Motorsailers

[kharee]

How do Atkin motorsailers in the 30'-44' range compare to the Hartley Tahitian range motorsailers? For buildability, hull voume, shape, simplicity of design? Built in strip plank. Would a hard dodger on an Atkin boat suffice or is a low pilothouse better? When I look at the stabilizing gear needed for a passage making power boat, motorsailing makes more sense to me. Generous accomodations for one couple plus generous tankage. The simplest of adequate sail and rigging. Is the area Atkin usually gives for sail enough? In Europe there is a rating system which starts with "A" for ocean capable craft to "B" which is out ot 60 miles, then "c" I guess coastal cruisers....and so on. I guess you can call it a rating of ultimate seaworthiness. "A" meaning go for it! What about these boats in this respect? Atkin boats disclaim any changes to the plans.I don't know if they were designed for ocean passages or just general cruising, coastal and maybe the islands. To what level was the Atkin boats usually designed?

[TeddyDiver]

It would be easier to answer a specific question.
If http://www.boat-links.com/Atkinco/Sail/Erin.html is one and
http://www.hartley-boats.com/tahi37.html the other so they are both capable to do the job. The "rating" is more or less determined by which way some details are done, the dimension, strength and the quality of components used. So the same boat can be built either in A,B or C categories or what ever rating system one uses..

[kharee]

Thank Teddy for your quick reply. I was in Helsinki in 1969 while in the US Navy. I was on a NATO cruise aboard the USS Newport News. I still have photo slides of our port of call. Protestors on the piers! I really value the opinions of those who sail as I do not sail. I really like the Hartley Tahitian designs and who would not love an Atkin design! Specifically what do you think of the Atkins designs Kaisa and Roughwater ? Erin does look like a boat that is in the water not on top of the water. A low deckhouse is needed for liveaboard in most climates. I would not want to spoil an Atkin design which is why I have focused on those Atkin designs which already havy some type of deckhouse or shelter. I don't wish to invoke the Atkin curse for altering their design. The Tahitian designs I find quite attractive and they should have more modern building methods which can be easier to build.

[TeddyDiver]

They were quite crazy times with radical movements, maoists etc. Still like to tease some of them couse most are more or less conservatives nowadays
I think you are right not wanting to change a classic design like Atkins, and becouse of their low draft, they aren't so suitable to carry pilothouses etc. Those two you asked about, are real beauties, narrow and long keeled is to my taste. I'm currently bulding my project and it's LOA 33', 10' beam motorsailer with a pilothouse, and it's a bit more like Tahitian..

[lacage]

Have a look at my web site and consider building in my method of construction. Cheers Peter from down under www.bourneboats.com.au