Mark's Coot

[Marin]

Hey, Mark---- There's something I've wondered off and on over the last few years that I'd really like to know before I go. If you have described this in the past I apologize for missing it or forgetting it.

The Coot is obviously a pretty unique vessel in a recreational cruising world dominated by plastic, cookie-cutter production boats (like ours). One of the very early Coots if not the very first one according to the owner (photos), spends time in our marina during the winter on a club dock at the foot of the ramp to our section of the marina so we see it fairly often going and coming to our boat. Basically the same as your boat albeit with slightly aft-raked pilothouse windows instead of the reverse-raked windows on the later versions.

But it's a nice design and seems at least from the outside to be well built.

So what I've been curious about is what was your decision process that finally settled you on the Coot?

Did you know people who have one, were there other more "common" cruisers that were contenders early on, etc.?

I know your boating background includes a lot of sailing, so I understand your interest in having a diesel cruiser with at least a degree of sailing capability.

But I'd like to know how you went from not having a cruising boat or not even thinking about cruising boats to deciding to order a Seahorse Coot.

And if your explanation is as long and detailed as the stuff I post, that's fine. You made a unique and interesting decision (and a good one I think) and I'd just like to know what went into it.

Thanks.

 

[Codger2]

Hey, Mark---- There's something I've wondered off and on over the last few years that I'd really like to know before I go.......

You made a unique and interesting decision (and a good one I think) and I'd just like to know what went into it.

Thanks.

Me too!

 

[Baggiolini]

You've just given him license to post 25 more pictures of the Coot!

 

[portager]

You've just given him license to post 25 more pictures of the Coot!

Bring them on! I have 78 MegaBit/sec download speed. I don't even notice any delay.

 

[markpierce]

I was searching for a pilothouse boat with keel-protected rudder/propeller/shaft, walk-around deck and good railings and easy access to deck from helmsman's position. In my waters, it is too easy to touch bottom, and easy/complete/safe access to a boat's perimeter is important to a boat's handiness.

Didn't need a boat that maximized volume and sleeping accommodations. Normally, only two persons are aboard for overnight occasions. Most all voyages are day-trips with some multi-day, overnight ventures. Don't welcome the awkwardness or duplication/complication/cost of dual helmsman positions with a flying bridge.

For a new boat, the Coot is less expensive than comparable boats even considering overseas shipping costs and the inevitable costs of correcting issues not covered by the limited warranty. With a new boat, it can be customized for the purchaser, especially when the boat is semi-custom built. Its builder has a good reputation and even though located in China, has a Bay Area connection. The builder was very cooperative, kept me well informed on construction progress, and came to the Bay Area to help in the commissioning.

I had searched other builder's websites and the used boat ads. Didn't set foot on any boats in my search. Nevertheless, I knew what I wanted and the Coot met the wants. It's stoutly built, and the wood interior is beautifully executed. I'm very happy with it.

I was tempted by the Diesel Ducks, but they cost a lot more and are more suited for open-sea voyages rather than the gunkhole boating we do.

SEAHORSE MARINE

 

[Baggiolini]

No pictures?

 

[markpierce]

Initial customizing apparent -- stainless steel bow plate:

Starting first sea leg for Oakland destination:

Loading for second leg:

Oakland arrival:

In home waters:

 

[JohnWms]

Some may already know this but Diligence belongs to Capt. Rodriguez: Diligence’s Wheelhouse

 

[Marin]

How did you first hear about Seahorse and how did you determine they would do a good job on the boat?

And in your web search for boats that met your criteria, other than the Duck were there any other makes or models that you thought came pretty close to your requirements?

Yours was quite an "out of the box" choice given the nature of the recreational cruiser market and it's always interesting (to me) to hear why people make these decisions instead of just doing what the rest of the herd does.

The only other person I know, directly in this case rather than through a forum, who made what I regard as a good but "out of the box" boat buying choice is our good friend and cruising companion Carey, no longer of this forum.

A few years before we met them he and his wife bought a custom commercial lobsterboat. By which I mean it has a commercial lobsterboat hull and powertrain from Maine with a custom designed and built house and interior. At the time we met them theirs was the only lobsterboat in our 2000 boat marina and the only one I had ever seen in the PNW although I have since seen a few others. Carey's a pretty unique guy and his boat-buying decision reflects that (in a positive way).

Hence my curiosity as to what was behind your decision.

 

[markpierce]

Seahorse doesn't advertise. I was curious about Diesel Ducks so did an Internet search. Seahorse's website came up, so I visited the site and found out about the Coot there. Further Internet searches of the company and its owner Bill Kimley found favorable third-party comments. Had several telephone conversations with Kimley before deciding to order the boat.

Pilothouse "trawlers" appealed to me such as Arctic and Nordic Tugs, but the Coot had more of the qualities I was looking for.

In 1983 I bought a 24-foot sailboat (Bluewater Blackwatch) from the Texas-based builder, also sight unseen. That was also a positive experience. I wouldn't do this with a used boat.

 

[Marin]

Thanks for your responses Mark. I get the impression not only from your choice of boat but also in your expressed interest in ships, trains, planes etc. that you have a pretty strong appreciation for "stuff that's built to work." In terms of vessels that would be a working boat's lines. The Coot certainly captures that look I think. Nice choice even if the windows do slant the wrong way.

Although for for a modern working boat, they don't.

 

[markpierce]

Marin, another thing: Kimley is into model trains and has kids come visit his layout/museum. That has been a lifetime on-again, off again interest of mine and, as I recall, you too.

In St. Moritz, Switzerland:

 

[Marin]

Marin, another thing: Kimley is into model trains and has kids come visit his layout/museum. That has been a lifetime on-again, off again interest of mine and, as I recall, you too.

Yeah, it is. I haven't done much with it as I've been into so many other things. But I've collected almost everything I need to create a model railroad. We even put a 25' x 30' addition on our house for it but other than some rudimentary construction I did years ago it's basically turned into a storage room. Someday though.....

My interests are the electrified divisions of the Milwaukee Road through the Rockies and Cascades circa 1948 and narrow gauge steam logging roads. I have brass locomotives of all this stuff, some painted, some not. My wife signed me up for a cab ride in a restored steam logging locomotive on Vancouver Island in July. As I recall you've had a fair number of opportunities to do this yourself.

Was the St. Moritz locomotive a cog locomotive? We did a job back in the late 90s in Switzerland and rode and filmed on the train from Brig to Zermatt. Sections of the line were racked and the locomotive had the capability of engaging the rack when necessary. Pretty cool experience.

 

[Art]

Mark - I commend your inspired choice of a functional, economical, last forever pleasure boat that is perfect for SF Delta waters. Take care of her and she will take care of you both. Enjoy the rest of your long lives with Coot!

 

[markpierce]

Was the St. Moritz locomotive a cog locomotive? We did a job back in the late 90s in Switzerland and rode and filmed on the train from Brig to Zermatt. Sections of the line were racked and the locomotive had the capability of engaging the rack when necessary. Pretty cool experience.

No, it is a regular two-axle locos. I'm not sure if they are battery or diesel powered. The railroad (the line that goes over the Bernina Pass) uses the type for switching. The road engines are electrical using overhead wire.

 

[markpierce]

Thanks Art.

 

[markpierce]

Some may already know this but Diligence belongs to Capt. Rodriguez: Diligence’s Wheelhouse

Carquinez Coot's wheelhouse, forward-slanting windows version:

 

[CPseudonym]

The Diligence is a fine looking vessel but compared with the Coot I prefer the forward slanted windows. Completes the work boat look well IMO.

It's quite rare, for me at least, to see sister ships with the different window configurations displayed like this thread has shown.

 

[Codger2]

The Diligence is a fine looking vessel but compared with the Coot I prefer the forward slanted windows. Completes the work boat look well IMO. .

Could not agree more, Craig! For a guy who really didn't know what he was doing, Mark really came up with a great boat.

 

[CPseudonym]

Could not agree more, Craig! For a guy who really didn't know what he was doing, Mark really came up with a great boat.

Perla and my wife hit it off real well. She told my wife the story of Mark's buying decision from her perspective. My wife was quite taken with the way it went down.

I do not doubt Mark's account of it here whatsoever, it is funny how different our significant others see things from their point of view. Sorry guys, they really love us and our boats but swear we are completely nuts when it comes to purchasing our boats

Come up this way for a visit Walt. When you introduce your wife to Perla you'll understand what I'm talking about completely. Take my word for it, Perla's rendition of this story is priceless.

 

[THD]

Mark/Marin-interesting to hear you guys are interested in model railroading. My Dad was for many, many years. He had a room added on to his house and spent almost 20 years building his final layout. He had his own registered RR, logos, paint schemes, etc. When he passed away, my brother and I had his entire layout and stock donated to a model RR club in Jax, Fl. They had to take an exterior wall out to get the layout out in three pieces to reassemble. Some of the model layouts from really serious modelers are truly amazing.

 

[markpierce]

Could not agree more, Craig! For a guy who really didn't know what he was doing, Mark really came up with a great boat.

Like to think I'm smarter than I look or sound.

 

[markpierce]

I do not doubt Mark's account of it here whatsoever, it is funny how different our significant others see things from their point of view. Sorry guys, they really love us and our boats but swear we are completely nuts when it comes to purchasing our boats

I'm curious to learn of Perla's version. Regardless, she has always been supportive.

 

[Peter B]

Thanks for your responses Mark. I get the impression not only from your choice of boat but also in your expressed interest in ships, trains, planes etc. that you have a pretty strong appreciation for "stuff that's built to work." In terms of vessels that would be a working boat's lines. The Coot certainly captures that look I think. Nice choice even if the windows do slant the wrong way.

Although for for a modern working boat, they don't.


View attachment 19344



View attachment 19345

Actually, Marin, I think you'd be on your own there, and I wonder if you compare them again, if you really honestly do still believe that in this case specifically, I mean. To me, your post of the same vessel with orthodix back-sloping windows, and being able to directly compare it to Marks Coot, just highlights for me just how better balanced the look is with the forward sloping ones in this case. I'm totally with Craig on this one.

 

[FlyWright]

Cut her loose on your keyboard, Mark. I'd love to read it, too!!

 

[markpierce]

I want to hear Craig's wife's version of her conversation with Perla.

 

[Art]

Yo - Craig, Mark, Perla, and Craig's wife - let it all hang out... bet it's all cool!!

 

[Marin]

Actually, Marin, I think you'd be on your own there, and I wonder if you compare them again, if you really honestly do still believe that in this case specifically, I mean..

I've never been one to follow the herd so being on my own is actually the way I like it. And while I think Mark's boat's interior, side window configuration, paint scheme, and other details are superior to Prodigious, I think Prodigious has the nicer profile.

Reverse-rake windows ALWAYS look bad to me, no matter what boat or ship they are on. I totally understand the reason for them and on vessels that benefit from the reverse rake I don't argue their presence even though they still look bad in my opinion. Function over form in these cases.

But I have never seen a vessel, large or small, that has been improved aesthetically by reverse raked windows. Vertical, you bet on boats whose designs support it. But reverse rake? Sorry, in my book they are truly "butt ugly" and they greatly detract from the lines of every vessel they are on. In my opinion.

Boats, like vehicles including pickups, Kenworths and farm tractors, almost always have lines that promote the look of forward motion. It's basic human nature to do that and is why we like Ferraris and Aston Martins but Yugos not so much. Reverse-rake windows are the complete antithesis of the look of forward motion. They in effect bring the design of a boat to a stop, and so negate what otherwise can be really beautiful lines.

Put reverse-rake windows on an Aston Martin Vantage or the original 3.8 litre E-type Jaguar coupe and see how you like it. Putting them on boats is no different in terms of their effect on the "motion" of the design.

That's my take on it, anyway.

 

[markpierce]

But Marin, the Coot is merely a 7-knot boat. That's slow-forward motion!

 

[Marin]

But Marin, the Coot is merely a 7-knot boat. That's slow-forward motion!

True, but the aesthetics of a design are not related to the speed it will go. An Aston Martin standing still is a gorgeous car. If all it had was a 65 hp engine in it and it could barely get out of its own way, it would still be a gorgeous car. Because all its lines reinforce forward motion even if that motion is not so fast. And the look of forward motion is inherently pleasing to humans for whatever reason, no matter what the actual speed might be.

One of my all-time favorite boat designs is the J-class sloop Endeavour. Not the Endeavour II which still exists, but the first one. Every one of its lines reinforced the look of forward motion. Yet above the waterline it didn't really matter what it looked like. After all, the boats were only going speeds in the low teens. But the J-class designers gave their boats the aesthetic look of speed as well as the underwater hull lines meant to actually promote speed, and they did it because that's what looked good.