I am a yacht designer for 30 years and have travelled many thousands of miles at sea in sailing/power catamarans and monohulls in the Tasman/Coral Sea, Bass strait, Pacific and Atlantic oceans. I understand the compromises of these types of hull forms and found them all to be lacking in varying ways.
I live in Australia and am at the stage of designing and building my own ‘retirement’ boat for world cruising/live aboard with me and my wife - I have come up with a criteria list:
Paul
I live in Australia and am at the stage of designing and building my own ‘retirement’ boat for world cruising/live aboard with me and my wife - I have come up with a criteria list:
- Power, not sail – sails, masts and keels are not cheap, you still need a diesel engine, and I am getting too old for drama, and the compromises on space of a sailing boat are too much
- Fast, efficient hull configuration capable of sustained 250 nm/day speeds and much higher sprint speeds, all whilst burning small amounts of fuel. The world is far too big for boats that go distances at 5 knots. Real world range of 4000nm plus at these speeds – the Pacific Ocean is a large place
- Comfortable at sea and anchor without mechanical or rigged stabiliser systems. Motion of cats not great in a seaway, nor unstabilised monohulls
- Ability to go upwind, to punch into a sea. Cats suck at this as do wide monohulls and the sea seems to be rarely flat, and often going the wrong way
- Ability to go downwind/down seas at pace with ease and control. Big rudders and good steering moment generation. Good quartering seas ability
- Onboard spaces suitable for a couple and friends, with a split of casual and sleeping areas in line with a modern apartment. Indoor/outdoor spaces with excellent ventilation, including forced ventilation for all cabin – deck/topside hatches useless at sea
- Large amount of deck space for outside living and flexibility of entertaining. Vessel suitable for casual commercial use (day charter)
- Seriously serviceable equipment with full access to all important equipment.
- Full headroom engine room, separate workshop
- Direct crane access for generator/main engine install/removal
- Oil change system for main, gearbox and generator
- Full size intake/discharge sea chests
- Fuel day tank with polishing system, fuel transfer between all tanks
- No inaccessible serviceable items, removable panels as needed
- Significant solar installed and an independent in-port/get home electric propulsion system
- Dry out ability, protected drive lines
- A kick arse tender and anchoring system as I don’t want (or will be able to afford) to be in a marina at all
- Built to Australian commercial vessel standards for open ocean use, Lloyds SSC structures, IMO standards for damaged/intact stability
Paul
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