I thought I’d share some of these sketches, because who knows… Maybe one is close to something you’ve been thinking about for a long time, and the beginning of a conversation.

BOWLER – STRETCHED

LOA 29’ 6”
Beam 8’ 2”
Displacment 3750 lbs
Disp/ Length Ratio – 69
Length to Beam – 4.35

Here’s Doug’s BOWLER design stretched out to 29′ 6″ LOA. She’s got a soft top and perhaps a bass boat windscreen. The two part objective here was fuel efficiency and cockpit space. Stretching the length 10% and keeping the beam the same as BOWLER seemed like a good approach. The longer WL means an increase in hull speed and the D/L and the L/B ratios suggest a slippery hull that could achieve moderate speeds with very modest horsepower.

All of the extra length is devoted to the cockpit, so this boat would have the same cozy cabin as BOWLER. But the extra +20sq ft. of space in the cockpit offers a variety of layout options that might include more seating, a real galley “up” etc.

 

BOWLER – INBOARD

Here’s Doug’s BOWLER design again with a soft top/ bass boat type windscreen. This sketch shows the boat with a conventional shafted inboard diesel engine. We are big believers in the idea of outboard power housed in a motor well. But some folks won’t hear of it! A proper power boat has got to have a diesel hammering away in the middle of the cockpit!

There are some upsides to the notion of a BOWLER with a inboard though: You gain back the space in the stern given over to the motorwell, making for a longer cockpit, and the motorwell hatch is gone from the profile, which might be considered an aesthetic improvement.

 

RUNABOUT

This one isn’t too dusty. In fact it may evolve into an actual custom design. The gentleman is interested in many characteristics of Harry Bryan’s 21′ Handy Billy, but really wanted a runabout configuration. He likes the extra protection from the elements that a windscreen can provide as well as the expanded seating options that you have over a center console configuration. We agreed that the Albury runabouts have about the most handsome windscreen there is. What you see is essentially the profile of a Handy Billy, but with a step in the sheer and a slightly raised foredeck. I was worried the Albury type windscreen would look a little too racey on a stately boat like the Handy Billy, but it seems to work fairing off the cockpit coaming and chasing the curve coming off the raised foredeck.

 

TOP HAT W/ T-TOP

The protoype of Doug’s Top Hat design, PAGAN was recently on the market. She’s been very well cared for and was a steal at the asking price. She’s found a new home now, but one fellow who was considering her buying was concerned about sun exposure. He asked if we could imagine some kind of awning that could be installed on the boat. A T-top like this is a pretty modern feature found mostly on speedy deep V powerboats with four 300HP outboards on the back. So picturing one on the Top Hat design was a little tricky. I think the knees between the posts and the top do just enough to reference her shapely classic lines that it doesn’t look awkward.