Chum
A 26' 3" Raised-Deck Cruiser
By William Atkin
A Smart Motor Cruiser
A motor cruiser this time. A small one. With just enough room for two and with all the fixings needed for comfortable cruising. She is well under the government's taxation ruling, 26 feet 3 inches, and rather more shoal in draft than the average boat of this length. However, for all her lack of length and draft this little Chum is a friendly sister of the sea and can be depended upon to plug along under her modest power plant, blow high or blow low.
Her breadth is an even 9 feet. The freeboard height has been kept within reason; because as has been said a hundred times before, designers do not like high lopsided motor boats. Of course our new child suffers in headroom because of the moderate freeboard; but the added safety and appearance of the boat is more than worth headroom which is somewhat less than the average man's height. The cockpit floor is well above the water line; thus it is self bailing. And this is as it should be. Also with the cockpit floor high the helmsman is in a better position to look about. There are 15 inches from the water line to the floor of the cockpit and 6 feet 1 inch from the cockpit floor to the under side of the standing top and windshield. I have shown a folding seat for the wheelsman. The steersman's shelter has been left half the length of the cockpit. First because it looks better this way. Then it leaves part of the cockpit open to the sun. And if you should care to fish from the boat surely you do not want a top cramping the free use of fishing rods. This leaves the last, and an important point; a saving of top weight.
Below there is nice room for two. Straight off some folks will wish to arrange for upper berths. This might be done. The big trouble with this is that four persons is a crowd in a little boat. There is no place for all the clothes, food, water, fuel, and the other necessities needed for so many persons. Too many in the crew of a small boat spoils the fun of cruising. Berths for two with a commodious row of lockers out in the bilge each side provide comfortable quarters. The toilet room is forward. I think that a folding wash basin is best in this craft; it is out of the way when not in use and not so messy looking. The galley shows sink with dish lockers on the port side, and cooking stove, lockers and ice box on the starboard side.
A motor of approximately 40 h.p., turning at 1200 to 1400 r. p. m., will be power enough. There are numerous motors of this size. The speed will be close to 9 miles an hour. Do not over power Chum. She will drive easily at this modest speed, be comfortable, and economical to operate. Since the motor sets at a very slight angle its efficiency will be excellent.
Plans for Chum are $100

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