In Colorado the boating that interests me is in the scenic mountain lakes. These are fairly large lakes with wooded shores and surrounding mountains. The wind is unpredictable and the water is cold. I wanted something big enough that we could bring friends and picnic supplies for a days outing; something quiet and leisurely to enjoy the scenery. I had been thinking about a semi-planing powerboat, but was not ready for the cost, extended time schedule, or building space needed to produce what I wanted. The whitehall-type pulling boat seemed to be a decent option. The design steps werent much different than a guideboat except for larger size and a transom. Picking the correct projections to get a proper wineglass shape was a new design exercise. A look at John Gardners writings provided many hull details.
The final boat was 18 4" by 4 9" with two sets of oarlocks and a small transom where an electric trolling motor could be mounted. The deadrise midships is 16 degrees. Today we were finally able to take it out for the first time, and everything went well. There are some adjustments to be made, mainly on the trailer and custom cradle used to transport it. I havent made custom oars for it yet. The ones I have are too short, but okay if the trolling motor does most of the work.
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