Explore the evolution of boat design and its negative aspects. Learn how boat design has changed over time, including advancements and innovations, while also examining the drawbacks and challenges that have arisen.
Perfect for enthusiasts interested in the history and development of marine design.
Design
If at possible, contact the designer before purchasing. Often the broker may be unaware or unwilling to share knowledge problems that have occurred with sisterships. The designer can tell you if the builder accurately followed the construction plans and may be able to tell you of any issues that have arisen, including problems with:
- blisters;
- mast step;
- rudder;
- keel, etc.
Some designs have structural issues that only appear after a period of time and ocean sailing. When first approaching a designer offer to pay a consultation fee out of courtesy for their time.
Underbody Design
In the past, cruisers assumed a full-keel design with attached rudder was optimum for ocean voyaging. I have cruised on four different modern full-keel boats, plus on a boat with a longish keel and separate full-skeg and rudder. Our current boat has a semi-balanced rudder with partial skeg and for me the trade off of less protection is worth the ease of steering and added maneuverability.
Ten Types of Cruising Boats – Evolution of Yacht Design
1 Heavy Displacement Full-Keeled Double-Enders
Heavy Displacement Full-Keeled Double-Enders based on Tahiti ketch or Norwegian lifeboat lines used to be a nearly automatic choice for long distance voyaging. However, yacht design has made great advances in the past 60 years, and you may choose to take advantage of these improvements which make for faster, more comfortable passages, and smaller, more easily handled sail plans without resorting to bowsprits and boomkins.
Having said that, there are still a few folks happily cruising on their Westsail 32s and Hans Christian’s content that they have the best design for their cruising lifestyle. Remember that there is not one design or style of cruising that suits everyone.
2 Modern Full Keel
Modern Full Keel, with attached rudder and moderate displacement is another good choice for cruising in isolated areas where groundings or scrapes are common and the nearest shipyard may be thousands of miles away.
The cutaway forefoot is a faster, more maneuverable design that will have fewer tendencies to trip or broach when running under storm conditions than a more traditional type of full keel boat. Having the rudder mounted slightly above and protected by the full length of the keel and the propeller enclosed in an aperture offers the best protection against damage from collision with submerged or floating objects. Careening or hauling out in primitive boatyards is easy with this type of design. Examples include:
- Island Packet;
- Rustler 36;
- Mason;
- Cape Dory;
- Freya 39;
- Nicholson 31.
3 Skeg Protected Rudder
Skeg Protected Rudder, detached from the keel is well suited for long distance cruising. The skeg protects the rudder to some degree, and may increase directional stability.
Examples of this type of design:
- Valiants;
- Pacific Seacraft 37, 40, 44;
- Amel;
- Rustler 37, 42, 44;
- Morgan 384 & 462 and all Oysters.
There are many suitable, well-built boats of this design type and they are a popular choice for long distance ocean cruising.
4 Partial-Skeg Rudders
Partial-Skeg Rudders are semi-balanced, reducing effort required whether steering by hand, windvane or autopilot. It is like having power steering.
This type of rudder generally has three bearings, making it sturdier than a free-standing spade rudder which generally has only two bearings. The partial skeg provides some protection from logs and debris and importantly provides directional stability if the rudder is lost. The downside is that the top of the rudder balance area is prone to catching lines and weed. Examples include:
- Morris;
- Najad;
- Malo and the Frers-designed Hallberg-Rassys.
5 Long Keel/Spade Rudder
Long Keel/Spade Rudder is another viable cruising design. The longer keel provides more directional stability and importantly can more easily withstand a 6 knot grounding that a narrower, higher-aspect keel.
The unprotected spade rudder is more vulnerable to being damaged by groundings or hard impact with objects. There are several very Types of Yachtsuccessful cruising designs that have a longer, substantially supported keel (not a thin, high-aspect keel) and strong rudderstocks. Some examples of this type of design appropriate for offshore voyaging are:
- Niagara 31, 35, 42;
- Outbound 44, 46, 52;
- Sundeer;
- Deerfoot.
If your cruise plans involve high latitude sailing or gunkholing in remote areas, you will need to be more cautious with this type of design.
6 Fin Keel/Spade Rudder
Fin Keel/Spade Rudder is by far the most common type of sailboats built today. Disadvantages for serious cruising include inability to survive a 6 knot grounding without substantial damage, high loading in a very small area of the hull which has resulted in sinkings due to loss of keels and inability to track in a straight line if rudder is lost plus tendency to pound when sailing to windward.
These designs are frequently designed and built for bareboat charter market so generally have limited fuel tankage, deck and interior storage for extended cruising. It is possible to cruise on these type of boats as long as you understand the limitations.
7 Centerboard/Lifting Keel
Centerboard/Lifting Keel is a design that French yards have popularized with the ubiquitous Ovni series and now the popular Garcia and Allures series. Jimmy Cornell’s new Garcia Exploration 45 is a very sturdy and exciting design with good sailing performance.
Southerly Yachts in England have built many sturdy and attractive lifting keel designs. Basic Hull, Keel, and Rudder ShapesTraditional centerboard designs by Bristol including their 35,5 to 53,3 and the Tartan 37 are well-proven.
8 Charter-oriented Catamarans
Charter-oriented Catamarans are very popular for tropical cruising. Primarily designed and built for the charter trade they sport many double cabins, maximum interior volume and unimpressive sailing performance, particularly upwind, similar to or slower than a modern monohull of the same length.
Their low bridge deck clearance produces interesting noises upwind and their saildrives, unprotected spade rudders and balsa cored hulls are vulnerable to damage from groundings or impact with objects at sea. However, if you’re not planning extended ocean passagemaking or are cruising with kids in the tropics, these boats are very comfortable and stable. Examples include:
- Lagoon;
- Leopard and Fountaine Pajot.
9 Cruising-oriented Catamarans
Cruising-oriented Catamarans not designed or built for the charter trade present an attractive alternative. Frequently storage, tankage, engine access and overall quality (and price) are higher than on Ownership and Financial Side of Yacht Purchasingcharter boats.
Examples include Antares (in a category of its own in terms of design, construction quality and customer service):
- Manta;
- Dolphin;
- Voyage/Norseman;
- St. Francis;
- Island Spirit;
- Admiral and Chris White designs.
10 Performance Cruising Catamarans
Performance Cruising Catamarans feature higher bridge deck clearance (no kabooms from wave slap), substantially better sailing performance and better overall design and construction.
At the more expensive high-performance end we find Outremer, Catana, Switch and the very expensive Gunboat, several of which utilize carbon fiber and composite panels instead of plywood for interior furniture and bulkheads.
Negative Design Aspects to be Avoided
Bowsprits longer than 24″ often prove to be a liability when anchoring or maneuvering in close quarters.
Low freeboard may indicate a design that will ship a lot of spray and water with the wind forward of the beam on ocean passages.
Excessive freeboard may cause poor windward performance, difficulty boarding from a dock or dinghy and the tendency to «sail» back and forth at anchor.
A small amount of weather helm as the wind increases is desirable, but an excessive amount that cannot be decreased by sail trim or rig tuning may mean that a boat will be difficult to steer by hand, windvane or autopilot.
If the design is excessively tender, you’ll have to get used to living, cooking, navigating and sleeping at 25 to 30 degrees angle of heel every time you are sailing to windward, something you will find fatiguing. A comfortable motion at sea is very important.
A vessel with a short waterline and long, graceful overhangs will be slower and often tends to hobbyhorse or pitch when to sailing to windward making upwind passages uncomfortable and difficult. Another drawback is frequently a lack directional stability when sailing downwind in a large following sea.
Excessively broad sterns make for large cockpits and big interiors but can increase motion and decrease directional stability in a seaway or gusty winds.
Keels
Some keel designs are better suited to withstanding a hard grounding without damage.
A longer keel with external lead ballast attached to a substantial stub that is an integral part of the hull absorbs groundings well. When external ballast is used, keel bolts attaching the keel to the hull must be accessible, the root of the keel (where it attaches to the hull) shouldn’t be narrow and keel loading must be spread out through a substantial grid or floor system. Lead absorbs impact much better than cast iron and because it is a denser material, results in stiffer boat. Preventing corrosion on a cast iron keel is a near-constant maintenance issue.
Another option is internal lead ballast that is lowered into the keel cavity and then fiberglassed into place. Internal lead ballast eliminates some potential problems with keel attachment, but check closely during survey for any voids or water penetration in the keel area between the ballast and fiberglass. Read Surveying Fiberglass Sailboats for more details. Cast iron or mixtures of iron and cement are less desirable internal ballast materials, resulting in a boat that heels more quickly and has less room for tankage above the keel.
Centerboards and lifting keels are an option if your plans include more coastal cruising than ocean voyaging, but the increased complexity and lowered stability are slight drawbacks for windward performance and ease of maintenance.
High aspect fin keels (deep draft but narrow fore and aft) are best suited for racing boats. Running aground can result in loss of the keel or damage to the area where the trailing edge of the keel meets the hull and can cause leaks around the keel bolts.
Wing keels reduce draft, but the tradeoff is that with a shape similar to some types of anchors, it can prove very difficult to get the boat off following a grounding without damaging the keel. The loading on the keel when attempting to kedge or be towed off is enormous because of the extra surface area of the wings.
Aft vs. Center Cockpit
Nigel Calder makes a clear argument as to why he prefers aft cockpit design. I can make a reasonable argument for either design, but personally prefer a center cockpit in boats over 40′-42′ as long as the cockpit isn’t unduly high off the water. Some of the advantages I appreciate with center cockpits include more privacy, much better engine access and less danger of the cockpit being filled from breaking following seas. Some designers try to maximize interior height in the aft cabin and engine room, resulting in a high cockpit sole with minimal cockpit seatbacks.
Steering Position
The location of the steering position is also important. If the wheel is mounted at the far aft end of the cockpit, it is difficult to protect the helmsperson with a cockpit dodger.
Transom
The ideal stern for a cruising boat includes a built-in swim step on a slightly reversed transom stern. This not only makes getting in and out of the water and dinghy easy, but allows easy access when moored stern-to a dock or wall, common in less developed cruising areas. Double-enders may look salty, but the loss of valuable, hard-to-replace lazarette storage space and buoyancy aft must be taken into consideration. Frequently double-enders have a tendency to «squat» in the stern and hobbyhorse sailing to windward when loaded with cruising gear. Valiants are the exception to this because their beam is carried well aft with little overhang.
Rig
Sloop rig is the simplest choice and what the majority of long distance cruisers are choosing. Many yacht designers and cruisers are adding a removable inner forestay on which a very simple, hank-on storm staysail can be set after furling the headsail.
Cutter rigs work very well on vessels over 45′. On boats under 45′ they add clutter and complexity.
Ketch rigs were popular before dependable roller furling. After sailing 70 000 miles and 7 years on our ketch-rigged Hallberg-Rassy 42 we were delighted to have the cockpit and aft deck free of a mizzen mast when we changed to our current vessel, a sloop. Amel of France builds excellent cruising boats. Why they still offer only ketch rigs is a total mystery!
Engine
The ability to maintain at least 6 knots under power will get you in most passes and channels at the time of least current. A rule of thumb is two horsepower per thousand pounds of displacement for a sufficiently powered cruising sailboat. Purists may say that this is excessive, but in my experience it has been an advantage to have sufficient power to deal with currents and the ability to motorsail to windward for short distances into steep chop when necessary.
Saildrives are a negative, but not quite a deal breaker. They are substantially more vulnerable to damage from floating debris and to corrosion from stray electrical current. For many servicing points, the boat must be hauled out of the water.
Points to Consider on an Engine:
1 How good is everyday access? Can the raw water pump be removed without dismantling the engine or engine mount? How easy is it to make hourly visual inspections when the engine is running?
2 Can the engine be removed if necessary for rebuilding or replacement without having to destroy the cockpit or companionway?
3 Is there a working engine hour meter and logbook showing maintenance history?
4 What is the range under power? A very minimum of 600-800 mile range under power for long distance cruising where fuel may not be available for months at a time is only marginal, from my experience.
Read also: Recommendations for Choosing the Type of Boat
Ideally the boat you are considering will have a common make of engine that will be easy to find parts and service for in less-developed cruising areas.
Best manufactures for worldwide parts availability are:
- Volvo;
- Caterpillar;
- and Cummins.
Next best:
- Yanmar;
- Perkins.
Most difficult to obtain parts for are:
- Westerbeke;
- Beta;
- Universal;
- BMW;
- Isuzu;
- Mercedes;
- Pisces;
- Sole;
- Pathfinder and Bukh.
Some companies, Bukh and Beta for example, don’t have parts distributors in many companies (countries?) but have excellent availability and quick shipments from their headquarters.
When I bought my Hallberg-Rassy 31, I thought the 25 hp diesel engine was overkill for a displacement of only 9 500 lbs, but the top speed of 7,2 knots, cruising speed of 6,5 knots and maximum range under power at 5 knots of 1 200 proved useful.
My 42′ ketch displaced 25 000 pounds and was powered with a 62 hp engine which proved very adequate in areas like Patagonia, Antarctica and Alaska where conditions dictated powering for weeks at a time, encountering strong currents and tidal rips and fierce katabatic winds daily.
Our present 48′, 38 000 lb boat has a 95 hp. engine which provides an 8,3 knot top speed, and a 1 500 mile range at more economical 6 knots. I have supplemented standard fuel tankage with jerry jugs stowed in cockpit lockers (but not on deck) with each of these boats.
