Seapiper trawler

[Steve]

An ad for this boat popped up on one of my pages.
It's not for me but, what do you all think?
For a look click here: SeaPiper 34 - Modern Compact Trawler - SeaPiper

[Donsan]

Do a search on SeaPiper. There have been some discussions on it before. I don't think one has been built yet. Some of the threads may have been deleted because of subtle advertising/marketing efforts.

[Alaskan Sea-Duction]

Kinda boxy to me.....

[CPseudonym]

I have emailed the builder a few weeks ago and he was prompt in replying. Just kinda waiting and seeing when the next move gets made. The plans have not yet been reviewed by a Naval Architect and the build yard has not been set in stone yet either AFAIK.

[MurrayM]

Originally Posted by CPseudonym

The plans have not yet been reviewed by a Naval Architect...

So, it's just a guy with a dream and some computer skills? (Not saying that's necessarily a bad thing, just something to take serious note of).

I didn't see a good image of the bow section of the hull. It has a keel and its stern is just below the waterline, yet he claims it will sit upright when beached because of its flat bottom and its Seabright Skiff heritage. That means going from bow flare to flat in about ten feet...could get 'slappy' in the steep & close waves we have around here.

Gets a gold star for pursuing a dream though

[MurrayM]

Ahhh...now I get it...it's 8'6" beam makes it trailerable without special permits. There just might be a market for this design after all!

[ksanders]

Potential customers might consider asking...

What are the qualifications of the designer?
How many boat designs has he done?
How many of his designs have actually ever been built?
Why hasn't he built a proof of concept prototype?

So far this seems to me to be an exercise in autocad profiiciency.

If I was going to try to market a boat, especially a small one like that, I'd actually build one. Then I'd test it. Then I'd take lots of pictures of it showing how cool it is, and how it performs.

THEN and only then I'd build a web site and try to sell my wizbang boat.

But I'm a just a guy that actually has a boat, something we don't know if the designer even has.

EDIT...

I looked up the designer on Linkedin, you know the place where professionals network.

I'm not posting his name but his Linkedin profile shows ZERO marine design, or industry experience. He's in the motorcycle parts business. Well, except for his listing his company, the one that has never built a boat.

Now, if he had as part of his profile some training or experience in marine design, or even the marine industry well, I'd take his company a little more seriously.

Except for a CAD drawing of the boat I cannot find that he's ever even expressed an interest in boating online.

[N4712]

Originally Posted by ksanders

Potential customers might consider asking...



What are the qualifications of the designer?

How many boat designs has he done?

How many of his designs have actually ever been built?

Why hasn't he built a proof of concept prototype?



So far this seems to me to be an exercise in autocad profiiciency.



If I was going to try to market a boat, especially a small one like that, I'd actually build one. Then I'd test it. Then I'd take lots of pictures of it showing how cool it is, and how it performs.



THEN and only then I'd build a web site and try to sell my wizbang boat.



But I'm a just a guy that actually has a boat, something we don't know if the designer even has.

Have to snap back to reality.

[ssobol]

I like it. However, I think the aft cockpit should be a little deeper, the forward berth may be a bit narrow, and there needs to be some sort of bmini, hardtop, or camper top for the center cockpit. However this may impede the forward view some.

Swapping the positions of the pilothouse/salon and the open center cockpit might make more sense, but then it would be a fairly conventional design.

Having a decent sized boat that can be transported relatively easily is something that I would like. The intro price seems VERY good to me. Comparable new boats are probably $3-400K.

[markpierce]

I swear recalling photos on this or another boat thread evidencing one of these boats have been introduced.

[ssobol]

Couple of other things on the SeaPiper:

- I don't see much utility of the outside wheel if there are not engine and thruster controls as well.
- The inside console is pretty tiny. There is not much room for radios, displays, etc. A MFD unit will help in this regard, but for long range cruising one would likely want room for redundant equipment.
- The height of the pilot station means that seeing over the bow for close maneuvering is going to be tough. At the very least the starboard window should be sliding so that the captain can stick his head out for better visibility.

These boats are similar to the Albin Aft Cabin models only backwards.

[Richard W]

Interesting design, some interesting features, the refinements are ongoing.
Still a concept, not a proof of concept, plans not reviewed, and not tested at all.
Hope the dream becomes reality ... investment or investors needed to move forward.

I like this dreamer, and his dream ... good luck!

[MurrayM]

These two guys weren't formally trained either and did pretty well for themselves, but then again, they were fully steeped in a boating life;

George Calkins: Bartender Boats by George Calkins,Bartender Boats, boats, kits, frame kits, boat kits, kit boats, bartender, seaworthy boat, boat building plans, surf dory, double-ender, boat kits, George Calkins

Frank Tolman: Tolman Skiffs: Boat Plans in Book Form

Will be interesting to see if this project has legs.

[Wanderin Star]

There is another thread on this site about this boat. If you go to the link and follow the news blogs etc, and bounce around the website for a bit, you can see they have started a corp, opened a factory around San Diego, and hired two engineers from Trojan/Carver. They have started building the first four boats which are already sold, and offer two diesel engine options, built in a mast step and finalizing design plans for a motor/sailer. Sounds like the dream is closer to reality than is mine of convincing the wife that she really does want to sail the Eastern loop at least once. I wish them luck. But the price is climbing and they expect to top it off around 150k.

[nemier]

The Seapiper caught my attention. I like it!!
It seems like a wonderful blend of purposeful design, size & simplicity. I'm watching this with interest. If anyone here has any first-hand knowledge about the Seapiper, let's hear it! I'm all ears.

[devorenm]

Interesting concept but I'm not sure what kind of market there is for it. IMO too small to be a long distance cruiser (The narrow beam is what really kills the interior space) and yet too slow for weekending.

[CPseudonym]

Originally Posted by devorenm

Interesting concept but I'm not sure what kind of market there is for it. IMO too small to be a long distance cruiser (The narrow beam is what really kills the interior space) and yet too slow for weekending.

Some folks think its dimensions are its strongest selling point. Fits perfectly on a standard shipping container platform. The ultimate "passagemaker" that can be shipped anywhere for cheap.

[devorenm]

Originally Posted by CPseudonym

Some folks think its dimensions are its strongest selling point. Fits perfectly on a standard shipping container platform. The ultimate "passagemaker" that can be shipped anywhere for cheap.

Totally understand, you could pop that thing on a trailer and tow it with a 3/4 Ton truck, Just don't know about the speed/comfort ratio. Does seem like a very good canal boat though.

[Nomad Willy]

Fat boats are almost never efficient. Look at the old boats when they had low hp engines. 5-1 length to beam ratios were the norm. For a trawler especially. So I don't fault the Sea Piper for narrow. It's light and that pretty much takes it out of the trawler catergory. But the wheelhouse aft w a flat bottom and light weight makes big sense. The helmsman and probably his friends aft is a very good idea. Going 10 knots or so will get the bow up there high enough to more or less obliterate the view fwd.

I like it's unusual looks. It's actually a lot like the Ranger. But a lot of what I've said is based on assumptions about the SP's hull so I probably should look more closly. But I'm more fond of mid cabin boats w the weight centered there-in. They tend to be a much better dynamicly ballanced boat. The SP sorta smacke of the Phill Boldger boats. Rarely normal but often with some clear advantages.

Craig have you compared the SP w your present boat?

[CPseudonym]

Not exactly Eric but we mocked up the fore and aft cabin as well as middle cockpit in our living room and found the layout to be both functional and quite liveable.