NA in Portland OR area?

Discussion in 'Services & Employment' started by LeoKa, Jun 19, 2025.

  1. LeoKa
    Joined: Sep 2024
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    Location: Vancouver

    LeoKa Junior Member

    I am looking for a NA in my area on the Columbia river, or Portland, OR area. The project is to design a ballast structure for my boat for improving stability.
     
  2. fallguy
    Joined: Dec 2016
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    Location: usa

    fallguy Boat Builder

    You could try Robert Allan group in Vancouver. There is a chance they have a NA on staff in the US near there.
     
  3. bajansailor
    Joined: Oct 2007
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    Location: Barbados

    bajansailor Marine Surveyor

    Don't discount the expertise on the Forum that is freely available here.
    If you tell the Forum a bit more about what you want to do, and post some photos. you might be pleasantly surprised by the a positive and helpful response.
     
    rangebowdrie likes this.
  4. LeoKa
    Joined: Sep 2024
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    Location: Vancouver

    LeoKa Junior Member

  5. comfisherman
    Joined: Apr 2009
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    Location: Alaska

    comfisherman Senior Member

    Called a few old boatyard contacts from some projects in the Oregon central coast. Suffice to say father time has permanently retired the sources we used 15 years ago.

    Asked around a few guys who've had smaller projects done and a consistent name pops up. Tim Nolan design, he's done a few smaller hull surgeries that would be in the vein your project is and looks like his web site is current. These days trades and the engineering behind it are in short supply since everyone under 50 had a high school guidance counselor steering them away from stem and the trades. Might have to settle for a few hrs up highway 5 for an architect.
     
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2025 at 1:54 AM
    bajansailor likes this.
  6. rangebowdrie
    Joined: Nov 2009
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    Location: Oregon

    rangebowdrie Senior Member

    OP, the above post is prime.
    We have zero idea of what you're even thinking.
    Are you trying to add righting moment to a sailboat? make a canoe into a sailboat? or an old Chris Craft into a motorsailor?
     
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  7. comfisherman
    Joined: Apr 2009
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    Location: Alaska

    comfisherman Senior Member

    His other thread addresses it fairly extensively.


    Tldr.

    Relatively snappy rolling steel trawler style boat, has a buoyancy pod aft that likely causes some drag but also provides flotation aft. Is currently without bilge keels or rolling chocks. Op doesn't want gyro or stabilizer options.
     
  8. LeoKa
    Joined: Sep 2024
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    Location: Vancouver

    LeoKa Junior Member

    Correct and thank you!
     
  9. LeoKa
    Joined: Sep 2024
    Posts: 61
    Likes: 11, Points: 8
    Location: Vancouver

    LeoKa Junior Member

    Thank you. I will get in touch with them.
     
  10. LeoKa
    Joined: Sep 2024
    Posts: 61
    Likes: 11, Points: 8
    Location: Vancouver

    LeoKa Junior Member

    My boat is a tender and top heavy custom steel trawler with a sailboat hull. It has been modified based on a NA recommendations in the past.
    I am looking for a simple solution to make her more seaworthy. Mounting a steel plate onto the I-beam at the very bottom of the keel, looks like the easiest and economical option. Also, it can be easily removed, if it does not work out.

    upload_2025-6-25_5-36-23.jpeg
     
  11. LeoKa
    Joined: Sep 2024
    Posts: 61
    Likes: 11, Points: 8
    Location: Vancouver

    LeoKa Junior Member

  12. LeoKa
    Joined: Sep 2024
    Posts: 61
    Likes: 11, Points: 8
    Location: Vancouver

    LeoKa Junior Member

  13. rangebowdrie
    Joined: Nov 2009
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    Location: Oregon

    rangebowdrie Senior Member

    Ah-ha, now we can "see" what you're up against.
    Just a thought, (and depending how things work out,) that I-beam provides a good "mounting" for some cast slabs of cement and boiler punchings, (or perhaps without punchings).
    A PVC tube in the mold where bolts would go.
    A simple DIY project of little cost.
     
  14. LeoKa
    Joined: Sep 2024
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    Location: Vancouver

    LeoKa Junior Member

    What is boiler punching?
     

  15. rangebowdrie
    Joined: Nov 2009
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    Location: Oregon

    rangebowdrie Senior Member

    Various sizes of metal discs that come from punching holes in sheets of metal.
    The scrap from punch presses.
    The term prefix "boiler" comes from all the holes that were punched in the end sheets of steam boilers where all the fire tubes were in a stationary or locomotive boiler.
    Many of the older sailboats from the '70s, used them for ballast.
    Some internet searching will turn-up scores of hits.
     
    BlueBell likes this.
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