What an interesting boat, very capable, stable platform - great lines too!

Well, its about time that I start another build. As if I am not busy enough bringing new life in back to the Tolly I have decided to start my next move in the boat building business. My primary focus is going to be PNW proven platforms. I will be building these one boat at a time - potentially two as things get moving. Once you lay up epoxy, paint, varnish your done for the day so having two at one time would be a better use of time in the shop.

Here is a link to my next build - Bill Childs
I spent sometime with Bill this last week and a Bartender - it's a sexy, timeless boat that I am excited to be building!

I will be constructing it in a work boat fashion - ie this is not going to be a museum piece. I will probably paint all surfaces with the exception of the dash - saving that to be varnished as a showcase.
In addition I will be creating a website for the business with slides of the project as it progresses. Wood is going to be ordered in short order. I will be putting in about five to six hours per day so my hope is that we will have something to look at nearly daily. Unfortunately the wood will be about a two weeks out as I am ordering from out of town. That's ok as it will give me the time I need to set up shop and prepare for making some saw dust.
As always comments, suggestions, and what not are always welcomed.

What size Bartender?
I have the plans for the 29 footer but never built it.
Ted

20.5. Down the road if I move to a larger shop that might work. For now, about 22 would be max.

It seems that there have been a few changes or mods over the years.
When I bought my plans from George the only sizes he had were 19, 22, 26, 29 and 32 footers. The 32 was twin engine.
Ted

The Bartender is well liked and looks nice. Probably will be a great build and very saleable when done.

I personally don't care for the flattish bottom and wasted space aft. Don't see enough advantage to the pointy stern. It's a planing hull just like if it had a square stern. Could be a slight advantage in following seas though.

Are the sharp bends at both ends double planked?

It will probably weigh less than my 18.5' FG boat.

Do you plan a build thread? Love to watch the build threads on BoatDesign.net

A video from Youtube of the boat I am building,
Check out Bill Childs other videos - looks like a very capable little boat.

It's a nice looking boat. But I also don't understand the pointed stern. Since its a planing boat the phony double end does not serve any purchase other than making the aft end impractical.
If it's for the pnw, are you going to give it canvas or a proper pilothouse or something else?

Ouch. It's a bartender. It is meant for crossing river bars (in both directions) hence the pointy stern. The design was used by the USCG for many years. They are beautiful boats and have a incredible reputation for seaworthyness in the PNW.

Northern Spy said:

Ouch. It's a bartender. It is meant for crossing river bars (in both directions) hence the pointy stern. The design was used by the USCG for many years. They are beautiful boats and have a incredible reputation for seaworthyness in the PNW.

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Are you saying the boat is designed to cross bars like the Columbia River bar? When you say it's meant to cross them in both directions you mean in and out of the river, not in forwards and backwards. (I'm assuming) Is the pointy stern is to help breaking waves from astern pass under the boat? Or is it really meant to cross a breaking bar in reverse?

Atleast you could back down on a fish without having to worry about taking on large amount of water in cockpit.

I a building the boat not for myself but for a customer - the final fit out will be determined by the buyer. I might add a bimini - but beyond that I wouldn't add any more canvas. After this build I'll be looking at an enclosed salon, something like
Devlin Designing Boat Builders - Dunlin 22 Cruiser Plans
but that's down the road. Right now I'll enjoy the Bartender.

I think it is a beautiful boat and the lines are cool! I guess I have always liked canoe sterns though. With so many typical "molded" boats it is nice to see different lines and construction. I would guess many people would look at my current boat and not like the lines as I do. But maybe it's like women, there's one out there that just catches your eye!

Bartenders are highly regarded for their good looks and seaworthyness. It's a good choice for a wood boat build.

In the video you can see and hear the hard riding characteristics of the flatish bottom. To be seaworthy one would look for good directional stability and I don't see it in the Bartender. Sometimes the lack of a quality like that can save the day on big waves too. The big Eskimo skin boats are seaworthy too but lack comfort. Same for dories. I was hot to build a flat bottom boat designed by Atkin. http://http://www.atkinboatplans.com/Cruisers/Marcia.html Long flat bottomed boats are better riding than short ones but it would be hard riding for sure and I was ready to accept that as part of the package and lots of people do that with Bartender. It's got a cute name too and people respond positively to a cute name.

I think there is/was some discussion on the Bartender in BoatDesign.net

bshillam said:

I a building the boat not for myself but for a customer - the final fit out will be determined by the buyer. I might add a bimini - but beyond that I wouldn't add any more canvas. After this build I'll be looking at an enclosed salon, something like
Devlin Designing Boat Builders - Dunlin 22 Cruiser Plans
but that's down the road. Right now I'll enjoy the Bartender.

Click to expand...

Now that's a boat I can warm up to!

Here's my facebook page for the new business if anyone wants to follow through FB.

https://www.facebook.com/PNWboatworks

Good luck with your build. I love the Bartenders. There is a current build on-going at the Glen L forum you may find interesting and informative. That hull has been tried and tested in some very precarious situations and seems to speak for herself. And she looks good doing it which is a bonus.

The Bartenders were able to run in seas that would cause other blunt stern vessels to broach. They were often used in conditions that gave others fits. They were not cruisers like most of us have but dedicated fishermens boats where they had to get in and out of a harbour with a bar that often had rough conditions. The pointy tail end limited the 'cruisers space' so would not catch on with the folk that wanted a lot of living space.
That's what I remember.

Google Calkins Bartender