42' and 50' Cruising Boat Designs

Innovative Wood Hull Design Objectives Summary

42 ft Hull: A double-planked, medium shallow-draft, full-keel, strong, stable, flush-deck, roomy and beamy hull. The layers of hull planking are hermetically sealed from each other as are the two layers of marine plywood of the decks.
42 ft Hull construction: Wood construction per Herreshoff's Scantling Rules of Construction, using the best wood and method for framing and hull planking. Nevin's Scantling Rules For Wooden Yachts and private experience were taken into account to insure that the final specifications would render the best strength to weight ratio. The scantling specifications are based on a draft 3 inches deeper than the designed draft of the hull because cruising folk tend to overload their boats. The hull is thus strong enough for any scenario one could run into at sea.
Accommodations: Accommodations resemble a one-bedroom apt. with headroom for a 6' tall person. A series of hanging lockers on each side of the hull, right under the deck, allows for ample storage. This storage alone is equivalent to 6 or 8 chests with drawers of about 2 ft x 2 ft x 1 ft high. Since all liquid storage is below the cabin sole, the remaining volume of the hull is available for living space and more storage. Usable deck space is huge as it includes the cabin top. The bowsprit has an expanded aluminum sheet deck surrounded by a pulpit, increasing deck space another 6 feet. An optional flying stern seat for three can increase the usable deck space by another foot.
The head is equipped with a stall and hand-held shower, a hand-operated head and a sink with foot operated fresh and salt water pumps. Septic will be neutralized through an electrical septic processor and either pumped overboard or led to a holding tank. Hot water is provided by a dual heat exchange system. While under power the water is heated through the engine cooling water circuit and when shore power is available through an electric heating rod. Solar water heating pads can also provide warm water.
Maneuverability: Rudder surface increases with depth to obtain the most efficient turning power where the hydrostatic pressure is greatest, deep below the surface, while prop-wash sees a smaller rudder profile. This configuration also reduces surface disturbance thus making the rudder action more efficient. The rudder can incorporate a trim surface to control rudder pressure and to be used as a control surface for the automatic pilot. The turning circle is small because on the full-keeled version, the keel increases in surface area toward the stern, with a small lateral pressure surface up front that makes the keel like a skeg for the rudder. A cable steering system with a 24" maximum diameter, 6-spoke, steering wheel is standard.
Propulsion: A Kubota, 35 shaft hp, fresh water cooled, marine diesel engine works in tandem with a 19" diameter super-rugged, dependable Variprop to push the boat at 7.3 knots at 3000 rpm with 600 rpm to spare. The Kubota engine is supported worldwide through a vast network of service and parts-supply facilities. The, high-quality, three-bladed Variprop of German design allows for quick, independent pitch adjustments of the blades for forward and reverse. The propeller shaft turns only in 'forward' directional rotation. To go from forward to reverse one shifts a propeller lever, not the engine's gear shift lever. This allows for quicker prop-thrust response. The propeller is as efficient in forward as it is in reverse- and assumes vane-stand when the boat proceeds under sail power. It is then 96% transparent to the flow of water.
Rigging: The length of hull + bowsprit suggest a ketch rig as the best layout. The mainmast extends 52.7 ft beyond the deck and the mizzenmast extends 42.3 ft beyond the cabin top deck. The stability of the vessel allows for high aspect-ratio sails. The full-sized club jib has a set of reef points half-way up. The mainsail and mizzen sail do not have a roach cut to the sails but these do have a set of reef points half way up. A second set of, huge, drifter sails is included. The drifter jib sheets are led to the end of the main sail boom and the drifter mizzen staysail sheets are led to the end of the mizzen boom. These sails can be controlled by positioning the booms and by controlling the sheets fastened to the drifter sail clews. These sails can be used in certain combinations with the regular sails. Outfitted with an automatic pilot she can be easily single-handed.
Deck and Cockpit: The decks are anti-slip and can carry lashed down items. All deck-eyes are flush-mounted. The entire deck and bowsprit are enclosed by a set of pulpits and dual, 5/16" diameter, stanchion-mounted, safety wires. Formed strips of expanded aluminum mounted on deck between the stanchions take the place of bulwarks. This allows for firm footholds on a steeply inclined deck and for blue water to freely flow off.
The cockpit can be used in a dual mode while sailing or entertaining. The cockpit coamings are low enough to allow people to sit comfortably on deck on three sides, allowing for a much larger cockpit space. The inner cockpit can accommodate a smaller crew. The deck aft of the cockpit can seat several persons. A removable table top can be mounted in the cockpit.
Electrical power: A 65 Amp engine-mounted alternator supplies power through a battery saver unit to a bank of three large-capacity batteries when the engine is running. A 15 Amp propeller shaft-driven alternator supplies current while sailing and a trickle charger takes over when shore power is available. A DC to AC converter supplies 120VAC for some minor electric appliances.
Electrical and electronics equipment: Apart from the standard entertaining systems fed by satellite dish, the vessel is equipped with a navigation pod mounted below deck against the mizzenmast. The pod features a day-read LCD screen and waas/gsp chart plotter, sonar/depth sounder and radar such as West marine's Model GPSMAP 3210C Network Bundle. The communication system, located above the cooler next to the companion way, consists of a single sideband radio and VHF unit. Today, a cell phone can probably take over from the VHF.
Safety equipment: In addition to the Coast Guard required safety equipment an effective speed impeding towed drogue, a large parachute-shaped sea anchor and an EPIRB (emergency beacon) attached to the life raft by a 20 ft long line are part of the inventory list.