The Sea Chaser was designed for a customer in Bermuda, who was looking for a boat that was easy to build and seaworthy enough to be usable as a platform for offshore fishing in the Gulf Stream waters. A wide variety of fish would be sought after so the Sea Chaser had to be fast and flexible enough to carry the different gear and rigging necessary for the different styles of fishing to be encountered. An inboard gas engine was specked both for the weight to horsepower advantage and for the economy of initial purchase of the engine itself. A good gasoline inboard can quite often be bought for about ½ the cost of an equivalent diesel engine. A straight line drive system was also specified for its ease of installation and maintenance.

The result was a boat of striking appearance with a tall windshield just aft of a boxy trunk cabin. There is a slightly lobsterboat type appearance to the Sea Chaser with a long balanced bow platform to help the lines out a bit and occasionally allow the fisherman to spear swordfish from the pulpit. A long and commodious cockpit that is self-bailing allows the boat to be easily hosed out after a long messy day of fishing.

The cabin has two bunks in it port and starboard, with a small portapotti hidden under the cushion and a bit of a galley flat forward. This cabin is a place for gear to be stowed in a lockable cabin and allow the fisherman a place of refuge out of the sun or weather to allow enough rest time to get out and start fishing again.

The Sea Chaser has been designed to be easy and quick to build and while no one should think that a project like this can be built in just a few weeks, this boat is an approachable project that could be built in a few months and could provide a lot of enjoyment for the effort.

Sea Chaser study and construction plans available here. (Imperial only)

Hull Length    22′ -11″                   Beam   8′ – 1″                      Draft   2′ – 0″                   Displacement   4,700 lbs.