Power Boat Cruiser

[beachtopeak]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

Dashew did a good article on flopper stoppers - I have this same brand and use a set of spinnaker poles to rig-out from the boat. Tip-to-tip they are about 28-feet apart. Hold the boat rock-solid.

https://setsail.com/how-the-flopper-stoppers-work/

The louvered ones Beachtopeak posted are nice, but at $800/each, a bit rich for my blood

https://www.flopstopper.com/FlopStopper/Order.html

Peter

The one's I have are slightly different from flopperstopper.com, you can find info here:

https://channelislandsmarine.com/rock-stopper

They are $995 for a pair which still isn't cheap but at least you have a set and they are very well made.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

The louvered ones Beachtopeak posted are nice, but at $800/each, a bit rich for my blood

https://www.flopstopper.com/FlopStopper/Order.html

Peter

Yeah, can't get those "cheapies" here so have to get this style.
The ones we need for ours are another level up in expense again, pretty sure we would be looking at the $5200 a pair option plus arm so closer to $8k when done if just paying somone else.



Boat Stabiliser Available Products Sizes


And then, it's only any use when at anchor, which is rare for us.
That coin buys a lot of change anchorage miles

If spending that sort of money I am thinking a single batwing.
This gives something underway AND at anchor
Not sure how much extra $$ it'll cost but for us, I think it would be a more used and worthwhile option.

Then again, the thought of the carnage caused if hitting something with them down makes me feel a little sick.

[mvweebles]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

How did you rig the poles? I've debated doing something like that on my boat, but being mast-less, I can't think of a good way to support it all.

I had a hard top fabricated and the frame is triangulation to support the stress. At rest, the outriggers lay horizontally against the cabin top like a pair of insect antenna. To rig, I have pre-rigged lines that go to the hard top frame. I also rig a down-haul.

I don't know your boat exactly, but if you placed a large padeye on the caprail/gunwale and attached a 6-8 foot outrigger, you could support the pole to the skirt around the flybridge which I'm guessing would be around 5+ feet above the gunwale. Poles would be stored along the side of the flybridge. Even a 6-foot pole on each side would add 12-foot to the beam and would make a big difference.

Peter

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by mvweebles

I had a hard top fabricated and the frame is triangulation to support the stress. At rest, the outriggers lay horizontally against the cabin top like a pair of insect antenna. To rig, I have pre-rigged lines that go to the hard top frame. I also rig a down-haul.

I don't know your boat exactly, but if you placed a large padeye on the caprail/gunwale and attached a 6-8 foot outrigger, you could support the pole to the skirt around the flybridge which I'm guessing would be around 5+ feet above the gunwale. Poles would be stored along the side of the flybridge. Even a 6-foot pole on each side would add 12-foot to the beam and would make a big difference.

Peter

The hard top thing is a good idea. That might be how I'd have to do it (being that I want to add a hard top at some point anyway). I don't have a flybridge, so the highest point other than the windshield frames (which wouldn't handle the load) is only ~4 feet above the gunwales.

Attaching to the hull sides just below the gunwale wouldn't be too hard, there's access to get a backing plate in there and the hull sides are solid glass. No caprail on my boat, as the deck joint is a shoebox.

Fortunately, the cones work well enough for now (the only time we roll a bit obnoxiously is from the wakes of large Sea Rays on plane far enough away to let the wake spread out enough). So I've got time to figure out an improvement.

[sailorboy1]

Overall I haven't learned much on this thread. Is there a suggested book etc. for choosing a power boat cruiser?

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

Overall I haven't learned much on this thread. Is there a suggested book etc. for choosing a power boat cruiser?

Cruising under power
Beebe.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Cruising under power
Beebe.

[Simi 60]

Sorry, voyaging under power
Beebe.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Sorry, voyaging under power
Beebe.

is that a book?

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

is that a book?

You getting bored? 😉

[sailorboy1]

no more than normal

but currently I am trying to get an answer

[mvweebles]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071580190...ES0K1YQPCZC8QK

Voyaging Under Power. Considered the Bible for paaaagemaking in small power boats.

[mvweebles]

And another decent book.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1614344728...DCE7K03ESVKE5Z

[sailorboy1]

Sad I started a thread about the thread topic and had to instead ask about what book to read. Since there was so little input here from power boat cruisers, is a $30 book going to be worth the money spent?

[mvweebles]

There was a lot of good input, but the OP was pretty broad. What makes a good power cruiser? Well, what makes a good cruising sailboat? What makes a good fill-in-the-blank? (car, RV, house, spouse, whatever). Broad questions get varied answers. Often that's good but not always.

Good luck on finding whatever you are looking for, if anything.

Peter