Crazy story to share....

[NCSUDucker]

So many of you probably saw my previous post that included the boat I finished for a customer as well as the boat I just built for myself.

Well, the boat I built for my last customer wasn't your normal customer! I've known this for awhile but wanted to wait until I had color photos to share. Imagine my surprise when I came home to find a certified letter notice in my mail box from the Department of Homeland Security. Had me a little worried the next day at work until I could pick it up for sure!Turns out my latest "customer" was actually one of the 35 or so boats bought by the USCG this year for testing! I met with my normal CG guy the other day for my normal check in and he told me they were testing a number of "duck" boats this year.

Regardless, I am proud to say she passed all hp rating, person's rating, capacity rating and stability/floatation tests.


I got dinged for four minor non compliance issues. Two of them were on the capacity label, the manufacture's name Toller Boatworks wasn't an 1/8 of inch tall and an oversight on my part where I forgot to include the word motor on the XXX lbs of persons, motor, gear. The other two were with lights. The bow light must be marked USCG 2 NM, I use the Seasense LED bow light which can be purchased in stainless, black and white. For whatever reason, I could not find the black for a reasonable price this year so I bought the stainless...and neglected to tape over the USCG 2NM stamping when I painted it black. Lastly the stern all around light must be 1 meter above the bow light. I use the Max It Out LED stern light which comes in at 40". I've mounted it higher before but without thinking mounted on the hunt deck thus putting me under a meter above the bow light. Easy enough fix, although I'm working with the owner of Max It Out to produce a 48" version as I really want to keep using them but don't like placing them on the coaming beside the running seat as it puts the light in your side view while running.

Here she is with 6500 lbs of weight and 3" of freeboard remaining to test maximum capacity.


Filled with water and simulated motor, battery and fuel weight.

Port Stability Listing test...


And finally starboard stability listing test...


Brad

[Paul26]

Wow. That is pretty damn cool. If that's all they could find, you won.

Congrats on getting a USCG contract. If they like it you'll have work for years. I know the Coasties have a significant port security mission......I am imagining the cool things they will be doing with a boat like this. Clearly they want it for some type of low-profile we-don't-want-to-be-seen role. Two Coasties in black pajamas?

Whatever the case: keep an eye on the military surplus sales at Lejeune......when they take these out of service there will be a good deal on duck boats!

[NCSUDucker]

Wow. That is pretty damn cool. If that's all they could find, you won.

Congrats on getting a USCG contract. If they like it you'll have work for years. I know the Coasties have a significant port security mission......I am imagining the cool things they will be doing with a boat like this. Clearly they want it for some type of low-profile we-don't-want-to-be-seen role. Two Coasties in black pajamas?

Whatever the case: keep an eye on the military surplus sales at Lejeune......when they take these out of service there will be a good deal on duck boats!

Thanks Paul. Sorry for the confusion, but they bought the boat as part of their testing program, along with 30 some other boats to test to make sure manufacturers are following code. The company that the USCG contracts with owns the boat(s) and will sell them to the public once the any noncompliance issues are fixed.

Brad