Production / Custom Design

The Thomas Point Series

The Thomas Point power boat series (formerly known as the "Rabbit" series) was designed to be good-looking, soft riding, comfortable, quick and seaworthy. These boats are perfect for inshore day fishing trips and overnighting.

Designed by Kaufman Design inc. for Mast and Mallet Boatworks, they are based on a proven series of hull forms inspired by the New England lobster boat and the Chesapeake Bay Deadrise. The hull's deep vee forward provides a soft entry in rough water. The flare deflects spray. The hard chine resists rolling, while the shallow vee aft increases planing efficiency.

What a Thomas Point boat does best is handle rough water. To quote one rider, "She has the best ride I've experienced in a 30-foot boat."

Mast and Mallet Boatworks builds on essentially a custom basis at pricing competitive with production boats. The client has considerable latitude when it comes to accommodation, power train and fitting out.

The boats are available in lengths of 28, 30, 34, 36, 38 and 43 feet, in either single or twin screw configurations.

Form

The flare of the Thomas Point hull takes its inspiration from the Chesapeake Bay boats. From the New England lobster boats comes the strong rise of sheer to keep her dry in a seaway. A subtle tumble-home aft complements the flare and sheer forward to produce the unique shape that is the signature of the "Thomas Point" series.

The bottom shape was developed as a comfortable and safe sea-keeping configuration as well as an efficient planing form.

The deadrise (or the amount of "vee") forward exceeds what is normally found on high-speed offshore racers. Since it is the forward part of the boat that must take the slamming in rough water, having a high deadrise, or deep vee, forward makes for a soft ride in a seaway.

The deadrise decreases aft to approximately 9 degrees at the transom. This increases stability and planing efficiency. This configuration also has the advantage of being easier to handle at low speeds than a constant deadrise "prismatic" hull. The hard chine is most efficient for a planing hull and resists rolling better than a round bilge shape.

The result is a hull shape that has a soft ride at all speeds, well into the 30-knot range, and that handles easily and tracks well in all speed ranges. This shape has been proven in the classic hull shapes from which the Thomas Point draws, as well as the many boats of the "Thomas Point" class built by Mast and Mallet

Construction

Mast and Mallet builds the "Thomas Point" series in Edgewater, Maryland. The hull construction is an epoxy-wood composite system using double planked Western Red Cedar laid longitudinally over transverse fir frames. Four substantial longitudinal stringers are laid down over the frames and are joined to the hull skin with blocks between the frames. Each piece of wood in the hull, deck and superstructure is coated with WEST™ System epoxy to completely seal it from moisture penetration. Each piece is glued along all faying (joining) surfaces with epoxy reinforced with high strength filler.

The exterior of the hull is saturated with epoxy and sheathed with two layers of 10 oz. fiberglass cloth for extra strength and resistance to abrasion. All interior surfaces are coated with an epoxy barrier coating for an especially clean, finished appearance.

The resulting structure is a one-piece unit with the wood fibers running in the direction of the anticipated loads for maximum strength. The strength meets or exceeds that of high-speed boats of other materials, while the weight is 2000-3000 pounds less than that of an equivalent fiberglass boat. The combination of the longitudinal double planking and the longitudinal stringers that tie into the engine mounts and support the tanks, results in a structure with exceptional longitudinal strength and stiffness, while eliminating the maintenance problems associated with traditional wood construction. The epoxy coating seals out moisture and rot, and the Awlgrip (tm) coat requires only cleaning, no buffing or waxing.

Arrangement and Powering

One of the most appealing advantages of these boats is that the accommodation arrangements can be customized to fit the needs and desires of each owner. The galley can be up or down; the head arrangement and location can be altered; the berths and headroom can be built to suit the owner's desire.

Side decks are kept wide and easily accessible. Substantial, sculptured life rails forward allows anyone working or lounging forward to feel and be secure. Seats, steps and lockers are customized to the owners requirements. Cockpits are open and spacious with lots of room at the rails for landing the big ones. There's ample room for entertaining and lying out.

While most of the Thomas Points built have been single screw, some have been twin engine, and all have that option. The powering shown in the specifications for the individual boats represent the standard engine, but a variety of powering options are available for each size.

Call Kaufman Design 410-263-8900  or  Mast & Mallet at 410-798-9510 (fax: 410-798-9511) for more information. We can arrange a test ride on a Thomas Point.