# converting a sailboat to a flatsboat???



## wetaline

I have been wondering if it would be possible and even usable to convert a small 13ft sailboat to a flats boat. With the mast and boom and all of the rigging removed the hull looks a lot like a small bass or flats skiff. I just don't know how stable a sailboat is, like a similar sized john boat? The hull looks pretty sleek and should be pretty low drag, so I would think that it would move pretty quick with an outboard. Do any of you think it would be stable enough to make it feasible? Below is a pic of the type boat I have been thinking about.


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## Telum Pisces

I would just be concerned about how much motor it would be rated for. Not knowing a thing about sail boat, I don't know if the transome (does it even have one) could hold any weight for the motor etc... I don't think sailboats use a planing hull either. Not sure how that would work out.


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## SKATR JIM

Sailboats are tipy tipy. You will most certaintly end up wet at one point or another.


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## X-Shark

> looks a lot like a small bass or flats skiff.




No it doesn't. Look at the bottom of the hull only. Forget the layout of the deck.



before you spend a bunch of time and money on something that will pretty much be a flop.



Sell the sail boat and get you a Jon boat.



That amount of deadrise and I'm sure Rocker in the bottom of a sail boat is not conducive to a stable platform.


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## popeye 1

I wouldn't do it. Seems like it would take a long time and a lot of money that = time. There are a lot of descent used small fiberglass boats for sale in the area. Many of them at pawn shops and for sale by owners. If you wanted to make the sailboat into a flats boat you would have to cut the whole topside off and do a lot of glass work. If you want a boat to travel in inches of water they are not hard to come buy around here. Sell the sailboat and get you a small fishin machine. Just my 2 cents. If you want a quality opinion check out microskiff.com  :usaflag


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## WW2

round bottom = rolls

it also means that the bottom middle is actually a lot deeper than the edges so it would prob run deeper than you think.


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## ElJay

Nope.

From the picture you have a sailboat that needs a dagger board or drop keel to stay up. That slot in the middle is where it would go. Put that in and you can't get into the flats, you aredrawing a few feet of water. Keep it out and you roll if you sneeze.


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## wetaline

Thanks for the opinions. I don't own this boat, just saw one for sale that didn't have the rigging and it was dirt cheap. I was wondering if it was even practical. I have no sailing exp. what so ever and have never even been on a little sailboat like this so I had nothing to go by. The deck and general shape just looked kinda cool. Have any of you guys or gals ever sailed one of these little boats? How are they with the proper rigging installed?


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## Mariner

_Maybe you could add some outriggers. You know.... like a Pacific Islands canoe......tri-hull sort of.....ah crap, just get ya a jon boat.:banghead_


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## joe bag o donuts

Not to overstate the obvious but the deck and hull are not really conducive to be anything but a sailboat. Sailboats draft alot and that's without the keel that adds several more feet to your draft. Plus sailboats are meant to tip a little in the wind. Then that deck would be a terror to try and fish out of. Like everyone's said. Look for a jon boat or something. 



Now a hobe cat or a small catamaran type sailboat......oh the possibilities....


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## Danno

Sale the sailboat as a sailboat andbuy a flat bottom boat. Sailboats have very soft chimes, they lean, they roll; you don't want that in a flats boat. Flat bottoms and boats with near vertical sides have a harder chime, less likely to roll on you. 

If a motor is not a concern,look intoa yak.


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## wetaline

Thanks for all of the input. I think I should have asked about making a small sailboat into a small skiff instead of a flats boat, but I also think the out come would be the same. Having never been on or even around a sailboat like the one discussed I had nothing to go on. I just based the question on the fact that the boatissmall, with a decent (5') beam, sleek design and very inexpensive. It's nice to have a resource like the PFF that allows us to draw on the experience of such a large number of people.

I'll look forward to submitting future hair brainded schemes to y'alls scrutiny, and hopefully save myself a dollar or two and lots of wasted time.Thanks again for all of the advice and suggestions.


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## stickman1775

*holder 12 skiff*

Here is a current pic of my project at the moment, so it is still under construction. Currently i am experiencing bow rise when the 2.5 hp is at full throttle i can sit on the deck at full when cruse control is set and it plans out beautifully. The two ideas that have are to add jetski sponsons on the sides and building a front deck hatch and place the battery, 2 gal fuel tank and safety equipment. Also a trolling motor on the bow would be sweet too. Hopefully i will be able to figure out this gravity problem because i am quite impressed for what it was and what it is now i even have cast netted from this thing and also a flounder gigger setup might be an option as well :thumbup:


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## Firefishvideo

Seems like the other posters may not have much actual experience with sailboats.
A sailboat is generally very stable because it has to be able to withstand the considerable torque of the sail trying to tip it over. Without that force...I doubt you could ever flip it.
The dagger board is just to keep it from slipping sideways....and converts the lateral pressure from the sail into foreward movement. It does nothing to keep the sailboat upright. Only beam width or keel weight will keep a boat upright.
Larger sailboats use keel weights while smaller boats use the weight of the crew to counterbalance the force of the sail.
I'm not saying that a cheap sailboat hull will make a good flats boat.....it may not track very well under power....and a true flats boat would be way better.....but you could probably make it work - depending on depth.


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## Kenton

those sunfish, laser type hulls were not really made to be "tippy". They are all about plane and haul ass.  You should be in good shape. I love the idea. If you ever want to do another project let me know. I have an old sunfish knockoff called a goldfish. It's a bit larger than the sunfish design. Comes with a beefy trailer. $400.


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## johnsonbeachbum

Firefishvideo said:


> Seems like the other posters may not have much actual experience with sailboats.
> A sailboat is generally very stable because it has to be able to withstand the considerable torque of the sail trying to tip it over. Without that force...I doubt you could ever flip it.
> The dagger board is just to keep it from slipping sideways....and converts the lateral pressure from the sail into foreward movement. It does nothing to keep the sailboat upright.


Technically the dagger board still has to push thru a lot of water to get the boat to lay over.


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## Firefishvideo

johnsonbeachbum said:


> Technically the dagger board still has to push thru a lot of water to get the boat to lay over.


 Yes.....if the wind catches you from the side un-expectedly...the dagger board can delay the roll for a second or two....but if you have had that happen....you know its not very long. Roll control it not its intended purpose....nor does the removal of it decrease stability in a hull with no mast.
Some larger sailboats have a long keel that looks a little like a dagger board...but it has a large lump of lead at the end to act as a counter balance.....the blade alone will offer very little resistance to roll.
With a flats boat ...Id think that the issue would be - a fisherman standing off center of the vessel....causing the boat to heel. A dagger board will offer resistance through the water as the boat rolls....but since it is not weighted - it will not limit the roll - or return the vessel to an upright position. 
With these small vessels....all the stability comes from the wide beam and crew weight distribution.


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## Firefishvideo

Just a thought....but an old Hobie cat might be a good project....you wont get a more stable platform....and without the weight of the mast and sails....they shouldn't have much draft.
.....What about fastening two kayaks together?


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## Jason

Firefishvideo said:


> Just a thought....but an old Hobie cat might be a good project....you wont get a more stable platform....and without the weight of the mast and sails....they shouldn't have much draft.
> .....What about fastening two kayaks together?


I picked up an old hobie cat....was gonna make a flounder pounder outta it by making a stable deck, but ended up selling it before finishing it up....I always thought making the mesh material into a flat/stable surface would make an awesome flounder barge!!!


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## johnsonbeachbum

Firefishvideo said:


> Just a thought....but an old Hobie cat might be a good project....you wont get a more stable platform....and without the weight of the mast and sails....they shouldn't have much draft.
> .....What about fastening two kayaks together?


I actually sold a de-masted by Ivan hobie cat to a guy that then used just the hulls under a deck of 2x4's and plywood.
Hung a 4hp gas outboard on it and bare minimum gas tank.
Seen him and one guy on it in Herron Bayou.
Stern was about 1 inch from underwater with him and the outboard at that end.


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## Firefishvideo

johnsonbeachbum said:


> I actually sold a de-masted by Ivan hobie cat to a guy that then used just the hulls under a deck of 2x4's and plywood.
> Hung a 4hp gas outboard on it and bare minimum gas tank.
> Seen him and one guy on it in Herron Bayou.
> Stern was about 1 inch from underwater with him and the outboard at that end.


 LOL! I wouldn't start that project with several hundred pounds of 2x4's and plywood.... + put all the weight of the pilot and motor at the stern!
There was a converted hobie cat that belonged to a resident of P-cola beach.....I was working nearby. He had that thing rigged with a center console and outboard. All the additional hardware was aluminum tube. He could launch it from his beachside home....and fished several miles offshore with it! I guess its all in how you build it.:thumbsup:


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## pappastratos

On smaller sailboats, the keel does not provide ballast, espically if it has a swing keel. On a small sailboat all the keel is good for is to make it sail forward. If not the boat would blow sideways. Friend had a 16' er, sometimes he would leave the mast off & use the 5hp kicker to run around the bay !


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