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design trends

catamaran

Cruising Catamaran Choices

Today’s cruising cats offer an unprecedented range of choices, keeping the crew as close to or as separate from the kicked-back loungers as they want to be.

riggings

Deck Designs

When it comes to deck layouts, designers balance control and comfort; we explore these themes as displayed in monohulls from the 2017 Boat of the Year fleet.

The expanded cockpit on this Oyster 625 is just about perfect, and includes a generous dodger over the companionway, a central table, loads of seating and open walk-throughs.

The Cockpit: Control Central

Design Trends/Part IV: Once a place to steer and trim — period — the contemporary cockpit has become a considered haven at rest and under way.

CCA Member Brad Willauer’s Breezing Up sports a number of clean energy sources, from sails, to wind generators, to solar panels.

Report from the Green Team

Cruising Club of America members put on their thinking caps to come up with environmentally friendly sailboat design recommendations.

****Much as a blind person runs fingers over strangers’ faces to get to “know” them, I always feel that I can run my hands over the stem fitting of any vessel and with only that cursory knowledge still “know” the true nature of the craft. Is it traditional or modern, robust or flimsy, or prioritized toward fashion or function? Aside from the fact that the foredeck takes the lion’s share of punishment at sea, many of the essential tasks of sailing occur at the sharp end of our boats. Little has changed in terms of the general functions performed there: docking, anchoring, and changing or furling the headsails. But much has changed in the general design, layout, and equipment found on the modern yacht’s foredeck. Long, traditional overhangs have receded incrementally to the point that near or actual plumb stems are now the norm. While these eliminate the potential issue of long bowsprits piercing expensive topsides, they do present a new problem. If the bow roller is too short, serious damage to the stem can be prevented only with a stainless-steel flashing, an addition that’s apparently aesthetically anathema. If the anchor roller extends far enough forward to protect the stem from a gouging anchor, then it becomes subject to side loads beyond its design capabilities. Especially if the roller isn’t gusseted, care must be taken to avoid being “short scoped” under coral or rocks. Photo 1: Bavaria 50 A growing trend in modern foredecks is recessed windlasses mounted in an externally accessed rode locker. The arrangement allows sailors to clear fouled lines and chain overfalls without the need to go below.

Foredeck Design Trends in New Sailboats

A Pointed View of the Sharp End: In this first installment of a series examining the features and layouts of contemporary cruising boats, the focus is the foredeck. By Alvah Simon.

catamaran

Cruising Catamaran Choices

Today’s cruising cats offer an unprecedented range of choices, keeping the crew as close to or as separate from the kicked-back loungers as they want to be.

riggings

Deck Designs

When it comes to deck layouts, designers balance control and comfort; we explore these themes as displayed in monohulls from the 2017 Boat of the Year fleet.

The expanded cockpit on this Oyster 625 is just about perfect, and includes a generous dodger over the companionway, a central table, loads of seating and open walk-throughs.

The Cockpit: Control Central

Design Trends/Part IV: Once a place to steer and trim — period — the contemporary cockpit has become a considered haven at rest and under way.

CCA Member Brad Willauer’s Breezing Up sports a number of clean energy sources, from sails, to wind generators, to solar panels.

Report from the Green Team

Cruising Club of America members put on their thinking caps to come up with environmentally friendly sailboat design recommendations.

****Much as a blind person runs fingers over strangers’ faces to get to “know” them, I always feel that I can run my hands over the stem fitting of any vessel and with only that cursory knowledge still “know” the true nature of the craft. Is it traditional or modern, robust or flimsy, or prioritized toward fashion or function? Aside from the fact that the foredeck takes the lion’s share of punishment at sea, many of the essential tasks of sailing occur at the sharp end of our boats. Little has changed in terms of the general functions performed there: docking, anchoring, and changing or furling the headsails. But much has changed in the general design, layout, and equipment found on the modern yacht’s foredeck. Long, traditional overhangs have receded incrementally to the point that near or actual plumb stems are now the norm. While these eliminate the potential issue of long bowsprits piercing expensive topsides, they do present a new problem. If the bow roller is too short, serious damage to the stem can be prevented only with a stainless-steel flashing, an addition that’s apparently aesthetically anathema. If the anchor roller extends far enough forward to protect the stem from a gouging anchor, then it becomes subject to side loads beyond its design capabilities. Especially if the roller isn’t gusseted, care must be taken to avoid being “short scoped” under coral or rocks. Photo 1: Bavaria 50 A growing trend in modern foredecks is recessed windlasses mounted in an externally accessed rode locker. The arrangement allows sailors to clear fouled lines and chain overfalls without the need to go below.

Foredeck Design Trends in New Sailboats

A Pointed View of the Sharp End: In this first installment of a series examining the features and layouts of contemporary cruising boats, the focus is the foredeck. By Alvah Simon.

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