[PUP] scott Bulgers' posts

[Alan]

From: Keith McGregor

Alan,
Would you care to expand on some of your reasons for not choosing Buehler?
I am quite enamored with his Diesel Duck line of boats and am interested to
learn what it was that made you go in a different direction relative to
picking a designer.  I've read his books and websites, and I really
appreciate his approach to designing passagemaking capable boats
_______________________


Sure . . . . .

I got the "design and build your own" bug back in late 2003 when I read
Buehler's book -- The Troller Yacht Book -- and found that there were few
choices for ocean crossing boats under 60 feet with three cabins (a
requirement" of ours because of two kids of different sexes).

The information from the Diesel Duck site did spark my interest --
especially the price tag.  Interested me enough to order the design study
drawings.  When I got them and spread them out to look closely I really did
not like the design a lot.  They were "OK" and would work -- but I was
worried about what I perceived to be lack of visibility from anywhere but
the pilot house.  It also seemed like it was pretty close quarters below.  I
don't think that the 55 Duck had been started at that time and the 462 was
the largest available.  It didn't seem big enough for what we wanted.

I remember spending part of a weekend in the backyard with a tape measure
and "creating" the different cabins and spaces with blue construction tape
on my driveway, trying to get a feel for the Duck space.

I exchanged a couple of e-mails with Buehler (I may have even spoken to him
once) and with quite a few with Duck owners (at the time there were not as
many as there are now).  I couldn't get any real information on whether it
couyld be "stretched" into what we did want.

All in all -- if I was single (or perhaps young and childless) and wanted to
tackle the challenge of circumnavigation with austerity the Duck would merit
a closer look.  No question it can do it and it seems that there may be some
cost advantages.  But (and it is a big but for us, it looked to me as if the
"typical" Duck was very Spartan -- almost like a bachelor's pad, but in a
boat.  I wanted something more roomy and something that was "couple friendly
 and "kid friendly."  I just never got the "feel" that the Duck would make
me happy year after year after year.  That was important because we wanted
to essentially swap the house for a boat and spend the rest of our healthy
lives on it.  That demanded more than just an ocean capable boat (which the
Duck certainly is).  It demanded an ocean capable home that was robust,
roomy, three cabins, etcetera.

Frankly, we wanted something a little more luxurious that the Duck could
offer.  Luxurious is not the right word because it conjures up thoughts of
Jacuzzis, 24/7 generators, satellite Internet and the like.  We don't expect
to live like Tiger Woods, but we don't want to feel like we were back in the
college dorm, either.  In the end, the Duck seemed more college dorm that we
wanted and it did not meet our three cabin requirement that would allow the
kids to visit or, later, one kid (and husband and grandchild).

I also read all the Bruce Roberts books and information as well and finally
ran into Kasten's site and the wealth of information available there.  I
sent e-mails and questions to a bunch of designers, including Bueller,
Roberts and others.  While they did respond and did not just blow me off,
the responses and detail of information I received from Kasten was
overwhelming and of immense help and value to my "what I want," "what can I
pay for," "what do I really need" hand wringing.  Kasten's generosity in
responding to my "what about this," "how about that," "what will it cost"
etcetera questioning had me gravitating toward him and, when I did finally
make the plunge to start the design/build adventure Kasten was a natural
choice, as I had become very trusting of him and his thoroughness.

If you are doing the design/build "thing," picking a designer and a boat
(and, later, a builder).  Involves a decent measure of that unquantifiable
feel" or "gut" for what you think is right and what you think you will be
happy with.  While that is also part of the selection of a production boat,
I think that it is a little more important, or at least a part of, the
custom boat process.  In large part that is because most custom designs don
t have much if any "track record" -- as would a Nordhavn or Krogen, etctera
buy experience.

In the years that have passed since I first made my decision there have been
a lot more Ducks built and more of a track record with that design -- so
Beuhler may be now somewhere in between the "pure" custom design/build and
pure" production extremes.  In that respect my 2003 de-selection of Buehler
and selection of Kasten, in no small measure based on an as informed as I
could be "gut" feel is now nearly 4 years old and the Ducks and Buehler now
have four years more history to consider.


Alan