Good Design Resources to Start

[Excalibur]

Hi All,

I'm thinking of a boat...

As I have moved well into my fifth decade I have begun to think about "the last boat". You know, the one you intend to retire with. I'm familiar with the compromises of sail such as slow speed and lack of space compared to modern power cruisers, and I'm good with those paticular limits. I don't need a maxicube, nor do I want one. But, I'm getting too old to enjoy hauling canvas, so I'm looking at power cruiser.

The boat that I want is:

Around 50 feet long

Designed to be efficient in the SL 1.0 - 1.2 range, but capable of reaching SL 2.0 at full power in an emergency to stay out of ugly weather.

Has enough seakindliness and stabilty such that it can be cruised offshore

Can be crewed by a couple and singlehanded if required.

Now rather than asking everyone to read the tea leaves and decide which boat I should have "So, what do you guys think about the Plankton 45?" , I thought I would do most of the homework myself. I don't intend to design the boat; I do intend to be as well informed as possible when I talk with a designer. I am looking to educate myself to the extent that I need in order to make a rational decision.

I am interested in some of the new renditions of old ideas in low power/efficient cruisers such as Ted Roberts PL46 and the Dashew FPB, but I am concerned about the stability of such narrow hulls. While I am certain that the good reps of these designers are well deserved, I am also aware that only one FPB has been built and no PL46s have been launched, so I really want to check things out for myself.

So, with the above limitations, what reference books or other resources should I be diving into? Is there any user friendly software out there that is capable of predicting ship motion and stablility attributes for displacement power boats in the 50 foot range?