds a heck of a boat, basically every one is a custom job. The canvas and aft canopy are really a great design that I believe gives so much more possibility to the boat, it makes the 25 footer feel bigger than it really is, especially in foul weather.

Bob

BruceK said:

Here`s the Aussie extension of the down east style, by Palm Beach,who effectively bought out/merged with GB a couple of years back. They are beautiful boats.

https://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for-sale/new/power-boats/palm-beach-45/197062

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I don't think that would qualify for Downeast status... I highly doubt ti has a full keel and twin engines?..no,no,no

What’s twin engines have to do w down east?

Nomad Willy said:

What’s twin engines have to do w down east?

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a twin engine boat of this type will surely not have a full length keel...the one thing all DE boats have in common..

Wesmac, a true bespoke downeast builder puts twin Cummins QSMs in their 46. But the poster said downeast style and there are lots of boats that would qualify for that characterization but would not qualify as downeaster in the Maine vernacular. I had a brief debate on the downeastboatforum about my Mainship Pilot 34 and most there did not agree that it was a downeaster.

The Atlas boats are built as close to the downeast style as any but may not qualify either to the die hard Mainers ;-).

David

Sailor of Fortune said:

a twin engine boat of this type will surely not have a full length keel...the one thing all DE boats have in common..

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I'd think that's due to the tide swings in the waters where traditional DE boats developed. The full length keel with single prop helps avoid problems. Let's the boat rest on the bottom when the tide goes out, without wrecking the running gear.

djmarchand said:

Wesmac, a true bespoke downeast builder puts twin Cummins QSMs in their 46. But the poster said downeast style and there are lots of boats that would qualify for that characterization but would not qualify as downeaster in the Maine vernacular. I had a brief debate on the downeastboatforum about my Mainship Pilot 34 and most there did not agree that it was a downeaster.

The Atlas boats are built as close to the downeast style as any but may not qualify either to the die hard Mainers ;-).

David

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I remember that thread on DEBF. I think the Mainship pilot is more of a DE than that bastardized Wesmac. I saw that Wesmac in St Augustine at the Conch house. Beautiful boat ...other than jet drive, twin power. I'm sure Steve tried to talk them out of it..

Downeast has become a marketing term much like "Trawler" for any boat that the seller wants to imply seaworthiness.... SMH

wkearney99 said:

I'd think that's due to the tide swings in the waters where traditional DE boats developed. The full length keel with single prop helps avoid problems. Let's the boat rest on the bottom when the tide goes out, without wrecking the running gear.

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DE boats were developed for lobstering....Nobody is going to have a twin engine setup around lobster gear... Long straight keels is what helps keep boats on gear. Several members here have real DE boats.A couple of members have DE boats that aren't their TF boats....
Long time members remember Carys' 36 BHM in Alaska.... Slowhand and Brooksie both have Real DE boats , not the ones TF members are familiar with.

Sailor of Fortune said:

a twin engine boat of this type will surely not have a full length keel...the one thing all DE boats have in common..

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You say what???
Why on earth would a twin engine boat not have a full keel? Wouldn’t need a shoe on the end but ??

My edit;
I see your post 24. So your’e say’in a “down east” boat must have the capability to rest on the mud w a level attitude?
What’s the difference tween a lobsterboat and a down east?

I could see an Atlas to tow as my next boat. (It's either upsize or downsize.) Thanks for sharing.

I'm on the DE forum as well. I have to say, they confuse me when it comes to name branding and hull shapes.



Now back to Bob's sweet sweet Atlas.

Bob B. said:

ben2go

Tom at Atlas Boat Works builds a heck of a boat, basically every one is a custom job. The canvas and aft canopy are really a great design that I believe gives so much more possibility to the boat, it makes the 25 footer feel bigger than it really is, especially in foul weather.

Bob

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Nomad Willy said:

You say what???
Why on earth would a twin engine boat not have a full keel? Wouldn’t need a shoe on the end but ??

My edit;
I see your post 24. So your’e say’in a “down east” boat must have the capability to rest on the mud w a level attitude?
What’s the difference tween a lobsterboat and a down east?

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Huh? I never said a DE needs to rest on the bottom.. ..A Lobsterboat IS A downeast... Not quite sure what your asking me , Eric. Sitting on the bottom certainly is NOT a requirement of any DE that I know of... they can "dry out" buts not a requirement...

OK SF thanks.
This is boat stuff I’m not familiar with.

Atlas

I had an Atlas Acadia 32 that I recently sold.

It was an outstanding boat and great cruiser.

It now lives in New York City!