Gause 26

[gran398]

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boats-sale- ... 000-a.html

[RickK]

Sweet boat!!!

A little overkill on the trailer I think.  A dual axle should certainly be enough  
Sweet looking boat though  

[wingtime]

Tower could be a little taller.  Clearly a Aquasport "inspired" hull.  Look at the sheer line.

Yeah trailer is overkill

[Group W Bench]

Tower could be a little taller.  Clearly a Aquasport "inspired" hull.  Look at the sheer line.

Yeah trailer is overkill

We intentionally had a short tower built because the kids were constantly climbing up and down the console of other boats like a jungle gym. We figured, if they took a spill, it should be a short spill. Additionally, after several tower boats, I have found that I prefer the half or 3/4 tower, as folding the tower down is an inconvenience that I would prefer to avoid. This was the reaction when I told Caleb to get down from the console perch on a stand through second station on our old Contender.



The triple trailer is probably an overkill, but I needed the lowboy trailer with the 10" wheels because the ramp where we regularly launch at Bay Esplanade on Clearwater Beach is craptacular. I would not be able to get the boat off the trailer at low tide on a standard trailer without the trailer rolling off the end of the concrete. Our boat and trailer decisions are based on our needs at the time, and probably are not ideally suited to appeal to everyone, but the boat and trailer have served us pretty well for the last couple of years.

[wingtime]

Why didn't Scott say it was one of yours?  Then yeah I can see the reason for the shorter tower.  Also folding a tower every time you use the boat can be a pain in the back side.

[Group W Bench]

It has been a great boat for the last couple of years, but our Boca Grande 26 should be done soon and we don't need both. Don't worry, the tower on the Boca is plenty tall. Even though it folds, I ain't planning on folding that beast down but once.

[Group W Bench]

Tower could be a little taller.  Clearly a Aquasport "inspired" hull.  Look at the sheer line.

Yeah trailer is overkill

The Gause Built 26 is derived from several iterations of the Sermons 26 tunnel hull inboard crabbing boats built in Tarpon Springs. These boats had the long sweeping sheerline. Sermons built a lot of these 26 inboard in the mid 1960s. They built 20+ of them in 1965-1966. The old Whittakers from Tampa Bay had the same sort of long sweeping sheer. I'm curious when the first C&S 22 flatbacks with the sweeping sheer were introduced. Probably the early 1960s? It seems like they were all around the same early-mid 1960s period.

[gran398]

Yes, C&S began lofting in the early sixties. Predecessor to that boat, as Captain John noted here on the board several years back, was late fifties.

Will search the archives. Believe the earliest documented 22-2 Flatback here on CAS is early '66.

Good looking ride Eugene

[Group W Bench]

86Aqua,

No, the outboard Boca Grande boats are not the same hulls as the inboard Bocas though the builder was the same. There were 62 of the original Boca Grande 26 inboard boats built in the 1980-90's. They were fiberglass boats splashed from George Luzier's tunnel inboard wooden pass boats and incredibly stable. These inboard Boca Grande 26 boats are beamy at 12.5 ft. They also had a lot of tumblehome at the stern and wood covered transoms.

I have had the guys at the shop restore a 1995 hull with from Bradenton that was named High Cotton from the stringers up. Hopefully some of the quirks of the boat like the constant spray from the flared bow will be remedied with the reverse chine spray rails that we added. Additionally, the deck layout on the old boats was not particularly user friendly with a huge console and boxy casting deck. The rebuild has the same coffin box and transom livewell layout as the Gause. Rigging with the new Yanmar 315 should start soon. With the 360 hp Yanmar 315, I am hoping for cruise speed around 28 mph with WOT of 35mph. I am estimating 3mpg or better economy at cruise, so with the 150 gallon tank and under deck compartments for twin 75 gallon bladder tanks, I reckon there will be plenty of range for extended Middle Ground or Dry Tortugas trips. The transom is actually finished in screenprinted fiberglass veil sprayed with clearcoat. It looks just like a wood laminated transom with none of the upkeep.  I'm getting excited.

[CLM65]

Love that transom, Eugene!

How far back do the spray rails go?  I've been debating adding spray rails on my flatback, but the shipping costs for a full length (20') piece is a killer.  It is fairly economical if they ship it in two 8' pieces (I would have to buy 20' and lose 4' of it).  I just don't know if 8' per side will be enough.

[wingtime]

DROOL!  That thing is gorgeous! Love the transom and the lines on that hull!  Be sure to post some pics when she is done!

[gran398]

Double drool! Eugene that is gorgeous!

[gran398]

Craig, 8 foot at the front might be enough. Here's one with a partial

[CLM65]

Hmmm, I would guess that that one is about 14 feet long, and looks great.  8 feet may not be very effective, and may not look very "balanced".  Anybody have any experience with short spray rails?

[RickK]

Maybe that is a 12-13' boat