# Rescue Minor: Old-school shallow-water inboard



## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

This might be just a little off-topic for this site, but any boat lover and certainly boat builders will get a kick out of this design. I've always been a huge fan of classic inboards, I just love a clean transom. This boat was originally designed by William Atkin as a rescue boat for use by the Navy to run in shallow waters. I guess outboards were not a reliable option at the time. The hull design is very unique:

Rescue Minor has an over all length of 19 feet 6 inches; water line length is 19 feet; breadth, 5 feet 8 inches; and draft with two men aboard, 6 inches. Under way at top speed the draft will remain at 6 inches. The freeboard at the bow is 2 feet 2 1/2 inches; at the stern 1 foot 7 inches. The underbody is unique. The entire after body of the hull forms the tunnel for the propeller, and the forward body the means for supplying the water to the tunnel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_D-LilJnMo

http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Utilities/RescueMinor.html
http://www.seaislandboatworks.com/boats/rescueminor.htm
http://www.schleiffboatworks.com/rescue.htm


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## floridanative1028 (May 30, 2009)

That is so sick.


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## copperhead (May 30, 2008)

http://www.robbwhite.com/rescue.minor.html

Check out Robb's version, it's cool!


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

Not to mention that with a 20hp diesel they only burn 1/3 gal per hour at a cruising speed of 20 knots. That's pretty efficient. 

Another thought I had was, I wonder if you could with only slight modifications run a jet setup (such as from a SeaDoo) on something like that. Hmmm


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Jet? Looking at the hull lines, I don't think so.
She was designed to maintain continous contact
with the water, the entire length of the hull.
Too much air/bubbles entering under the hull
would cause the tunnel to slurp and cease to maintain
a solid flow of water to the propulsion source.
Never intended to be a high performance hull.

:-?


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## cutrunner (Jun 8, 2010)

thats pretty wicked for how old it is. i think we sometimes underestimate the intelligence of some of these old designers. lol if you want a history lesson go to a mercury marine history page. its rele cool stuff. and how prop cupping and power trim was invented is a hoot. knowledge is power


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## DSampiero (Oct 18, 2009)

That's very neat! Got me roaming around Robb White's site and I came across this:
"I have noticed that the more the horsepower of a boat increases, the less polite the people who operate it are. "


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## bostick29412 (Apr 17, 2009)

> Jet? Looking at the hull lines, I don't think so.
> :-?


You're absolutely right, thanks for keeping me straight...


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## B.Lee (Apr 29, 2008)

Atkins' Rescue Minor is a really neat boat. Certainly on my list of "boats to build" in my time.

Search bing.com images for rescue minor, there's a center console one on teh west coast of FL (I think) that's really slick. It's an all around cool boat.

Robb White is certainly someone I wish I would have met. He's a character, a hell of a boat builder, and a great writer to boot. His Rescue Minor I want to see in person, very cool boat.


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## orion (Jul 22, 2009)

a little off topic but here is my 2007 Orion 27 open fish with 315 yanmar straight shaft.


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## orion (Jul 22, 2009)

here is another


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## orion (Jul 22, 2009)

transom and running gear


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## orion (Jul 22, 2009)

These were all taken right before I took delivery in Jan 2007 the color scheme is green with white nonskid trimmed in green very light green (entiman green taken from a color match off of a Merritt... 

From tarpon fishing in Biscayne bay to Kite fishing for Sails she does it all at 8 gallons /hour 22knots...


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## capt.doug (Aug 1, 2010)

I spoke with a man via email (name of Brooke I believe) that has lofted the lines of Rescue Minor and has all the stations drawn on Mylar. He drew them up with stitch and glue construction in mind. Someday I am gonna try it, I just think in this day and age of high $ fuel, this boat would be the catz azz.


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## B.Lee (Apr 29, 2008)

I would certainly be interested in a stich and glue version of this hull, maybe even cold molded to add some more curves to her. Any more info on these S&G plans?


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## capt.doug (Aug 1, 2010)

Check out the way Timm Schleiff made the molds for his version with stringers or battens at each panel corner. http://www.schleiffboatworks.com/rescue.htm 

This is the man with the lofted plans and / or station drawings. He modified the tunnel and made it round, no crease down the middle. I think his price was $700.00 for one set and negotiable if you wanted to produce more than one. Atkins Plans are $75.00 for conventional construction ah la 1940's
Douglas Brooks
http://thesabaniproject.blogspot.com/

84 South Maple Street
Vergennes, Vermont 05491
USA
(802) 877-3289
http://www.douglasbrooksboatbuilding.com


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## capt.doug (Aug 1, 2010)

By the way, anybody interested in co-op'ing these plans, let me know, maybe the price might come down on a per boat basis


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## capt.doug (Aug 1, 2010)

I saw this one for sale on Craigslist 


Diesel Flats Boat - $42000 (Homosassa)
Award winning flats boat."Oyster Cracker" Set up for the serious "skinny water" fisherman.
FIRST PLACE Gulf Coast Small Boat Festival. Cortez Fl.
FIRST PLACE and BEST OF SHOW Pirates Cove Wooden Boat Festival. Josephine Ala.
Powered by 25 hp. Kubota diesel, this boat gets 270 mi. to 9 gal tank. Runs in less than 8" of water. Keel cooler, wash-down, live well,Fold down tackle center, Stainless steel Tee-top and Leaning Post. Light under gunwales. Steps to forward casting deck. Raised helm for excellent visibility . Protected propeller in tunnel. Boat will run over crab pots without a snag. Will not scar grass beds or Manatees. Awl-Grip finish. Mahogany rails and trim


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## SClay115 (May 18, 2009)

This such a neat concept.

Steve


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## Sheremeta (Nov 29, 2010)

Here is a rescue minor forsale on CL 

http://panamacity.craigslist.org/boa/2069471980.html


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## Baily (Mar 29, 2010)

The plans will be out soon.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Just so you guys know Bateau is finishing up a new plan for a rescue minor style boat, naturally I would expect it to be mostly stitch and glue.


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Bateau has finished the design of there improved rescue minor style boat. I swear if it were a smaller boat (16-17ft) I would build it! Here it is, they call it a seabright tunnel

http://www.bateau.com/proddetail.php?prod=ST21


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