LOA vs LWL

[Pappy Chris]

Originally Posted by Not Sure

Beautiful boat! Wow, 11' between waterline length and total length. That may be painful when it comes time to pay for a berth

Believe me it's been considered. It may live on it's trailer since I have other choices for berthing. TBA

[s/vfootloose]

I have a westsail 32 6' bowsprit hanked on yankee love the look but not a fun place to be in any kind of sea She will have roller furling as soon as the $$$ are available

[Pappy Chris]

My wife usually handles our sails (she's helm shy) and she's already informed me that there WILL be a furler on it. The only interaction she wants with that sprit is to hang a canvass chair from it at anchor whilst sipping her mojito watching the sun set. Somehow, I just can't argue with that.

[Cheechako]

My logic says why pay for anything beyond the waterline also..... but moderate overhangs do provide some use. Bow overhang provides additional bouyancy when the boat noses into water (just look at those ocean racing boats with the plumb bow..... they have a river running down the deck!) I suppose ditto for the stern overhang to some extent. On the other hand a bristol channel cutter is a hell of a boat and the bow is pretty plumb on those.... so the above water shape is important also (ie: you can get bow bouyancy without a lot of overhang...) A little rise and flare at the bow can do a hell of a job at throwing water away from the boat instead of onto the boat.... however this is definitely not "the look" on todays boats...

[anjou]

Originally Posted by Maren

Otherwise, it has to do with individual preference. So I suppose the next question is what do you like?

What we like and looks good isnt always whats practical.

I love the look of a long clipper sprit but I couldnt afford the dock fees.
I also find myself looking at boats which are upwards of 35', just to get a half decent living space below deck.

[Joli]

Overhang gives you a dandy place to hang the anchor. When you pull it up it doesn't go "KLUNK" on the knuckle.

Plus, I like the look of overhangs, low freeboard and sweeping sheer.

[Pappy Chris]

Originally Posted by anjou

What we like and looks good isnt always whats practical.

I love the look of a long clipper sprit but I couldnt afford the dock fees.
I also find myself looking at boats which are upwards of 35', just to get a half decent living space below deck.

I would suggest deciding what your budget is and then spend some time on a web site[s] like yachtworld.com and do a very general search and see what you can get for your money and then decide. It's kind of a long process that my wife and I have been going through for 2 years. We have decided on a budget, determined we like center cockpit ketch rigs of about 45'. It could be longer (for me) but she thinks she has to have a land base so that shortens the budget.

[Southern Star]

Anjou, no less an authority than Robert Perry has written in reference to front overhang that it, like certain other traditional design elements, are traditional because they work. I don't have the reference material in front of me, but as I recall he spoke to the following:

1. Why turn your bow/foredeck into a 'submarine' in order to maximize lwl and mirror a look that was made popular by racing boats? Front overhang increases bouyancy on depression of the bow into an oncoming sea on three planes and not two (thereby reducing the tendancy to submerge/pitchpole).
2. Boats with front overhang tend to have a drier and hence safer foredeck.
3. Anchors have a much greater tendancy to bump/swing back into the topsides on a plumb bow. Yes, you can have a very extended bow roller, but it needs to be very heavy/strong in order to resist the torsional (side to side) strains that occur when under anchor in heavy conditions. To make matters worse, if you wish to have the ability to deploy two anchors off the bow (and you will), then you will need either a bow-sprit/anchoring platform in front of your plumb bow (that would be an abortion), or two long, heavy bow rollers.

Forgetting about bow sprits, for the moment (although interestingly, sliding ones have become very popular recently in performance boats), there are still some sound reasons for some front overhang on a cruising boat.

Brad

[jackiepitts]

I'll chime in on this by saying that since we have started cruising mexico we have only been charged slip space by our LOD. They do not seem to care that we have a 8' bow sprit plus another 6' or so with our davits. They only care what our length on deck is according to our paperwork and that is what we are charged for slip rental.
Jackie

[Sailndive345]

Originally Posted by jackiepitts

I'll chime in on this by saying that since we have started cruising mexico we have only been charged slip space by our LOD. They do not seem to care that we have a 8' bow sprit plus another 6' or so with our davits. They only care what our length on deck is according to our paperwork and that is what we are charged for slip rental.
Jackie

That's a very nice deal - in FL, most marinas (that I have been) seem eager to measure the overall length with everything included.

Enjoy Mexico - we are freezing here!...

Sailndive

[paradix]

Originally Posted by CarlF

Now a bowsprit is another matter. It can pile on a lot of sail -- but it only helps until you reach hull speed.

Carl

That's only true if your boat is a displacement vessel. If your hull is capable of planing, then you'll really want to maximise the difference between LOA and LWL - just so long as she still floats while standing still...

[Pappy Chris]

Originally Posted by jackiepitts

I'll chime in on this by saying that since we have started cruising mexico we have only been charged slip space by our LOD. They do not seem to care that we have a 8' bow sprit plus another 6' or so with our davits. They only care what our length on deck is according to our paperwork and that is what we are charged for slip rental.
Jackie

Jackie-- What a beautiful boat. It has everything I love to look at. The lines, sheer, overhangs. I am green!

[anjou]

Originally Posted by Sailndive345

That's a very nice deal - in FL, most marinas (that I have been) seem eager to measure the overall length with everything included.

Enjoy Mexico - we are freezing here!...

Sailndive

Your freezing?

Check out the weather reports, today parts of the uk were only 2 degs C warmer than the South Pole

Its so pretty though.

[Marksman]

According to Ted Brewer, overhangs are pretty much dictated by displacement ratio. Light displacement hulls don't need a lot of overhang as their bouyancy is sufficient as Brad pointed out to lift the ends in waves and swells. But as displacement increases the hull needs more reserve bouyancy to lift the ends in a seaway. A light displacement hull intended for more protected water can get away with a plumb bow and wide flat stern and be very fast in light air, but have an uncomfortable motion in heavier seas, or if heavily loaded for extended cruising (not so light dispacement anymore) can become like a mid tide rock unable to lift it's ends sufficiantly to stay dry. An off shore cruiser of heavy displacement needs the reserve bouyancey gained with overhangs to lift her ends in the taller seas. But the heavy boat will not perform well in quieter, protected waters. It comes down to what you do with your boat and where. In short there is no all around best hull for all conditions. Choose your trade offs.

Hope this helps,

[sailorboy1]

Lets be real!

You HAVE to have a lot of stern overhang! If you don't where are you going to mount those tailfins you took off that 1955 Buick? And if not for the bow overhang when you going to mount the grill? You got to have style!