ALLWEATHER Boats

"Main Street" in Ferndale Washington tracks through the center of a
business district that cannot look entirely different now than it did
in the 1950's. There are lot of mom & pop retailers, restaurants, and
offices here. Once away from the I-5 off ramp, there are no impossibly
bright pre-fab plastic buildings with cartoon signage for pointless
pop-culture Chinese trinkets or tasteless pop-tart food. After passing
a civic building, a couple of churches, a mortuary, an insurance
office, and a store dedicated to selling model railroad gear, Main
Street extends into a long stretch where homes and various small
business enterprises are built along the edges of old pasture land and
hayfields. The typically idle farmsteads are still existent between the
thin shell of residential and commercial use along the road and dark
evergreen forests ¼ mile away. It would seem like an odd place to meet
a visionary, a man with a sense of purpose and a mission from which he
has not wavered for over three decades. Homer Hughes, of ALLWEATHER
boats, may have previously been something of a insightful voice crying
out in the wilderness- but current events may very likely validate his
theory of boat building.

Not that Homer's theory of boat building requires validation, of
course; it relies on fundamental principles that have remained
unchanged for perhaps thousands of years.
What Homer dares to challenge is the theory of "more"-that modern
marketing principle maintaining that more horsepower, more speed, more
interior room, more deck space, and more LOA, (sold for a lot more
money) always results in a better boat.

Homer's firm builds a single vessel; an 8-meter, full displacement,
double-ended fiberglass powerboat that sports an appearance similar to
a motor lifeboat. Homer Hughes has worked as a commercial fisherman as
well as a shop teacher, so he understands the dynamics of an excellent
sea boat and commands the craftsmanship required to build one.
Boat shoppers prioritizing interiors that look like hotel lobbies,
galleys that could serve as a set for the Galloping Gourmet, and master
staterooms that would make a Vegas madam blush will probably look right
past the flared bow, abundant freeboard, and canoe stern of the full
keeled, heavily ballasted, round-bilged displacement hull and decry the
absence of a big screen plasma TV. The ALLWEATHER 8-meter isn't a
typical or average boat, and may not appeal to the typical or average
boater.

Some boaters are more familiar with the trade names of the latest
high-end decorator surface materials than with the advantages of a low
center of gravity and raised hatches in the self-bailing cockpit.
Perhaps they will consider the ALLWEATHER 8-meter and wonder why
anybody could possibly have in interest in such an unusual looking
vessel, so far removed from the Madison Avenue mainstream of mass
production.

Over the last few decades, 31 people have shared Homer Hughes' vision
of a proper sea boat and commissioned Homer to build them a boat.
"This hasn't been much of a Seattle boat," said Homer. "Most of
these have gone up to Alaska, and some of them have become small scale
commercial fish boats. It would be unusual to build an ALLWEATHER for a
first time buyer, most of our customers have owned a couple of boats or
more, and learn something from each experience, before they finally
come to realize that the essential elements of a sea boat remain pretty
consistent. They find those elements built into an ALLWEATHER. The
boaters that get enough experience to know what they really need to be
safe and comfortable offshore are the types of people who eventually
become my clients. I had one couple that sold a boat well over 40-feet
in length and ordered our 26-foot oil screw. Right after they took
delivery, they motored out the Strait of Juan de Fuca and went fishing
out in the Pacific off the Oregon Coast. They told me that the
ALLWEATHER 8-meter was a much better blue water boat than their old
boat of over 40-feet."

Homer's boats cannot be considered fast. They make about the same
speed as a sailboat running under power, with 15-HP diesel engines
propelling an ALLWEATHER 8-meter at displacement speeds of up to 7
knots. It would be common for some of the more popular selling
million-dollar powerboats, with perhaps a pair of 400-HP diesel
engines, to duplicate the 6 or 7-knot cruise speed of an ALLWEATHER
with both engines throttled back to idle. Categories where an
ALLWEATHER excels, however, are affordability, fuel efficiency, and
range.

It has been accurately observed that yachtsmen comfortable with a
purchase price in the high six figure or even seven figure category
could "care less" about the cost of fuel. If the 2000 gallons a
pleasure boater might burn in a season climbs in price from $2.50 to
$4.50 per gallon, most boaters comfortably affording $5000 monthly boat
payments will not be inconvenienced by an increase of a few thousand
dollars in a fuel bill spread out over several months. Boating,
however, should not be restricted to that fraction of the populace with
unlimited resources. The ALLWEATHER 8-meter is a boat that can bring
safe, reliable, economical boating to an average family with only a
moderate amount of disposable income.

"I'd need to put a pencil to it," said Homer, "but I think I
could build a brand new ALLWEATHER for somebody at a price around
$90,000. We've been saying for over 30 years that the price of fuel
was going to do what it seems to be doing now, and because of that we
think more people are going to agree that the time is right for a boat
like this. To give you an idea of just how economical an ALLWEATHER
8-meter will operate, a few years ago we delivered a boat to Ketchikan.
Now, to be honest we were running pretty light as we didn't want to
have to pack anything back off that boat but a couple of sleeping bags
after we made the delivery, but we ran from Ferndale to Ketchikan on 47
gallons of diesel."

The fuel consumption curve for an ALLWEATHER 8-meter graphically
illustrates the relationship between speed and fuel economy. At
7-knots, an ALLWEATHER will burn about 1 gph. Figures quoted in gallons
per hour often fail to impress boaters more attuned to high speed
operation, (who might in turn remark "OK, you only burn a gallon of
fuel per hour but if it takes all day to get out of sight you have
still burned a lot of fuel in the process!"). Putting the fuel
consumption into terms of nautical miles per gallon can serve a useful
purpose. With some of the large, high speed power cruisers realizing
under a nautical mile per gallon, seven nautical miles per gallon (the
7-knot fuel consumption of an ALLWEATHER) would be considered very
admirable fuel economy in most circles. According to figures furnished
by ALLWEATHER boats, slowing to 6-knots reduces fuel consumption to 2
quarts of diesel per hour, achieving a fuel economy of 12 nautical
miles per gallon. Boaters willing to slow to 5-knots will burn only
about a quart of diesel per hour, and can travel an incredible
20-nautical miles per gallon of diesel consumed.

At the 5-knot speed and the standard 115-gallon fuel tank, range on an
ALLWEATHER BOAT is about 2000 nautical miles with prudent reserve,
approximately enough to motor from Olympia, Washington to Anchorage
Alaska, (and halfway back!), without stopping along the route for fuel.
"Boats very similar to an ALLWEATHER are common in much of northern
Europe," observed Homer. When considering that fuel has long sold for
well over $5 a gallon in that region and the conditions that often
prevail in the North Sea, it isn't difficult to understand why a boat
with the characteristics of an ALLWEATHER would be a popular choice.

Cabin layout of an ALLWEATHER 8-meter is comfortable but spartan, and
roomier than one might assume when viewing the boat from alongside.
"A lot of people say they think we compete pretty well with
30-footers when it comes to interior room," remarked Homer, and as we
inspected the interior of the boat it was easy to see why. A double
bunk is set in the forepeak, with a hanging locker to starboard.
Immediately aft is a pair of opposing settees, with a clever "pull
out" dining or chart table the slides under the forward bunk when not
in use. The settees can be made up into another double bunk, expanding
practical sleeping capacity to four persons. Aft of the settee and to
starboard is the inside helm, followed by a stainless galley sink and a
run of counter space. Opposite the helm and galley sink is a galley
worktop, a propane stove, and an enclosed stand-up head in the aft port
quarter of the main cabin.

The large cockpit features a folding tiller, intended to be the primary
steering station during fair weather. "The wheel and the tiller seem to
balance each other very nicely,"
said Homer. "I can usually set a course and then leave the wheel
long enough to fry up some breakfast and then when I'm done I will
usually discover that we are still within a few degrees of the original
heading."

Homer pointed out that the deck rails are set inboard from the edge of
the non-skid decks.
"I've actually had people tell me that I've put the deck rail on
all wrong. They expect to see it on the outside edge of the deck. We
put the rail inboard from the walking area of the deck to make it easy
to get on or off the boat at any location. A lot of the Coast Guard
boats are set up the same way."

Is there a viable market for a super seaworthy, heck for stout, slow
but ultra-economical, affordable pleasure boat? The latest round of
fuel price increases and prospects of more to come have inspired Homer
to once begin marketing the ALLWEATHER more energetically and
consistently. For the huge portion of the populace for whom basic
affordability and cost of operation would be major considerations
rather than incidental details, the ALLWEATHER 8-meter may represent an
important means to get additional families out on the water.

"It shouldn't be difficult for more people to appreciate that this
is a boat whose time has come," opined Homer. "We're all having
to make, or should be making, some adjustments in life in response to
the fuel situation. Even my wife, who drives a 50-mpg VW diesel, is
more hesitant than before to just hit the road and drive all over.
There's never going to be as much oil available as we used to have.
And besides, it would be a shame to waste this oil we're burning
lately, some of it has got blood in it."

Homer Hughes may think his ALLWEATHER hasn't been much of a
"Seattle boat," but the design appears to have some redeeming
qualities for our inland boating environment.
Even at 7 knots, a boater departing Shilshole at 0800 can easily plan
to lunch in Port Townsend, Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Langley, or Port
Orchard. The hull design will make an ALLWEATHER an exceptionally safe
vessel, reducing any anxiety associated with the concern of being
"caught" by weather while crossing Juan de Fuca or Georgia Straits.
A boating family on a budget can trailer an ALLWEATHER home at the end
of a cruise to save mooring fees. An ALLWEATHER could knock around
Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands for an entire summer's worth of
weekend and vacation cruises on a single load of fuel.

For additional information on ALLWEATHER boats, check the company web
site at www.allweatherboats.com or phone Homer at 360-384-4686.

Thanks Chuck for an interesting post.

Being an owner of a MacGregor 26M... Homer's concept
has definitely piqued my interest relative to an upgrade.

Best regards

Bill

Thanks Chuck. Interesting article and not a bad looking boat either.

http://www.jamescstevens.com/index.html





On 14 Jun 2006 09:40:56 -0700, "
wrote:

ALLWEATHER Boats

"Main Street" in Ferndale Washington tracks through the center of a
business district that cannot look entirely different now than it did
in the 1950's. There are lot of mom & pop retailers, restaurants, and
offices here. Once away from the I-5 off ramp, there are no impossibly
bright pre-fab plastic buildings with cartoon signage for pointless
pop-culture Chinese trinkets or tasteless pop-tart food. After passing
a civic building, a couple of churches, a mortuary, an insurance
office, and a store dedicated to selling model railroad gear, Main
Street extends into a long stretch where homes and various small
business enterprises are built along the edges of old pasture land and
hayfields. The typically idle farmsteads are still existent between the
thin shell of residential and commercial use along the road and dark
evergreen forests ¼ mile away. It would seem like an odd place to meet
a visionary, a man with a sense of purpose and a mission from which he
has not wavered for over three decades. Homer Hughes, of ALLWEATHER
boats, may have previously been something of a insightful voice crying
out in the wilderness- but current events may very likely validate his
theory of boat building.

Not that Homer's theory of boat building requires validation, of
course; it relies on fundamental principles that have remained
unchanged for perhaps thousands of years.
What Homer dares to challenge is the theory of "more"-that modern
marketing principle maintaining that more horsepower, more speed, more
interior room, more deck space, and more LOA, (sold for a lot more
money) always results in a better boat.

Homer's firm builds a single vessel; an 8-meter, full displacement,
double-ended fiberglass powerboat that sports an appearance similar to
a motor lifeboat. Homer Hughes has worked as a commercial fisherman as
well as a shop teacher, so he understands the dynamics of an excellent
sea boat and commands the craftsmanship required to build one.
Boat shoppers prioritizing interiors that look like hotel lobbies,
galleys that could serve as a set for the Galloping Gourmet, and master
staterooms that would make a Vegas madam blush will probably look right
past the flared bow, abundant freeboard, and canoe stern of the full
keeled, heavily ballasted, round-bilged displacement hull and decry the
absence of a big screen plasma TV. The ALLWEATHER 8-meter isn't a
typical or average boat, and may not appeal to the typical or average
boater.

Some boaters are more familiar with the trade names of the latest
high-end decorator surface materials than with the advantages of a low
center of gravity and raised hatches in the self-bailing cockpit.
Perhaps they will consider the ALLWEATHER 8-meter and wonder why
anybody could possibly have in interest in such an unusual looking
vessel, so far removed from the Madison Avenue mainstream of mass
production.

Over the last few decades, 31 people have shared Homer Hughes' vision
of a proper sea boat and commissioned Homer to build them a boat.
"This hasn't been much of a Seattle boat," said Homer. "Most of
these have gone up to Alaska, and some of them have become small scale
commercial fish boats. It would be unusual to build an ALLWEATHER for a
first time buyer, most of our customers have owned a couple of boats or
more, and learn something from each experience, before they finally
come to realize that the essential elements of a sea boat remain pretty
consistent. They find those elements built into an ALLWEATHER. The
boaters that get enough experience to know what they really need to be
safe and comfortable offshore are the types of people who eventually
become my clients. I had one couple that sold a boat well over 40-feet
in length and ordered our 26-foot oil screw. Right after they took
delivery, they motored out the Strait of Juan de Fuca and went fishing
out in the Pacific off the Oregon Coast. They told me that the
ALLWEATHER 8-meter was a much better blue water boat than their old
boat of over 40-feet."

Homer's boats cannot be considered fast. They make about the same
speed as a sailboat running under power, with 15-HP diesel engines
propelling an ALLWEATHER 8-meter at displacement speeds of up to 7
knots. It would be common for some of the more popular selling
million-dollar powerboats, with perhaps a pair of 400-HP diesel
engines, to duplicate the 6 or 7-knot cruise speed of an ALLWEATHER
with both engines throttled back to idle. Categories where an
ALLWEATHER excels, however, are affordability, fuel efficiency, and
range.

It has been accurately observed that yachtsmen comfortable with a
purchase price in the high six figure or even seven figure category
could "care less" about the cost of fuel. If the 2000 gallons a
pleasure boater might burn in a season climbs in price from $2.50 to
$4.50 per gallon, most boaters comfortably affording $5000 monthly boat
payments will not be inconvenienced by an increase of a few thousand
dollars in a fuel bill spread out over several months. Boating,
however, should not be restricted to that fraction of the populace with
unlimited resources. The ALLWEATHER 8-meter is a boat that can bring
safe, reliable, economical boating to an average family with only a
moderate amount of disposable income.

"I'd need to put a pencil to it," said Homer, "but I think I
could build a brand new ALLWEATHER for somebody at a price around
$90,000. We've been saying for over 30 years that the price of fuel
was going to do what it seems to be doing now, and because of that we
think more people are going to agree that the time is right for a boat
like this. To give you an idea of just how economical an ALLWEATHER
8-meter will operate, a few years ago we delivered a boat to Ketchikan.
Now, to be honest we were running pretty light as we didn't want to
have to pack anything back off that boat but a couple of sleeping bags
after we made the delivery, but we ran from Ferndale to Ketchikan on 47
gallons of diesel."

The fuel consumption curve for an ALLWEATHER 8-meter graphically
illustrates the relationship between speed and fuel economy. At
7-knots, an ALLWEATHER will burn about 1 gph. Figures quoted in gallons
per hour often fail to impress boaters more attuned to high speed
operation, (who might in turn remark "OK, you only burn a gallon of
fuel per hour but if it takes all day to get out of sight you have
still burned a lot of fuel in the process!"). Putting the fuel
consumption into terms of nautical miles per gallon can serve a useful
purpose. With some of the large, high speed power cruisers realizing
under a nautical mile per gallon, seven nautical miles per gallon (the
7-knot fuel consumption of an ALLWEATHER) would be considered very
admirable fuel economy in most circles. According to figures furnished
by ALLWEATHER boats, slowing to 6-knots reduces fuel consumption to 2
quarts of diesel per hour, achieving a fuel economy of 12 nautical
miles per gallon. Boaters willing to slow to 5-knots will burn only
about a quart of diesel per hour, and can travel an incredible
20-nautical miles per gallon of diesel consumed.

At the 5-knot speed and the standard 115-gallon fuel tank, range on an
ALLWEATHER BOAT is about 2000 nautical miles with prudent reserve,
approximately enough to motor from Olympia, Washington to Anchorage
Alaska, (and halfway back!), without stopping along the route for fuel.
"Boats very similar to an ALLWEATHER are common in much of northern
Europe," observed Homer. When considering that fuel has long sold for
well over $5 a gallon in that region and the conditions that often
prevail in the North Sea, it isn't difficult to understand why a boat
with the characteristics of an ALLWEATHER would be a popular choice.

Cabin layout of an ALLWEATHER 8-meter is comfortable but spartan, and
roomier than one might assume when viewing the boat from alongside.
"A lot of people say they think we compete pretty well with
30-footers when it comes to interior room," remarked Homer, and as we
inspected the interior of the boat it was easy to see why. A double
bunk is set in the forepeak, with a hanging locker to starboard.
Immediately aft is a pair of opposing settees, with a clever "pull
out" dining or chart table the slides under the forward bunk when not
in use. The settees can be made up into another double bunk, expanding
practical sleeping capacity to four persons. Aft of the settee and to
starboard is the inside helm, followed by a stainless galley sink and a
run of counter space. Opposite the helm and galley sink is a galley
worktop, a propane stove, and an enclosed stand-up head in the aft port
quarter of the main cabin.

The large cockpit features a folding tiller, intended to be the primary
steering station during fair weather. "The wheel and the tiller seem to
balance each other very nicely,"
said Homer. "I can usually set a course and then leave the wheel
long enough to fry up some breakfast and then when I'm done I will
usually discover that we are still within a few degrees of the original
heading."

Homer pointed out that the deck rails are set inboard from the edge of
the non-skid decks.
"I've actually had people tell me that I've put the deck rail on
all wrong. They expect to see it on the outside edge of the deck. We
put the rail inboard from the walking area of the deck to make it easy
to get on or off the boat at any location. A lot of the Coast Guard
boats are set up the same way."

Is there a viable market for a super seaworthy, heck for stout, slow
but ultra-economical, affordable pleasure boat? The latest round of
fuel price increases and prospects of more to come have inspired Homer
to once begin marketing the ALLWEATHER more energetically and
consistently. For the huge portion of the populace for whom basic
affordability and cost of operation would be major considerations
rather than incidental details, the ALLWEATHER 8-meter may represent an
important means to get additional families out on the water.

"It shouldn't be difficult for more people to appreciate that this
is a boat whose time has come," opined Homer. "We're all having
to make, or should be making, some adjustments in life in response to
the fuel situation. Even my wife, who drives a 50-mpg VW diesel, is
more hesitant than before to just hit the road and drive all over.
There's never going to be as much oil available as we used to have.
And besides, it would be a shame to waste this oil we're burning
lately, some of it has got blood in it."

Homer Hughes may think his ALLWEATHER hasn't been much of a
"Seattle boat," but the design appears to have some redeeming
qualities for our inland boating environment.
Even at 7 knots, a boater departing Shilshole at 0800 can easily plan
to lunch in Port Townsend, Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Langley, or Port
Orchard. The hull design will make an ALLWEATHER an exceptionally safe
vessel, reducing any anxiety associated with the concern of being
"caught" by weather while crossing Juan de Fuca or Georgia Straits.
A boating family on a budget can trailer an ALLWEATHER home at the end
of a cruise to save mooring fees. An ALLWEATHER could knock around
Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands for an entire summer's worth of
weekend and vacation cruises on a single load of fuel.

For additional information on ALLWEATHER boats, check the company web
site at www.allweatherboats.com or phone Homer at 360-384-4686.

On 14 Jun 2006 09:40:56 -0700, "
wrote:

Homer's firm builds a single vessel; an 8-meter, full displacement,
double-ended fiberglass powerboat that sports an appearance similar to
a motor lifeboat.

Where did the "8 meter" designation come from?

On 14 Jun 2006 16:26:15 -0700, wrote:

reminds me of a cross between a tug and a sailboat.

Speaking of... could a person just about accomplish the same thing by
modifying a diesel powered sailboat minus rigging and cutting off, or
at least... down the keel skeg?

Absolutely. I once spent the better part of a summer running around
in a mastless sailboat. It's sort of like having the worst of both
worlds in my experience, and it will roll your eyes out in any kind of
seaway.

Better to have the mast and enjoy the breeze when it's there, and use
it to damp the rolling when it's not.

wrote:

Looks kind of neat.

reminds me of a cross between a tug and a sailboat.

Speaking of... could a person just about accomplish the same thing by
modifying a diesel powered sailboat minus rigging and cutting off, or
at least... down the keel skeg?


Yes, but Wayne's point about rolling is one to keep in mind.
I know of a couple such "conversions," the biggest is 44'
and quite a successful cruiser. The owner/designer did not
take the sailing rig completely off, but shortened it
considerably (to about 1/3 maybe) and took about 1/2 off the
ballast keel. Doesn't roll any worse than a conventional
power boat, better than many in fact. IMHO this is due to
the higher center of gravity after losing the ballast,
combined with higher reserve stability than most motorboats,
and some damping due to the remaining fin keel & skeg. I'd
rate her as much safer for rough weather than the average
power boat of that size/displacement.

It's quite a nice boat, and much more practical (also to my
eye, better looking) than the original. Whether she is a
trawler or a motorsailor is open to debate.

A smaller example is the Albin 27 which was marketed as a
diesel motor cruiser, and also a motor sailor.

Fair Skies- Doug King

DSK wrote:
wrote:


A smaller example is the Albin 27 which was marketed as a
diesel motor cruiser, and also a motor sailor.

Fair Skies- Doug King

The Albin 27 and the Albin 30 "Family Cruiser" are some pretty fine
looking craft.

i can see the their practicality.

the "motor sailer" caught my attenetion

wrote:

DSK wrote:

wrote:


A smaller example is the Albin 27 which was marketed as a
diesel motor cruiser, and also a motor sailor.

Fair Skies- Doug King


The Albin 27 and the Albin 30 "Family Cruiser" are some pretty fine
looking craft.

i can see the their practicality.

the "motor sailer" caught my attenetion


Like this boat, only with a smaller engine (IIRC about 20hp)
and a mast & sail
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...oats=1538 001

They made the same hull into a center cockpit sailing
cruiser, again with a mast and smaller engine but without
the high pilot house. Shouldn't be too hard to find one
although apparently there's not one listed on Yachtworld.com
at the moment.

Fair Skies- Doug King

I know I've never seen one on Ebay that I know of. People who have
them probably want to keep them.


DSK wrote:
wrote:

DSK wrote:

wrote:


A smaller example is the Albin 27 which was marketed as a
diesel motor cruiser, and also a motor sailor.

Fair Skies- Doug King


The Albin 27 and the Albin 30 "Family Cruiser" are some pretty fine
looking craft.

i can see the their practicality.

the "motor sailer" caught my attenetion


Like this boat, only with a smaller engine (IIRC about 20hp)
and a mast & sail
http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...oats=1538 001

They made the same hull into a center cockpit sailing
cruiser, again with a mast and smaller engine but without
the high pilot house. Shouldn't be too hard to find one
although apparently there's not one listed on Yachtworld.com
at the moment.

Fair Skies- Doug King