Seaworthinrss

 I am interested in building a Jimmy Skiff 2. It ticks a lot of boxes and looks to be a relatively easy build. My only concern is that the flat bottom might pound in anything over a 1 foot chop. Should I look for a design with a finer entry or is the JS2 ok in more exposed waters?

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RE: Seaworthinrss

   The suggested motor is only 2 or 3hp which is good for about 7 mph so pounding shouldn't be an issue. While sailing the boat will be heeled over so the chine will present a more or less "V" entry. 

Now if you push a Peeler Skiff w/15hp hard in a chop it will set your liver loose. I speak from experiance.

RE: Seaworthinrss

 Hansey said, "....  My only concern is that the flat bottom might pound in anything over a 1 foot chop. "

First off the Jimmy Smith II is a sail boat.  It is a John Harris special interest, sailing.  The boat has flat bottom, but lots of rocker fore and aft. It rows, but not for a lot of miles. We did 6.5 miles on a night paddle with the canoe club and traded our normal front position for dead last. Wide and short it has a low aspect ratio for a fast human powered boat. But it does row.  We power over to the Mini Dock Concerts and then row around showing off. 

I have one in the garage.  It has the dog's, (seperate story) 2.5 hp air cooled, 4 stroke , Honda outboard on it. It does not plane. It squats like a sail boat. The pictures on the sales page show the bow raised.  The 2.5 hp runs full throttle and the boat, squatted, runs 5 mph per Garmin, G78C. Without a plug in the dagger board slot it splashes water onto the seat at 5mph and I built the top end of a daggerboard, 6" deep,  to plug the spot.  If you run full throttle into a chop waves will splash up from the bow and likely back onto the occupants on a windward or "close hauled" heading, under power.  Pounding? ..... I slow down. We aren't going to pound. 

One foot chop..........sure we've been out when wind and wave comes up but  it isn't far to the club or the Mini Dock concerts or the marina.  Would I consider it "sea worthy" enough to take it in 1 ft chop or greater out in the main river, 3.5 miles wide river?  No, I'd take my sea kayak or the center console. We think of the JS II as a tender, a dinghy, a boat for knocking around the harbor.  Can it take the chop? and waves?  Yes, and more than I'm going to do,  but not overly fast. 

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