Mini 650 new design

[g.ziecina]

I'm in the process of designing a boat based on the Mini650 rules but for different use than transat race. It will be a cruise vessel, sturdier than race boats (hence the aluminium construction), but a one that has a race boat air to it, possibly aimed at charter market.

I think that this question is sort of a market survey more than anything else.
I have the initial concept of the superstructure done. Now I have two options of superstructure placement.

It can be moved a bit aft, in my opinion this version looks best (we're after a cool looking design), it also gives a possibility of much wider superstructure and thus more spacious, but it leaves us with a cockpit that is only 144cm long.

By moving the cockpit one frame to the fore we gain additional 72cm of cockpit lenght, but we get cosiderably smaller superstructure and the boat looks less attractive.

The question is, which boat would you chose? Below are initiol renders of both options:

Short cockpit:
http://img534.imageshack.us/img534/8521/ssaft1.jpg

http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/8183/ssaft9.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/7392/ssaft2.jpg

Longer cockpit:
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/8198/ssfore1.jpg

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/6475/ssfore4.jpg

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/8826/ssfore3.jpg

Best regards,
Grzegorz Ziecina

[Doug Lord]

Very nice! I think if the potential customer was going to use the boat primarily for daysailing /weekends maybe the larger cockpit is best. Both look good to me. Well done!

[marshmat]

My suspicion is that there would be a market for both. I'd say the long cockpit / short cabin would likely sell slightly more boats, but there will be a few longer-term cruisers who want the larger cabin. If the hull and rig are identical, and it's aluminum, the extra cost for a builder to offer both versions would be quite small compared to the potential for more sales.
In the long-cockpit version, you may run into some structural challenges with the mast partners... the coach roof alone will probably not be enough to support the mast, if you want cruising-boat durability.

[Stumble]

For daysailing, even for weekending I would go with the longer cockpit ala the J-80. On a boat this size even when cruising the amount of time spent below is pretty marginal, making a larger cockpit much more desirable.

[g.ziecina]

Hello Gents,
thank you for the replies. We decided to go with the longer cockpit version as it does seem that much more practical than short cockpit/bigger cabin combo as you pointed out.

I also did a few tweaks to the shape and proportions. This is somewhat much closer to it's final form. How do you like it?

http://img689.imageshack.us/img689/9733/graphite21065.jpg

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/5935/graphite21064.jpg

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/292/graphite21062.jpg

and in duo tone paint scheme:
http://img693.imageshack.us/img693/8586/silvergraphite21062.jpg

Best regards,
Grzegorz Zięcina