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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
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    Tyrendarra Vic.
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    1,166

    Default Atkin Shoals Runner

    I've been speaking to a boatbuilder about the Atkin Shoal Runner.
    I want the hull as per plan , but set up in this manner.Shoals Runner2.jpg.
    This photo was taken from the Atkin site , but I'm unable to find the owner/builder , or anyone who could give me ideas as to how it is set up inside.
    Any clues?.
    Rob J.

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  3. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Eustis, FL, USA
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    Default

    The interior accommodations can be what you want. This boat is heavy enough to get away with just about anything. This is one of the older versions of the tunnel stern designs, both Billy (the designer) and John (his son who further developed the type) did over their careers. This particular model is quite heavy, by modern standards and compaired to most of the later versions that John did. This is a "crutch" design, by which I mean because of the design choices, it doesn't do anything particularly well. It can get up a plane, but maxes out at about 15 - 16 MPH on the recommended 22 HP suggested. In fact, if built as designed, you can toss a 50 HP inboard in her and the best you'll do is maybe 18 - 19 MPH (the bow will be pointing in the air a lot). This is what I mean but not being able to do anything well. She will ghost along, sipping fuel in displacement mode, though not as efficiently as a true displacement speed design. She can get into semi displacement speed and very low full plane speed ranges, but again, not as efficiently as other designs. To her credit, she can transition from very slow to max speed efficiently, unlike other designs.

    As to the console, well it's a three sided box with a dashboard. Another box is behind it, used as a seat or a platform for a seat and yet another box covers the engine. With some clever designing, you could probably use the engine box as the platform for the helm seat, eliminating one of the boxes.

    Back to the tunnel stern design. Billy and John heavily developed this style of hull for several decades. John's last versions where the best. The deadrise on the inverted V portion of the hull was progressively increased as John tried to get them shallower, but this caused a loss of volume aft and the boat's tended to squat as they climbed over their bow wave. John noticed this and gradually decreased this deadrise in subsequent versions, but they all suffer from this problem, which limits their top speed to the low 20's, regardless of power applied.



    Above is shown what I mean. The top image is the Shoal Runner, with it relatively narrow beam and steep deadrise in her after sections, while below it is one a later designs by John, where he added more beam (to gain volume) and decreased deadrise (to prevent squatting). Both boats can scoot along in a few inches of water, but still struggle with the other issues associated on this hull form.

    Don't get me wrong, I love the Atkin designs. I actually own the very last design commissioned from John and it also is a tunnel stern design like this (actually it's more of a box keel design), though much larger (37') and strictly limited to displacement speeds. It's very efficient for her size and leaves next to no wake at 3/4 throttle.

    In the end, it depends on what your use will be. This boat doesn't take on rough water very well, but is well mannered when it does get nasty out. It is fairly efficient, especially with her extreme shoal draft, on a straight shaft setup. It's not as efficient as a true tunnel hull, with an outboard on a jack plate, but her low speed handling is better than most other designs, but still sluggish in maneuvering, because of the straight shaft setup. I've often wondered how this type of design would do, if built with modern materials and methods (taped seam). The weight savings might help her top speed limitations and stave off squatting further. As a taped seam, she'd have 1/2 maybe more fewer parts to install (ribs, stringers, etc.) and this would require less power to propel. She's certainly unique looking, though I'd be inclined to curve the transom, rather than make it into a V, but that's just me.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Tyrendarra Vic.
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    1,166

    Default

    PAR , thanks for replying.
    I'm trying to figure out how he has the area behind the engine box set up.
    Or how it would be best set up , for fishing.
    Regards Rob J.

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Eustis, FL, USA
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    Default

    With these hulls, the engine sits down into the bilge quite a bit, so the box is fairly low. The construction drawing shows this pretty well. Most place the engine just behind the helm, with enough footroom to walk around the box. On this boat there's a significant aft deck too. None of this is mandatory and you can build what you'd like. This is a fully framed boat (I have the plans), so it'll hold it's shape regardless of its interior accommodations. I would suggest you put a casting deck up forward to replace the foredeck shown on the runabout setup (as drawn in the plans). This will restore rigidity to the forefoot area. The picture above shows a shortened foredeck and very probably a small casting deck aft of it, possibly back to the helm box.

    For fishing, I'd leave the aft deck off and just have a wide open cockpit to fight fish. If the boat will be used in rougher condisions, I'd consider moving the helm well forward, into a doghouse sort of thing and the whole back 2/3's of the boat open to fish. Center consoles are fine in fair weather, but not in bad or rough. I'd rather have a small doghouse shelter to steer in when the waves are climbing over the bow or a cold rain has rolled in then getting soaked, sitting in the middle of the boat, hoping a little bimini will keep me somewhat dry. Lastly I'd also consider an outboard in a well, rather than an inboard. Maneuverability will greatly improve, the engine box will be much smaller (length and width), located just forward of the transom, though a bit taller than the inboard box. The outboard well, being all the way aft leaves the cockpit wide open, which to me is the ideal fishing setup. FWIW, this is the common cold weather setup (covered or enclosed helm way forward, huge cockpit aft) for professional fishermen in smaller boats too.

    In the end, it's what you want that's most important. Think about it, as you have plenty of time to work things out, before cutting stuff for the helm and boxes.

  6. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Tyrendarra Vic.
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    1,166

    Default

    Any boat I have PAR will be an inboard diesel.
    Yes , you are right , time to look at other fishing boats , and mull over them.
    Regards Rob J.

  7. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Eustis, FL, USA
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    Default

    Again, it's about what you want. If you want the diesel straight shaft fine, though I understand the diesel part, but an I/O or an outdrive on a jack shaft would be my route, so that maneuverability is good.

    Ask yourself what type of fishing will you do. What kind of weather would be typical, is extreme shoalness absolutely necessary, minimum and top speed expectations, accommodations, etc. Most designs tend to hit some, but not all on the list, but a few will address most if not all of your concerns, narrowing the search.

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