SeaPiper 35 Trawler New Build Photos

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Island Bound said:
People do the Loop in all kinds of vessels. We met a couple from Canada last year doing it on a pontoon houseboat. We know and have met people doing the loop on 25' and 27' Ranger Tugs. One of the advantages of the SeaPiper from my perspective is locking. With the large center cockpit, catching a bollard on the big commercial locks found on the river systems would be a breeze. Having a SeaKeeper gyro installed would also make the transit across the Gulf of Mexico or a side trip to the Bahamas much more manageable and enjoyable for the crew. Like I said in my first post, the SeaKeeper 35 is not for everyone, but it is a very capable and sturdy little vessel that would give the owner lots of cruising options.
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I agree, I am also impressed so far with the Seapiper..If it wasn’t for depreciation, for a starter boat the SP would make and excellent first boat choice.
 
Island Bound said:
People do the Loop in all kinds of vessels. We met a couple from Canada last year doing it on a pontoon houseboat. We know and have met people doing the loop on 25' and 27' Ranger Tugs. One of the advantages of the SeaPiper from my perspective is locking. With the large center cockpit, catching a bollard on the big commercial locks found on the river systems would be a breeze. Having a SeaKeeper gyro installed would also make the transit across the Gulf of Mexico or a side trip to the Bahamas much more manageable and enjoyable for the crew. Like I said in my first post, the SeaKeeper 35 is not for everyone, but it is a very capable and sturdy little vessel that would give the owner lots of cruising options.
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Maybe for a single person, but just the thought of two people sleeping on it for months or years. Also, most couples (not us though) would have an issue is rainy or cool weather and the lack of space and separation as they cruised all day.

Yes, easy to lock, but locking is easy anyway. I've never been on a boat that was hard to lock. Now I've seen some pontoon boats have a difficult time. Glad this boat does have bow thrusters.

Having seen no performance tests or evaluations on the boat, I am not ready to say how it would be transiting across the Gulf of Mexico. You say it's very capable and sturdy. What do you base that on? Have you been on one? Read a test or review from someone who has been? I'm not saying whether it is or isn't, just I don't have information to make such a statement. It would seem to me at this point it's very unproven.
 
Island Bound wrote;
“the hull might be considered by some as a semi-displacement hull because you can push it, like many trawlers, a bit beyond the waterline length speed. As far as I am concerned, it is a full displacement hull with 2600 pounds of ballast.”

IB,
IMO ballast has nothing to do w being FD. It’s just a feature of many FD boats. I’ve never seen a boat that looked like the SP above the WL that was FD. But I haven’t seen her aft buttock below the WL so she could in fact be FD. Just extremely unlikely from what I can see. I think I saw a vid of the SP underway and my takaway was that she was extremly level running. A very nice feature of practically any boat at hull speed or above. I like the boat except for the poor visability fwd. And the aft cabin will be much more comfortable bucking head seas of most any size. I’d rather see where I’m going and take a little pounding.
 
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Island Bound wrote;
“the hull might be considered by some as a semi-displacement hull because you can push it, like many trawlers, a bit beyond the waterline length speed. As far as I am concerned, it is a full displacement hull with 2600 pounds of ballast.”

Hi Willy,

To clarify what I mean, if you are underway at 7 knots and burning one gallon of diesel per hour, you are operating the boat in a displacement mode. That would be the sweet spot for a SeaPiper. Our Great Harbor is a full displacement 40,000 plus pound boat. She will cruise comfortably at approx 7 knots minus currents or tides, with the power set at 70% of the max continuous RPM value of 3650 RPM. I operate the boat under a pretty narrow 200 RPM power band. I set the RPM and accept whatever speed I get. At that power setting, each engine (Yanmar 4JH3E) is burning approximately one gallon per hour. Bumping the power up generates more noise, a slight increase in speed and just about doubles your fuel consumption.

As an aside, when I was stationed in Hawaii during the eighties, I owned a Willard 30 for awhile with a 50 HP Perkins.
 
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IB,
My W30 is a Nomad as seen in my avatar.
I have no problem w high rpm engines. Our Willard has 37hp. The industrial rating from Mitsubishi. It’s a 3000rpm engine and we cruise at 2300. We burn 1gph at 6+knots. That shows how WLL hepls w speed. Our boat is 27.5 x 10’ at the WL. 8 tons disp w 2 tons ballast.

But IMO running a boat slow has nothing to do w the classification of hull. A hull is a hull. And the shape makes it what it is planing, SD or FD. It’s all about the hull form.
 
I like the thinking of the Seapiper folks. I hope they catch on but I think its more a day/weekender rather than a Looper.
 
BandB said:
Maybe for a single person, but just the thought of two people sleeping on it for months or years. Also, most couples (not us though) would have an issue is rainy or cool weather and the lack of space and separation as they cruised all day.

In the boating world, there are lots of couples living on sailboats smaller than 30 feet. There are also many couples cruising extensively on 25' Ranger Tugs, which has a lot less separation than a SeaPiper 35. I don't personally see the SeaPiper as a full time live aboard boat for a couple, but I am sure it could be done.

Yes, easy to lock, but locking is easy anyway. I've never been on a boat that was hard to lock. Now I've seen some pontoon boats have a difficult time. Glad this boat does have bow thrusters.

Locking is not always easy. There are lots of variables like boat geometry, wind and other boat traffic. Our boat has the mid cleat on the raised foredeck, which puts the bollards on the Tenn-Tom considerably below my 5' 4" wife's easy reach. A friend made us a PVC lasso arrangement with clamps for the line that when attached to a broom handle, gave my wife the reach she needed. We have transited these huge commercial locks 54 times, so I know that some times it goes more smoothly than others.

Having seen no performance tests or evaluations on the boat, I am not ready to say how it would be transiting across the Gulf of Mexico. You say it's very capable and sturdy. What do you base that on? Have you been on one? Read a test or review from someone who has been? I'm not saying whether it is or isn't, just I don't have information to make such a statement. It would seem to me at this point it's very unproven.
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From the SeaPiper website:

"Strength and structure: The hull bottom is solid hand laid fiberglass that is mostly 1/2in (12mm) in laminate thickness below the waterline, and 3/8in (10mm) laminate thickness above the waterline which is cored with the superior Airex coring material. This hull structure is extremely strong, well insulated, and the Airex cored topsides offer superior stiffness and impact resistance. The structure is reinforced with strong 2-inch thick Nidacore sub floors and EIGHT very substantial transverse bulkheads, five of which are designed as watertight bulkheads. Longitudinally there are two full height bulkheads under the sole from the stern forward that offer tremendous additional stiffness to the structure."

I get the fact that you are not a fan of the SeaPiper and that's fine, but the above paragraph defines the definition of sturdy in my opinion. The SeaPiper website has tons of detail on the specifications and construction details of this vessel. All vendor supplied equipment (hatches, vents, lighting, etc.) is identified by model number or part number. I have been tracking the birth of Hull #1 for the past 18 months and the company has been very forthcoming about sharing information and answering my many questions.

As for capable, I think a rock solid by reputation Beta engine coupled with a SeaKeeper 2 gyro and 270 gallons of fuel makes for a pretty potent combination. As Hull #1 was just delivered last week in California, I obviously have not seen one yet, but I am hoping to do so later this year. I will admit to a certain bias towards practical, workmanlike looking boats. The Great Harbour N37 falls into that category and the SeaPiper has always reminded me of a Navy launch.

Boating is all about choices, for a little over $200K you can buy a new 27' Ranger Tug with a 300 HP horse gas outboard or a 35' SeaPiper with a SeaKeeper gyro and an 85 HP diesel inboard. I know which one I would choose.




 
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Island Bound said:
From the SeaPiper website:

"Strength and structure: The hull bottom is solid hand laid fiberglass that is mostly 1/2in (12mm) in laminate thickness below the waterline, and 3/8in (10mm) laminate thickness above the waterline which is cored with the superior Airex coring material. This hull structure is extremely strong, well insulated, and the Airex cored topsides offer superior stiffness and impact resistance. The structure is reinforced with strong 2-inch thick Nidacore sub floors and EIGHT very substantial transverse bulkheads, five of which are designed as watertight bulkheads. Longitudinally there are two full height bulkheads under the sole from the stern forward that offer tremendous additional stiffness to the structure."

I get the fact that you are not a fan of the SeaPiper and that's fine, but the above paragraph defines the definition of sturdy in my opinion. The SeaPiper website has tons of detail on the specifications and construction details of this vessel. All vendor supplied equipment (hatches, vents, lighting, etc.) is identified by model number or part number. I have been tracking the birth of Hull #1 for the past 18 months and the company has been very forthcoming about sharing information and answering my many questions.

As for capable, I think a rock solid by reputation Beta engine coupled with a SeaKeeper 2 gyro and 270 gallons of fuel makes for a pretty potent combination. As Hull #1 was just delivered last week in California, I obviously have not seen one yet, but I am hoping to do so later this year. I will admit to a certain bias towards practical, workmanlike looking boats. The Great Harbour N37 falls into that category and the SeaPiper has always reminded me of a Navy launch.

Boating is all about choices, for a little over $200K you can buy a new 27' Ranger Tug with a 300 HP horse gas outboard or a 35' SeaPiper with a SeaKeeper gyro and an 85 HP diesel inboard. I know what I would pick.




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I'm not a fan nor a non-fan. This has nothing to do with being a fan or not. I like the unique concept and feel like it could be a nice boat for some. However, I cannot say capable and sturdy based simply on a builder's website. It wouldn't matter if it was a $200k boat or a $2 million. It sounds like their design and building methods are good. However, that doesn't always translate. Capable and sturdy also depends on parameters you're addressing. Does that mean you'd be comfortable on the ICW or does that mean you'd be comfortable in 4-6' seas crossing the Gulf or crossing the Gulf Stream. What does it mean in terms of different numbers of passengers.

Even though we know most media reviews are going to be positive and favor the builders, I'd still love to see an independent review and test with performance data and comments based on varying conditions, just as I would on the TT35. At least I'd like a report from someone who has been on one, also willing to answer questions. I'm not saying it's not sturdy and capable. I'm saying I don't know. Just a simple little thing you mention is the stiffness with the Airex. Well, some builders initially encountered too much stiffness. Then they worked it out. As the Seakeeper 2 is now recommended, would love for the review to be of one with a Seakeeper 2.

If I was a potential buyer for the boat, I'd be trying to arrange a sea trial on one right now. That would be key to me making a purchase or not. I applaud the company's approach and I do hope the boat in reality is everything you believe it is. I just don't think we can say without more.
 
Island Bound said:
"By the way I think it’s odd they call the SP a 35’ boat. She’s not even 34."

The SeaPiper website lists a 35' LOA. That probably includes the swim platform. The beam is 8 '6" and the hull might be considered by some as a semi-displacement hull because you can push it, like many trawlers, a bit beyond the waterline length speed. As far as I am concerned, it is a full displacement hull with 2600 pounds of ballast. Fully loaded it will weigh close to 20,000 lbs. With the standard 85 HP inboard Beta engine, sea trials have shown a seven knot cruise speed burning 1 GPH. With 270 gallons of onboard fuel, that will take you a long way. Setting aside a 10% reserve, that gives the boat an 1800 SM range. You could do the Great Loop on three fill-ups.

The below link explains the origin of the design concept for the boat. I applaud SeaPiper for thinking outside the box.

http://www.seapiper.com/about/
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I guess the thing that really confuses me is the reason for the open center cockpit. I have spent my whole life in the PNW so my ideas of colored by cold, wet winters and cool wet summers where folks boat year round. I also spend most of that time in sailboats where I was out in the cockpit in the elements.

So can anyone explain the rational for the open center cockpit that separates the head and cabin from the galley, helm, and saloon?
 
dhays said:
I guess the thing that really confuses me is the reason for the open center cockpit. I have spent my whole life in the PNW so my ideas of colored by cold, wet winters and cool wet summers where folks boat year round. I also spend most of that time in sailboats where I was out in the cockpit in the elements.

So can anyone explain the rational for the open center cockpit that separates the head and cabin from the galley, helm, and saloon?
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I spoke to the designer a year ago..I may be wrong but I think the open center cockpit has something to do with the narrow beam and being able to utilize the full width in the main compartment..In order to incorporate side deck on that narrow beam you would not have anything left inside..
 
Genecop said:
I spoke to the designer a year ago..I may be wrong but I think the open center cockpit has something to do with the narrow beam and being able to utilize the full width in the main compartment..In order to incorporate side deck on that narrow beam you would not have anything left inside..
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You are correct sir. Here is a direct quote from Ritzo himself on the topic a couple of years ago. The intent from the beginning was to design and build a boat with an 8'6" beam and that is what drove the final configuration.

"Over the past couple of years I have also been penciling various alternative layouts with an aft cockpit within 8ft-6in beam. The main drawback of an aft cockpit is that you end up with a narrow pilothouse interior width, at least for part of it (you need side decks to have reasonable access to the foredeck).

Overall an aft cockpit in our size range brings with it design compromises that I find less appealing so at this point I am not planning on a SeaPiper version with an alternative floor plan. The 8ft-6in overall beam and the current center cockpit are important pieces of the puzzle that make it work. …And remember that the cockpit can easily be covered with a bimini type sunshade which will also keep you out of the rain."
 
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The aft wheelhouse makes the SeaPiper a bit like a real trawler. Only in that they also have that feature.
 
Yea Ritzo sent me a couple of renderings with the center cockpit covered, it looked cool, also has a sweet sail plan..
 
Genecop said:
I spoke to the designer a year ago..I may be wrong but I think the open center cockpit has something to do with the narrow beam and being able to utilize the full width in the main compartment..In order to incorporate side deck on that narrow beam you would not have anything left inside..
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As I mentioned before, I really hope they are successful and the concept is nice. I just think that they the design won’t get much traction in the PNW and BC which is a relatively nice market segment. It may work great for seasonal boaters however.
 
Narrow is good for hauling on a trailer without permits and fuel efficiency. An open cockpit is nice if you're a fisherman.

A century or so ago a gas powered narrow vessel this size did a transatlantic. No TF guys around to tell them it was a bad idea. Starched shirts, ties etc, it was a real group of yachties.
 
sunchaser said:
...A century or so ago a gas powered narrow vessel this size did a transatlantic. No TF guys around to tell them it was a bad idea...
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When my wife and I sea kayaked BC's coast we met lots of boaters who filled us with stories of doom, dread, and dire life threatening hazards. We called them dock weenies.
 
sunchaser said:
Narrow is good for hauling on a trailer without permits and fuel efficiency. An open cockpit is nice if you're a fisherman.

A century or so ago a gas powered narrow vessel this size did a transatlantic. No TF guys around to tell them it was a bad idea. . .
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:D
 
Richard, the story of the M/V Detroit in that link you shared is amazing! Really tough on the sailors, wow, without a muffler and the decks awash.

As for the SeaPiper, I like her a lot, except for one thing (where I completely agree with Eric) and that is the forward visibility. It's a shame they couldn't have raised the aft pilothouse a foot or so to improve said visibility. But then again, as a windage and/or stability issue , I can understand why.

With that very minor criticism stated, I can't tell you how much I presently appreciate this builder's very thoughtful design process before building the SP. For a small boat, it's obvious her spatial parameters were intensely studied in order to maximize simplicity of use and maintenance. She's downright practical, and has a little more speed than the traditional heavier trawlers. It's amazing what is being done with the lighter materials these days.

The open cockpit reminds me of another trawler-style vessel I admire, the Albin 27 - which Albin later produced as a 30 - on which several hardy sailors have done the Loop and more. Unlike the Pacific NW, down here in Florida an open cockpit is a pleasure most of the year.

With such sweet classic lines (that many old salts might appreciate)and very functional 14-inch wide side decks (that many young and old salts might appreciate), I imagine that this boat will appeal to many looking for that new boat smell at a reasonable price. I can't help but wonder if sailors who have admired the 26 and 34 Nordic Tug, but couldn't afford them, will end up as happy new owners of this unique vessel.
 
Sailor of Fortune said:
I like it although I think its more of a day boat/occasional/ overnight er than a long distance cruiser.
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I think my wife and I could do the loop on the Seapiper, but the three cats we have to bring would make it just a little to tight.....it’s amazing how much space pets require ....
 
No problem with forward visibility.
Pic From entry next to helm.
 

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boomerang said:
What's that power hauler thing? Is it permanently mounted?
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It's a crab pot winch. Or you could hoist a dinghy aboard. I personally think it's a useless eyesore and in the way.
Don't think anyone would use the boat for crabbing or lobster.
It's an option so just leave it off :)
It's bolted to the inside of the hullside, but removable if you wanted.

There are several things that are funky about this boat. It's a first model so I'm sure it'll get ironed out.
I love the reasonable speed with nearly zero fuel consumption. 1800 mile range on 275 gallon tank, figuring 25 gallon reserve.
Like a sailboat, for coastal cruising you never have to worry about the fuel gauge. Not for a long time.
Fantastically economical. A utility cruiser with range and modern accommodations. Genset, hot water, diesel heater, bow thruster, inverter, propane stove and oven, electric head, 145 gallons water, radar, AIS, autopilot, loads of storage, etc etc. even a little fishing cockpit aft. Well ventilated salon. Feels like you're outside in the shade.
I'd canvas the center cockpit, with removable forward panels.
 
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