small offshore yacht design

Swarbrick Pinnacle

Hi There,

I recently bought a (modified) Swarbrick Pinnacle 25ft. The boat is fast and weatherly and easy to sail single handed (some pics attached) and roomy enough for one or two. The one I boaught was sailed around the top of Australia from Perth to Cairns by a couple with not autohelm or steering assistance what so ever. My first sail in her was single handed in about 30 knots of wind and 2m seas with one reef in the main and the jib partially furled and I fealt completely under control, safe and happy.

I cant seem to find plans specifically mentioned on the web. This may (or may not) be them http://quotesys2.sailrite.com/ShowAd.aspx?id=6695&SourceID= 0 &BoatName=SWARBRICK 25

John Swarbrick is an excellent designer from Perth. His "Spacesailor" 27 (and there may also be a smaller version - 24ft perhaps) is very popular in Western Australia and is very roomy. I am told that the Pinnacle 25 is a very popular racing model in Perth. However none of this appears specifically on what I think is his web site http://www.swarbrickandswarbrick.com.au/index.html. You could ask via the website if interested.

Cheers,
Andrew

 

Couple more shots

attached

 

Hi Wayne,

I like your idea. I've done some offshore sailing on <40' boats, although not as small as 30'. Small boats intrigue me though. Here are my thoughts if you are interested...

I have found that once you load down a racer/cruiser with supplies for a longer journey, it sits rather low in the water and therefore some of the speed advantage is negated. It might also be a liability in heavy seas, since heavily loaded R/Cs tend to dig-in more. This is all aside from being a downright harsh ride!

For this reason, I would choose a more full-bodied design, with ample buoyancy in the bow section, that is capable of carrying the added weight necessary for a longer trip. Besides, you might want to haul back a baby rhino from Africa, right? Not to mention the possibility of more tankage due to the buoyancy.

From an interior layout perspective, it means that you can design bigger storage into the saloon (I prefer wide longitudinal settees there, with storage under and behind each) and have considerably more living area for the same length vessel. Maximum interior volume is especially important in that length range.

I agree completely. I'm not a big fan of V-berths either. As you say, it's where the head should be in this case.

You might want to consider a raised galley and nav station section. It doesn't need to be raised much; just enough so you can see forward out of some round ports or windows while you are standing. That way, you can cook, navigate, do repairs--all while keeping watch from inside the boat. It's better than always climbing the ladder to view what's in front of you.

It's sort of a nice safety feature too. Imagine you get really sick while underway--a major chest infection!--so at least you can stay in the heated cabin. It might save your life. I once had near-pneumonia while underway. Luckily, I wasn't single-handing, so I could sleep down below the whole time. If I was, then I would have needed to rig a chair or hammock with view to the outside. I've even seen someone rig a chair to the companionway! He designed a Plexiglas pyramid over the hatchway to cover his head.

Anyway, aside from providing more space for tankage, raising that section of floor gives you better engine access under the companionway steps. That's because it enables the cockpit floor to be raised--all without adding extra steps to the companionway ladder. As a trade-off, you'll have a step between galley/nav and saloon instead.

Having more space underneath the cockpit means that you can put a 'playpen' double under there to compensate for the lost V-berth. It would be great for resale, considering that most people expect at least 4-berths in a 30-footer. Even if you don't sleep down there while underway, you can use the space to store awkwardly shaped items, like a bicycle!

Linked below is a design from which you might want to draw ideas. The V-berth could be nixed and cockpit floor raised for that sleeping area underneath, as I described (notice the short companionway steps; plenty of room to raise it). You don't necessarily need to go that high with the wheelhouse. Just realize that a pilothouse as shown here probably requires the flush deck design, when considering the height needed above the galley's counter top. But a flush deck might nicely offset its cost! Also, you can do it much simpler regarding windows. Round ports can be less expensive, but it depends on your desired aesthetics. Notice the nice camber on the rooflines to reduce windage from the side.

http://www.buy-a-boat.com/Gulf32PH.htm

That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it! ...for now

Cheers!
Kristian

 

Hey, here's another idea...

Make that nav station area as versatile as possible. Create alternate mount points along that side, at various heights, so the chart table can be converted to a two-person dinette when in port (seats facing each other). Aside from making the boat more livable, it'll keep the saloon free of crumbs :!: Plus, you'll be able to enjoy your scenic destinations rather than being down in the 'cave' all the time. If not for yourself, then think resale!

Also, create mount points (or use the ones described above) for a solid work bench with vice. When attached temporarily, you can do repairs while underway. Incidentally, the side wall makes great usable storage space for tools when fitted with simple cabinets or bins.

Don't know if you're still reading, but I'm getting excited about your boat

Kristian

 

open 30

since 2000 there is a small oceanic class "open 30"

there are only a few exemplars and they are trying to expand the class, so I guess the builders wouldn´t have any problem with sharing plans



http://www.open30.org/


Martin Blilloch designed an open 30 for the shipyard Cuarenta Grados Sur, I would contact him:
tel: +54 1141458428
info@billoch.com
http://www.billoch.com/

 

HI Finlander,

Thank you for your ideas, ive been pretty bust at wk recently hence the delay in responding, and im glad your getting excited about my boat, send me an email on a different address as id like to chat in more detail bout your thoughts.

And to all the others thanks for the photos, keep them coming as im taking bits out of alot of places at the moment and im thinking that the end result will be just fantastic

 

Unfortunately Charlie Whipple's Sundowner Resolution is at the moment breaking up on rocks of the Great Barrier Island, while Charlie himself was airlifted out after he triggered his EPIRB...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10517875

Kaa

 

I like Finlander’s basic, well thought-out, design premise… for your stated use, I’d second the motion for a boat intended to carry the weight of stores you envision – at, or above, its designed waterline… for the most part, boats with a racing heritage (or cruiser-esque variations designed to appeal to those who fancy themselves racers…) will have limited carrying capacity – except for the fact that solo, you (just) might be able to stay with the designer’s parameters, given that the designer probably had to anticipate the occasional weights of the kids, mother-in-law and portly ol’ aunt Maude.

Although I’ve lived aboard and sailed boats up through the 42-48 foot range in years past, I’ve long been intrigued by the concept of sailing in the small – generally smaller than you envision I think, am currently refurbishing a Bristol 24 which seems compactly palatial (is than an oxymoron…) for my current purposes – and am confident that your under-30 (cost based) constraint isn’t much of a restriction… indeed for solo sailing, it should move you nicely up the food-chain, where you have room for a permanent nav-station, that isn’t required to serve a dual proposes as a table, work-bench or the like…

Some time ago Jay Benford sketched up a very shippy looking full-keel, 26’ (on deck) cutter – never actually saw a real one, don’t know if any were built… and for many years I had a spreadsheet set up to manipulate his lines for his 39’ Prometheus design done into something in the low to mid 20 foot range… never did engage him in the project (since they were his lines, I assume he still owns them…), but spent many a happy hour fantasizing what a nice little blue-water boat might be the result… but for now am wonderfully content with Paul Coble’s Bristol design – being more or less a three ton boat, it just fits within the old rule of thumb that a voyaging boat should have somewhere in the neighborhood of 3000-5000 pounds of displacement for each intended crew…

Good luck…

 

Read your requirements and recommondations from above and studied various yachts offered and (fully)understand that up till now you have not decided yet. Amazingly we seems to have the kit of a 30' nearly customized for you. It is fast 11 + kts in Beaufort 3-4. Double skinned, full bodied, space for big tanks etc.
Glad to send all info you want E-mail gouloozeyachts@absamail.co.za

 

You may want to look at Lyle Hess the southern California designer of the Pardey's boats Serrafin and Talesin. These are based on the old English fishing boats from the south coast of England. While they are heavy displacement long keelboats they have a good sized rig and are no slouches under sail. They are just about bullet proof for the type of sai ling you indicate that you want to do. The Pardeys have circumnavigated the 24 foot Serrafin and have recently completed their second circumnavigation in Talesin. Also John Guzwell's Trekka, a Laurent Giles design may be of interest, she was only 24 ft long if I remember correctly, but sailed around the world with no problems.

 

You couldn't go wrong with a Vertue.

I have a soft spot for the Cape George 31 (www.capegeorgecutters.com). There were a couple on yachtworld when I looked a few weeks ago.

 

Hi,
another design that you may want to look at is Benford's 34 foot dory yacht Badger. Mike and Annie Hill cruised this boat for about 15 years including a trip to the arctic. See their book Cruising on a small income.. The chinese lugsail rig is very easy to handle which would make it suitable for single handing. This design, while a little longer than you asked for, is very easy to build and it is a proven cruising design and the hills built theirs in less than two years as I recall.
If you choose to purchase a boat then look at the Westsail 32. This design is bulletproof as a cruiser and although it has a reputation as slow a friend of mine averaged over seven knots on his cruise from California to New Zealand and one won its class in the Transpac on handicap one year.
I hope that this gives you some ideas for your design selection.
Best of luck with the project.
David

 

HI All

Happy New Year, I hope to be on here alot more often now, as ive just spent the last few months selling and wrapping up my company, so i now have more time to work on my next project.

Im still looking at your answers and now have the time to do things in more detail.

I still welcome anymore thoughts.

Im also starting to shop round for gear and equipment that i will be needing.

Any idea.

Wayne

 

hey friend you should check out Ted Brewer Yacht Designs
he is an old timer from the New England area
has some great stuff
my two cents
B

 

Or what about something like this low cost plywood ocean going dragster?