No Plane Jane
Glacier Bay Catamaran owners can't get their boats up on plane- and as a result, they're delighted. Larry Graf, the founder of Glacier Bay, began building the first prototype hull about twenty years ago. Larry was convinced that a shallow draft, displacement, catamaran hull would provide an exceptional combination of speed and sea-keeping capability. Glacier Bay's twin hulls are each shaped more like a sailboat, (with a pronounced "V"), rather than the broad, flatter bottom typically associated with higher speed monohulls. As we discovered on a blustery winter day in Port Gardner Bay off Everett Washington, the handling characteristics of a Glacier Bay catamaran aren't merely slightly different from "most boats", but are in a unique class rapidly becoming appreciated by increasing numbers of NW boaters.
Glacier Bay Catamarans are a local product, built in a state-of-the-art plant in Monroe, Washington. The company has grown from a one-man, backyard operation to employ about 200 boat builders in an 82,000-sq. ft. facility. Glacier Bay produces 15 different models of Glacier Bay Catamarans from 22-34 feet, with the greatest number of models available in the 26-foot category.
We were privileged to participate in some of the initial trials of Glacier Bay's new version of its 34-foot hardtop express cruiser. The 2006 "Columbia" edition is the first 34-foot Glacier Bay to utilize sterndrive propulsion; (previous 34's have incorporated inboard engines or outboard motors). Bob Aman, (a Glacier Bay dealer from Oregon), and freelance writer Leslee Jacquette joined us for the afternoon. Among the representatives from Glacier Bay on hand for the event was David Pugh. David was the design engineer for the inboard and outboard Glacier Bay 34's, but he says he was only "peripherally involved" in the modification to the sterndrive configuration that differentiates the "Columbia".
Glacier Bay's 34-foot Columbia features a broad foredeck, very walkable sidedecks, and one of the largest cockpits you'll find on a boat under 40-feet. The styling of the superstructure and molded hardtop is contemporary looking, but no so overstated that the boat is likely to become "dated" anytime soon.
As we entered the main cabin, we noted the abundance of natural light and the almost unrestricted visibility from the helm. There are three large windshield panels, large windows to port and starboard, and there is only a half bulkhead aft with a roll-up weather canvas. Even in early December, the optional diesel cabin heater provided a warm and toasty environment forward of the canvas.
"I tend to look at a boat from a fishing standpoint," said Bob Aman, "and that canvas aft is a lot more practical than a fixed bulkhead with a door. When you're out fishing, a lot of times you'll have everybody sitting in the main cabin and talking. As soon as somebody gets a strike, however, they all want to get out into the cockpit at once. Trying to put 9 guys through a small door in a matter of a couple of seconds is pretty tough to do," grinned Bob.
At the dock:
David Pugh showed us around the 34 Columbia, beginning with a tour of the generously proportioned, "self-bailing" (four two-inch drains) cockpit. He pointed out a molded fixture in the port forequarter. "This is ordinarily our bait center," said David, "but this boat was ordered with the entertainment center option." David raised the lid on the fixture to reveal a wide barbecue grill and a sink with hot and cold pressure water concealed beneath. Two storage bins and an icemaker were built into the base of the fixture. "Usually we have our 45-gallon live well right here, with a cover on it, of course, and the sink is provided more for rinsing fishing lours than for entertaining. Under the lid of the bait center version we mount a series of tackle boxes that are hinged so that they always stay horizontal. When you open the lid, the tackle boxes are all open and ready to use. There is a place to mount an optional fish finder on the lid of the well."
Switches located adjacent to the entertainment center or live well operate cockpit lights, fish locker circulation pumps, and washdown pumps. "In the outboard version of the 34 Glacier Bays," remarked David, "there are two five-foot long fish lockers that extend up underneath the main cabin. In this sterndrive version, the fish locker is built into the transom and is almost six feet long." We checked out the huge fish locker, and concluded that any boat coming back to the dock with more fish than could be accommodated in the Glacier Bay locker would probably need to apply for a commercial license.
Larry Graf owned 17 boats before he began building Glacier Bay Catamarans, and in nearly 20 years a number of small but important conveniences likely to be appreciated by seasoned boaters have become standard in the line. "You'll notice, here in the cockpit, that we provide two sets of cleats. The larger set is for mooring lines, and the smaller set is strictly for fenders. That prevents a lot of unnecessary tangling of mooring lines and fender whips," said David.
We raised a hatch on the port side of the cockpit to inspect the engine room below. Molded steps, wide enough to for practical use even in a seaway and capped with a non-skid diamond plate material provide easy access to the machinery space. The sterndrive configuration moves the engines, (Mercruiser 350 Magnum, 300HP gas engines with Bravo II outdrives), far enough aft to allow plenty of service access room or stowage. Our test boat was rigged with a 5KW genset, also in the port hull. We noted that all through hulls below the waterline were bronze, and that wiring, plumbing, and other systems appeared well installed and carefully routed.
Glacier Bay's 34 Columbia is wired with two 30-amp AC circuits, and the shorepower cables connect to terminals protected with screw-on covers on the face of the entertainment center (or bait center) console. "The A/C breakers are right next to the cable sockets," observed David, "so you don't need to run to some other location in the boat to throw a switch prior to disconnecting or immediately upon reconnecting the power. There is also a connection for Cable TV and phone which is standard."
The house and starting battery banks are located under a hatch on the starboard side of the cockpit. A 40-amp charger is standard, with an additional charging option available when the Columbia is equipped with an optional inverter. "We're using the new B.E.T system battery switches," remarked David. "The switches use voltage sensitive relays so that any battery that when batteries are combined any individual battery that becomes too discharged is automatically taken off line."
We noted a grippy non-skid deck in the cockpit, thigh high bulwarks with continuous bolsters, stainless hardware, a transom door, and good (quick) access to sidedecks and foredeck when battling a thrashing derby winner. The Glacier Bay Columbia 34 cockpit will be appreciated by fishermen, but also provides an ideal place for setting up a couple of folding lounges for afternoon naps or just "hanging out" with friends and family.
Catamarans usually emphasize an ample beam, and feature large cabin areas on the main deck. The Glacier Bay 34 Columbia is no exception. We had four people in the main cabin for much of the day, and there would easily have been room for at least four more.
A molded fixture is in the aft starboard quarter of the main cabin. "This is where we could install a dry bar," said David, "and there is room for a refrigerator below. This boat was ordered with the refrigerator deleted to create room for an extra locker." We looked into the locker, where two large fenders were stowed and there was still plenty of space for additional gear.
An L-shaped dinette area is to port, with stowage under the hinged aft section of the seating. Our test boat had a Webasto diesel heater, a 2000-watt inverter, the Y-valve for the holding tank, and sufficient space for a lot of miscellaneous stowage under the settee. A beautifully varnished teak dining table can be adjusted to convert the dinette into an oversized double berth.
A comfortable helm chair is situated on the centerline, with a surprising feature. "There is an extra cushion that slides into some receivers under the helm chair to turn the single helm seat into a double," said David. "It does restrict access to the compartments below deck on the port side when it's in place, so we made it removable. You'll notice the same receivers underneath the forward edge of the settee. That same removable cushion can be installed to extend the settee from an L-shape into more of a U-shape and increase the available seating."
David pointed out the chart locker, just to starboard of the helm and equipped with a see-through Plexiglas top. The three windshield panels are cleaned and wiped by a washdown system and individual wipers controlled by a Vetus wiper control. The three wipers can be operated in a variety of groups and various intermittent intervals. Just below the port and starboard sections of the windshield, Glacier Bay incorporated two horizontal vents (David referred to them as "Naquaducts") that can be opened to create a flow of fresh air through the main cabin on a warm day, but are specifically designed to keep spray and water out.
"The optional electronics package that we offer with this boat features Simrad equipment. We do a 10-inch fishfinder to port, a 15-inch GPS chartplotter in the center, and a 10-inch radar to starboard."
The galley is three steps down from the main cabin, in the starboard hull, and is accessed through a double width sliding door. "We wanted to have anybody working in the galley still able to be part of things going on in the main cabin," said David. We noted that there is a sense of being "down" in the galley, (but not "down" in a hole), and that it was still possible to make eye contact with people standing or seated on the main deck. The galley is naturally oriented fore and aft, and is extremely well equipped. A combination of teak joinery, impressive countertops, and very capable fixtures and appliances will provide adequate stowage, sufficient prep space, and options to cook a full meal. A microwave oven, electric cooktop, and two undercounter refrigerator/freezers are all standard on the 34 Columbia.
Forward of the galley in the starboard hull is the guest stateroom, which doubles as a handy office or study. The bunk cushions stack forward to reveal a writing desk and swing-out seat.
David pointed out that each hull has a molded, fiberglass liner. Teak hatches in the port and starboard cabin soles allow access to nicely finished stowage spaces. Headroom in all below-deck compartments is exceptional.
The master stateroom is accessed from the port hull, and utilizes most of the space under the foredeck. The bunk in the master stateroom is a full queen size berth at the head, tapering to slightly less than queen size at its foot. A clever sliding panel in the bulkhead separating the master stateroom from the guest stateroom will allow communication with the smaller compartment when it is being used as an office, or just as easily permit adults in the master stateroom to check on any offspring (supposedly) sleeping in the guest stateroom.
The head is in the starboard hull, aft of the master stateroom. Even in the rather definitely defined dimensions within a catamaran hull, Glacier Bay has equipped the Columbia 34 with a head that exceeds standards for many boats of similar size. A dedicated shower area (with an optional, curved Plexiglas door) an electric flush marine toilet, a stainless sink, large mirrors, and plenty of stowage have been engineered into the compartment without any apparent sense of crowding.
The AC and DC distribution panel is in the companionway between the master stateroom and the head. "The bilge pump breakers actually tell a little bit more about the Glacier Bay story," said David. "On the 34, with the way our liners are designed and the way our bulkheads are underneath, there are actually three separate water tight bilge compartments and each has a dedicated bilge pump. One bilge runs forward from the aft bulkhead of the master stateroom, the second bilge runs aft to the aft bulkhead of the head, and the third is the engine room. There is also a high-flow pump for each side, backing up the other three units, so we have a total of four bilge pumps for each hull."
Underway:
We actually enjoyed two "sea trials" of Glacier Bay boats that December day between Mukilteo and Everett. Leslee Jacquette joined us aboard a 26-foot Glacier Bay "chase boat" and we took a series of running photos featuring the 34 Columbia.
Our ride aboard the 26-footer was an excellent prelude to experiencing the 34. Conditions were a normal, Puget Sound area two-foot "winter chop" with scattered whitecaps and almost no breaking waves. It was the type of water in which most boats will slow down to minimize pounding and spray. We throttled up to a hot cruise at the mouth of the Snohomish River, and sped along through all the snotty water as if conditions had been dead calm. We ran for a while at WOT in the 26, (according to the GPS we were turning something over 30 mph). Even at WOT we experienced nary a slam, a splash, or a wall of spray to remind us that most boats would never attempt that same sort of speed in the prevailing conditions- unless prepared to pay an uncomfortable price.
In grumpy seas, Larry Graf's no-plane design principle really struts its stuff. The shallow draft catamaran hulls slice through, rather than "bounce over" the crests, and the resulting ride is less active and far more comfortable than one would expect to experience with most hull forms.
We made a few high-speed turns in the 26-footer, but Glacier Bay Catamarans don't really turn in the traditional sense of the word- it would almost be more accurate to say they "pivot". At over 25 miles an hour in 2-foot seas we were able to bring the helm hard over, executing a 360-degree turn in about 3 boat lengths, while the ride remained almost entirely flat. We experienced an extremely slight sensation of leaning "out", rather than into very high-speed turns. It has been suggested that the hull is actually remaining fairly flat during those maneuvers and that the sensation has to do with centrifugal force affecting the balance of a standing body- but the very slight "outward" sensation would require a short adjustment period before most boaters would consider it a normal experience. At moderate or slow speeds, there is no doubt that the hull remains virtually level.
We came up (very carefully) alongside and transferred into the Columbia 34. All of the impressive aspects of the 26-foot chase boat proved to be inherent in the 34 as well. The ride was even smoother. We laid with seas abeam off of Mukilteo, barely wobbling as first one hull and then the other would "step over" the advancing crests. The stainless wheel on the Columbia 34 was fit with a "necker knob" (readers under 50, don't bother to ask) which proved handy in bringing the boat around as sharply as possible. The Columbia 34 will turn as tightly and as quickly as one can crank the wheel.
We made some speed runs in the Glacier Bay 34 Columbia, with the twin 300 HP Mercruisers and a set of aluminum props that David said "might not be the final props for this boat. We usually get just a little more speed with a stainless prop, and Glacier Bay hulls traditionally can swing a good-sized wheel. I've got a call into Mercruiser to inquire about changing the gear ratios in the Bravo II outdrives and that might get us a bit more speed."
Wide open throttle for the 350 Mercruisers is 5000 RPM, and the Glacier Bay 34 was not over-propped as we could easily achieve full engine speed. Many boaters might decide to cruise a 5000-RPM engine somewhere near 3500 RPM, so we ran at 3500, into the wind, and obtained a GPS reading of 22.4 mph. At 4000 RPM we reached 26.2 mph, at 4500 RPM we flirted with 30mph speed readings, and running at WOT we reached speeds of over 34 mph. At the leisurely pace of 3000 RPM we maintained a speed of just over 15-mph.
Conclusions:
We compared impressions with Leslee Jacquette as we motored back to the Port of Everett. We seemed to agree that the Glacier Bay 34 Columbia will appeal to people who want a serious fishing boat (but aren't really concerned about cruising), as well as to people who primarily want a family cruising and vacation boat and may do little or no fishing during the year. It isn't at all difficult to imagine this boat cruising the Inside Passage to Alaska, anchoring out in Princess Louisa inlet, chasing tuna 30-miles offshore, spending a family weekend in Port Townsend, or hosting some friends at a yacht club social event.
