Not a Seawind 1000

I like the 1000's layout, specifically the open bridge deck arrangement and twin steering stations BUT I think that the boat is too heavy with to low clearance under the bridge deck. Is there any stock design with similar features/accommodation that is longer(?) leaner and higher?

 

John Shuttleworth's Ocean Cheetah 37' perhaps? Similar layout

http://www.john-shuttleworth.com/gallery.php?boat=cheetah

 

Thanks but it is the open indoor/outdoor cockpit/bridge deck area I find appealing. I think it is the best feature of the boat, and the main reason it is a good seller. I find it hard to believe that it hasn't been preceded/emulated/copied... whatever.

The Parralax 9 & 11 are kind of interesting, and no doubt better sailing boats but they are not quite right and a little dated.

 

That Seawind lay out is pretty great....... easy alfresco living, similar to the Beach Marine Targa 32 that predated it, but more neatly executed & a better load carrier. I'd consider one as an inbetween(but don't have the spare bucks) boat, as I'm not getting too much sailing in & would be happy to motor sail over weekends to get about.
Jeff.

 

Yeah, I'm surprised that it is such an uncommon format!

 

Maybe it's too easy to fill in the back of the "cabin" & call it a cabin! The surrounding "shelves" behind the seating that are over the double berth & galley are pretty handy for towels & other daily use stuff. The whole arrangement gives more space with less structure, the table is great for at hand navigation too. From memory the SW 1000 started out with a soft top at first & also small Bukh saildrives.
Jeff.

 

I'm not a fan of the outboards either but I could probably come around to that. Given the strong resale a SW1000 is probably the best thing to buy... but I can't help hankering for a bit more go.

 

Moggy, here's a Beach Marine Targa 32, not quite detailed as nicely as the Seawind but with daggers & quite a bit lighter. I had one of these with a bridgedeck cabin & mini keels, lived aboard comfortably for two years. There is coremat & solid glass in hulls & foam sandwich to decks, the spray chines can be noisy at anchor especially if the boat is loaded up, very little scope to overload as the hulls are relatively fine...... saw 22 Knots once..... in flat water, could reliably make 70 mile in daylight coastal cruising.
Jeff.

http://yachthub.com/list/yachts-for-sale/used/sail-catamarans/beachmarine-targa-10m-catamaran/121825

 

Thanks Jeff,

Yeah, I have looked at that ad before. I guess I'd have to get on the boat to see what the scope for playing around with that bridge deck is. The photos don't look that hot but then again I really don't know the design at all having never been on one. Probably worth a look!

 

That line of Beach Marine boats ran for around nine vessels at 9 & 10 meters(with steps), no where near the popularity of Seawind. Early on one was put in survey but ended up a non performer with the extra weight. The vessel advertised was the proprietor of Beach Marines own, she started with a soft top & the hard top was added later but not from the standard cabin mold for this vessel(not sure why but mold ownership I think was by Endeavour Yachts), the underwing could come in different clearances, mine was I think 5" less clearance(= more headroom) that the adverts vessel, underwing at minimum clearance is short, mine never slammed(at about 560mm) but spray would "drum" on it at speed, the underwing starts at the mast beam, slopes down, levels for around 1200/4' then cuts straight up for the cockpit area. The proprietor was a pretty cluey bloke, had about 30+ variants in models/options from 25'-47', they seemed to evolve from the Crowther C10 with some inventive cut & shuts on tooling evolution, when you've really looked at some of the ideas over the line you get a proper view.... probably 20 years ahead(& plenty of boats have "de-volved" from those times), although criticized at times by the very weight conscious racers . The boats speak for themselves(as individuals), many were supplied as "kits" of moldings or as structurally complete ready for fitout..... so finish is variable, I reckon that's where Seawind won as they discontinued the kit practice & started to build to survey standards for all vessels, some trade offs but the resale reflects.
Might be worth a look at 50% price of an old Seawind 10 but the targa 32 kinda fits between a 850 & 10 in space, I've seen an 850 at 55k & 10s at 125k advertised as minimums, I sold my Beach marine PC10(same hull mold) for 95k in 1998 or 99. The Seawind with a transom stretch & carrying minimum water would go ok, I think a daggerboard conversion would go too far, but I motor-sail if sailing drops below 5-7 on any boat.
Regards from Jeff.

 

Couldn't agree more. I once emailed Bob Oram and asked if he could do a Oram 1000xl2 for home builders. Unfortunately he had many other concepts on the go like his motor sailors and "slim" catamarans. He retired not long after. A real shame no one could carry on his legacy.

A cnc plywood kit including all furniture in the seawind layout would be a real hit and save a lot of time.

 

The catamaran "Hurricane" by Alan Carwardine seems to use the same open bridgedeck arrangement.

http://www.davincicharters.com/sailingholidaysphuket-hurricanecatamarancharter/

and a video:

http://youtu.be/VKlqpH4Ood4

 

Looks nice!

 

How about Format System in Germany have a 12m that looks good...no idea price though.

http://www.format-system.de/cms/54-1-format-400-cabrio.html

Personally I can't understand why so many designs have you seated in the saloon facing backwards and very often below the window line!
If you are sailing, or at anchor in a protected bay surely you want to gaze out where you are going, or at the bay you are anchored in not out the back looking out to sea!
Even with the common arrangement by merely raising the seating section on a pedestal at least you can see out the windows...you don't need headroom at the dinette. Sure that means you have a stepped saloon floor but you can see out when you're seated.

 

Nice boat Neville, yeah, I don't get why it is not a more popular format... hell SW1000 sell well enough, is it such a leap to want a fast one?