SeaPipers - Why?

I don't know what advert stuff you get here at TF, but I'm always getting adverts for SeaPipers. Now this is a trawler design I don't get. I will provide this link so you can check it out:

[Scroll down so you can see the layout of the boat]

https://www.seapiper.com/?gclid=Cj0...6X_MlqSf5nHNHWE5tmXbyYfbM9n-hUugaAjfGEALw_wcB

First notice the head is forward, but to get to the head, I must go out into the wet miserable northwest weather, get rained on, to use it.

Why do I want the cockpit area in the middle of the boat?

Doesn't it strike those cheap b........ among us, that middle section is a great waste of space. If it was enclosed, I wouldn't get wet using the head. And there would be more usable interior space for off season cruising.

What say you?

Agree. Looks like a "luxury work boat" to me. I would think the market for such a design would be limited. In fact, so limited, I wonder if the company will survive, as the 35 seems to be the only vessel they offer...
One plus is they claim it will not sink.

One plus is they claim it will not sink

Neither would the Titanic.

And the McCormick center (Chicago) wouldn't burn down, it was made of glass and cement.

Fuel sipping, huge range, shallow draft, no *bling* and a box keel with protected prop so you can let it dry when and where you want. Affordable as well.

Some people love to spend time aboard in sumptuous luxury...other people might see their boat as a means to get somewhere, then get off the boat to do stuff in otherwise inaccessible coastal areas...a base camp to further adventure.

Oh, and trailerable, which is a huge plus for expanding your cruising range!

I’m getting to like the SP,
I don’t like the fwd visibility at speed so I probably wouldn’t buy one.

But to rsn48 one could easily and cheaply put a cover over the cockpit. And of course wear slides or slippers when on the run. And “on deck” aboard the SP dosn’t mean gulping quantities of diesel fumes.

But what I see now is amazing. AR, (Aspect Ratio). This boat is “long and narrow”. In that regard there’s nothing else like it on the market. But re small trawlers there’s nothing much else on the market either. Long and narrow means boats run at lower angles of attack. You get less drag both from the narrow beam and the running angle so the visibility issue is probably less than I perceive also. And north sea trawlers run level w no running bow high. So visibility isn’t an issue.

But to stay in the market Piper will probably offer a midships cabin soon.

Edit;
Murray wrote;
“ Oh, and trailerable, which is a huge plus for expanding your cruising range!”
Sure if you can afford a monster PU truck.

The “Why” question could be asked for any boat on TF. The lucky ones for “Why” don’t own a boat.

sunchaser said:

The “Why” question could be asked for any boat on TF...

Click to expand...

Good point.

Each persons perfect boat, if such a thing even exists, is a boat with the least amount of compromises.

I like most things about it but not the house and deck plan. If they changed that to a bit more conventional, I might have one on order. For the tropics, it may not be too bad as is, though you'd be alternately sunburnt and wet. No good at higher latitudes.

Move the pilothouse forward, extend the forward house back, it already has a small cockpit aft and would have a deck on top of the house. I would not want it any taller because:

One of the very intriguing things about the design is its trailerability without feeling like a Ranger Tug. It could be moved cheaply not just across the country but around the world. That opens up new areas far more easily than an N80. RoRo to Europe would be around $3000.

DDW said:

I like most things about it but not the house and deck plan. If they changed that to a bit more conventional, I might have one on order. For the tropics, it may not be too bad as is, though you'd be alternately sunburnt and wet. No good at higher latitudes.

Move the pilothouse forward, extend the forward house back, it already has a small cockpit aft and would have a deck on top of the house.

Click to expand...

Then it would just be another conventional boat. Yawn.

I think a lot of the people that are attracted to the Seapiper don't mind a little "foul" weather. People who hike, camp, kayak, bicycle commute, motorcycle or (gasp) sail year round.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Or maybe they just have better bladder control.

re Sea Piper's trailerability. I wouldn't want to own a truck big enough to move it very far. I just don't have any other used for a rig that big. However I still can see it as an advantage. I live in and for the time being boat in the PNW. If I want to do more than a short charter elsewhere I face big costs having the boat moved or moving her on her own bottom. If I owned the trailer the truck could be rented and if I don't want to make the trip a driver hired and all of North America opens up to me. I might even be able to afford to have her shipped to Europe to do the canals.

rsn48 said:

One plus is they claim it will not sink

Neither would the Titanic.

And the McCormick center (Chicago) wouldn't burn down, it was made of glass and cement.

Click to expand...

Well... glass, concrete and steel.
But yeah, that was a real mess! It surely impacted the building codes thereafter.

I did a lot of security management. As you can imagine multiple courses on safety. The one lecture that stuck in my mind was on the "big" disasters. I was taught when things go wrong, it usually isn't one or two things, but multiple items that come together to make the disaster scenario miserable.

So the Titanic, going too fast with lookout conditions that weren't optimal (strange reflections), with brittle metal in the hull, with bulkheads that didn't go to the deckhead in the bilges, with a constant fire that couldn't be put out in the coal, to an over confident captain, insufficient life boats, to poor access to upper deck for steerage passengers, etc.

Same with McCormick Center fire, included in the safety lecture. Water lines never properly cleared when the building was built so no water came out when needed, lots of problems that came together in a building that couldn't burn, burning down in hours. I lived and went to university in Chicago at the time of this tragedy.

I like the boat. If I was going to buy a new boat (very doubtful), I'd certainly consider it.

A retractable bimini over the centre cockpit to provide shade would make it a great place to hang out.

AusCan,
Yes I would too .. consider.
This thread is exposing the very conservative nature of TF members.
Right down the straight and narrow. Deviants need not apply.
Conventional and traditional are words to live by here.

That thing looks weird dosn’t fly.

Portage_Bay said:

re Sea Piper's trailerability. I wouldn't want to own a truck big enough to move it very far. I just don't have any other used for a rig that big. However I still can see it as an advantage. I live in and for the time being boat in the PNW. If I want to do more than a short charter elsewhere I face big costs having the boat moved or moving her on her own bottom. If I owned the trailer the truck could be rented and if I don't want to make the trip a driver hired and all of North America opens up to me. I might even be able to afford to have her shipped to Europe to do the canals.

Click to expand...

I think that this is a distinction between "trailerable" and "transportable". It's not something that is easily morphed into the marketing world, and also has different meanings depending on the individual and $$$ available.

Having just spent a week and a half of pure HELL being held hostage in a boat yard, I have a new appreciation for something that is "transportable" - not necessarily every time out.

"Each persons perfect boat, if such a thing even exists, is a boat with the least amount of compromises."

The "perfect" boat would be a combination of all the "good" ideas and avoidance of the ugh ideas. To each his own !

Might make a good topic to kick around?

As usual...some focus on limitations, some focus on possibilities......

Portage_Bay said:

re Sea Piper's trailerability. I wouldn't want to own a truck big enough to move it very far. I just don't have any other used for a rig that big. However I still can see it as an advantage. I live in and for the time being boat in the PNW. If I want to do more than a short charter elsewhere I face big costs having the boat moved or moving her on her own bottom. If I owned the trailer the truck could be rented and if I don't want to make the trip a driver hired and all of North America opens up to me. I might even be able to afford to have her shipped to Europe to do the canals.

Click to expand...

A Ram 3500 with a Cummins 6.7 would easily handle the Sea Piper. Alaska, BC, and WA coastal waters are quickly accessible. For fresh water jaunts to the Great Lakes, rivers or even Atlin Lake the SP could join house boats, Grady Whites and Sea Rays already there. Plus you can stay in RV parks along the way.

sunchaser said:

A Ram 3500 with a Cummins 6.7 would easily handle the Sea Piper. Alaska, BC, and WA coastal waters are quickly accessible. For fresh water jaunts to the Great Lakes, rivers or even Atlin Lake the SP could join house boats, Grady Whites and Sea Rays already there. Plus you can stay in RV parks along the way.

Click to expand...

Yes it can. But I don't want a vehicle that big and heavy for my daily driver and I don't want that much tied up in a truck the gets used a few times a year.

The design definitely says "work boat" to me. I don't think I'd want one, but for someone who does a lot of fishing, diving, etc. it would probably be a good fit. I could see having a working space on deck that's not all the way aft being a nice benefit. But if you don't need the working deck, I'd say there are better layouts out there.

Portage_Bay said:

Yes it can. But I don't want a vehicle that big and heavy for my daily driver and I don't want that much tied up in a truck the gets used a few times a year.

Click to expand...

That's when you buy an older medium duty truck that's still below the CDL threshold. Usually much cheaper than a pickup for more capability (but less comfort), just because the market for them is much smaller. The cheaper the truck, the less you have to feel bad about only using it occasionally.

rslifkin said:

That's when you buy an older medium duty truck that's still below the CDL threshold. Usually much cheaper than a pickup for more capability (but less comfort), just because the market for them is much smaller. The cheaper the truck, the less you have to feel bad about only using it occasionally.

Click to expand...

Good points, but I'd still have to insure, maintain and park it. I'd rather rent for the occasional times I'd need it. If I wanted a boat to pull around frequently I'd go smaller than 35 ft.

A two seater sportscar or a motorcycle with 300 horsepower isn't all that practical either, but sometimes practicality isn't the prime emotion involved in a purchase. I think they look great and the idea of getting a brand new boat at that price point is going to be attractive, and 7 miles per gallon is a plus.

sunchaser said:

A Ram 3500 with a Cummins 6.7 would easily handle the Sea Piper. Alaska, BC, and WA coastal waters are quickly accessible. For fresh water jaunts to the Great Lakes, rivers or even Atlin Lake the SP could join house boats, Grady Whites and Sea Rays already there. Plus you can stay in RV parks along the way.

Click to expand...

FWIW - I would not say 'easily haul' this thing anywhere but a local run known shorter route.
Whenever you oull loads at 20,000#'s plus and that long it's not really that easy and going any distance requires work and time.

Portage_Bay said:

Yes it can. But I don't want a vehicle that big and heavy for my daily driver and I don't want that much tied up in a truck the gets used a few times a year.

Click to expand...

Just rent a uhaul for moving it on the trailer

smitty477 said:

FWIW - I would not say 'easily haul' this thing anywhere but a local run known shorter route.
Whenever you oull loads at 20,000#'s plus and that long it's not really that easy and going any distance requires work and time.

Click to expand...

I used to haul a 30' boat 10.5' wide and 11,000 lbs. A 2500 series with diesel worked well. But you are right, time and effort. Just like a 40' Tiffin pulling a car trailer, not for the faint hearted. Or an old gas boat, yada yada. Or any boat for that matter. Time to go gardening maybe.

sunchaser said:

I used to haul a 30' boat 10.5' wide and 11,000 lbs. A 2500 series with diesel worked well. But you are right, time and effort. Just like a 40' Tiffin pulling a car trailer, not for the faint hearted. Or an old gas boat, yada yada. Or any boat for that matter. Time to go gardening maybe.

Click to expand...

we currently pull a 30' boat with a trailered weight of about 12,000#'s with a 2500 diesel - not really such a project.
Way back we used to move a 38' boat with a trailered weight over 20,000#'s a few times each year (shorter move , known route) which I feel is a completely different 'project' not really suitable for most folks.

If you spend much time out when it's a bit rough you may find you like the aft wheelhouse configuration. I'm one of the ones that isn't much interested in luxury, I'm more interested in seaworthiness and efficiency so I sort of like it, but that's just me.

What’s the origin of your whaleboat Mr. Fish?

A FG Navy boat .. or?

My whaleboat was built at the Webber's Cove Boatyard right here in Maine in 1976 for the USCG. Obviously in it's rebuilt form only the original hull remains.