Panga Importers/Builders

[phil herranen]

I would choose a panga over a whaler any day

Contact lou on here. He goes by matzo here , he had one built in ensinada and then just trailerd it home

[SJ_Spearo]

Ill give it a shot. It seems that avidmarine is only selling fully kitted out boats now. Any other options to just get a hull? Even without a deck

[xrispearo]

The guys getting them in Mexico aren't doing it for any reason but to make money.

The cheapest one made here is my American panga. It's a offshoot of panga marine. I'll try to find the link but the hull us 7-9 k

[Capt.Gene]

Originally Posted by Wood Guy

I'm curious why you want to replace a 19 BW with a Panga style boat. The whaler is going to be way more stable, especially in a beam sea, but will require more hp due to it's additional weight and width. The Whaler will carry weight better, and the Panga will be more sensitive to where the weight is. The Panga will heel over a lot more when boarding from the side, and there won't be much room along side the motor for boarding from the rear. The Whaler will also carry more gear and passengers better due to the larger displacement. You could put 4 divers and their gear in the Whaler without a problem- not so sure about 4 guys and their gear in the Panga, at least a 22 footer.

The only reason I would personally prefer the Panga style over the BW would be the lower hp motor, but if I already had the Whaler I wouldn't be looking at a Panga. I haven't actually used a Panga for diving, but I live on the water and have seen a number of them underway. I'm sure Panga owners love 'em, but a Whaler would be an easy choice for me.

As far as engines are concerned, look at all of them before you make a decision. I just repowered my dive boat, and after owning only OMC engines since 1972, I repowered with twin 150 hp Mercs. They were cheaper than e tec. weighed within 20 lb of the e tec, and I could do all of the warranty and normal maint. myself, so that saves several hundred $. The Mercs are very maint. user friendly. They offer a great low end torque, and I couldn't be happier with the choice I made.

Like I always say, it's good to have choices!

I believe there are You Tube videos on Mercury motor servicing

[Capt.Gene]

Originally Posted by SJ_Spearo

Ill give it a shot. It seems that avidmarine is only selling fully kitted out boats now. Any other options to just get a hull? Even without a deck

You can contact Andy Harris with this question . He was importing Mimsa hulls for a while and now he is building hulls in Florida but might not be ready to sell just yet. He a good guy. I will pm you his number.

[SJ_Spearo]

I will give him a call. It seems pretty tough to track down even just a bare hull for a reasonable price. I guess after shipping and import fees, there isn't much profit to be made there. After looking at some DIY projects, I'm actually inclined to try to tackle the floor and console myself too. I have a few ideas for a removable false wood composite floor (trex style).

[StukNotAnchored]

Originally Posted by SJ_Spearo

I will give him a call. It seems pretty tough to track down even just a bare hull for a reasonable price. I guess after shipping and import fees, there isn't much profit to be made there. After looking at some DIY projects, I'm actually inclined to try to tackle the floor and console myself too. I have a few ideas for a removable false wood composite floor (trex style).

Thicker trex is way too heavy for the support you will get and thin (or split) trex is way too flexible. If you insist on making your own decks, console, etc. use marine grade plywood and coat it will fiberglass.

[SJ_Spearo]

I see what you are saying. I was thinking that I could get away with the thinner material because the gaps between the stringers would only be 18" or so max. I think that if I glassed the underside, it would have adequate strength. I could always do a plywood or nidacore deck, but I am looking to do something a little different with a wood look.

[SJ_Spearo]

Running the numbers for composite decking:
1"x6"x16' Board -> ~$50 / ~40lbs
Planning for 14 Boards -> ~$700 / ~560lbs
I didn't find good specs for 1/2" boards, but I assume they would be about half the above values. They might need some more reinforcement though.

How would this compare to marine plywood?

[StukNotAnchored]

Originally Posted by SJ_Spearo

I see what you are saying. I was thinking that I could get away with the thinner material because the gaps between the stringers would only be 18" or so max. I think that if I glassed the underside, it would have adequate strength. I could always do a plywood or nidacore deck, but I am looking to do something a little different with a wood look.

Build what you want out of wood and the coat it with fiberglass resin

[Capt.Gene]

That honeycomb material won' t hold a screw. Cosaboard is what I used for decking and transome. The next owner or three will thank me for building a wood free boat.

[SJ_Spearo]

The more I look into it, I think coosa or marine ply is the way to go. Well I have a few leads on hulls. Hopefully I will turn this into a build thread soon!

[xrispearo]

Originally Posted by Capt.Gene

That honeycomb material won' t hold a screw. Cosaboard is what I used for decking and transome. The next owner or three will thank me for building a wood free boat.

unless you install fishboxes or below deck hatches, theres not a single screw you would use on a panga deck

[Capt.Gene]

Originally Posted by xrispearo

unless you install fishboxes or below deck hatches, theres not a single screw you would use on a panga deck

Except for the console, T top, helm seat and scuba tank storage on my 27' hull.

[SJ_Spearo]

Alright, well I found an Imemsa w22 for sale with a very low hour etc 90 and I bought it. I wanted a project, but this combo was much cheaper than I could have built one myself for. Its pretty bare bones right now, but it has a floor and a casting deck. Now I have to get it set up. I hope you guys don't mind helping me out with things along the way. First order of business is fixing the trailer. I trailered the boat home 8 hrs from Alabama. Along the way, the rusty leaf springs gave out and the trailer self destructed. The rear axle sheared off and the front one lost the leaf spring on one side. I managed to Jerry rig it and make it home, but I want to make sure that doesn't happen again. My big question is whether I can get away with a single axle trailer setup. The trailer frame is solid. I'd use 3500lb capacity axle and leaf springs and new tires. Is this viable? My guess for total weight is about 2500lbs. I really like the maneuverability of the single axle, and I could keep 3 spare tires on hand.