What Would You Do Differently when Designing a Monohull ?

[zeehag]

you all know i love my formosa more with each passage i make with her--i find she is easily repaired with good access to everything but the lower portion of tankage--any tankage is a monkey hang, at least the space is short and i dont have to stretch to things in forward bilges.....have to stretch a tad in the engine bilges and shaft tube spaces. but not like having to find a monkey --rhesus, as is small, trained intra utero to do these jobs as a neonate! (my ericson has that problem). both are 1970's builds, but formosa wqas designed for cruising while ericson as designed more for coastal fast sailing...
i dont know how easily accessed while under way the newer boats are for repairing things of slight importance , such as packing gland and shaft tube issues......seems to remain a problem for that lil monkey baby....

[Eleven]

All fore deck access hatches WILL be hinged at the front (for when the crew don't bother to lock them off again).
All Anchors will be have tie down points flush in the deck.
All safety rails will be mounted at the extreme edge of the deck or beyond.
All safety rails will be four feet high, netted to to be sure of catching the smallest person on board, and strong enough to catch the heaviest after they roll across the foredeck.
All boats will have a place for the dinghy designed in.
All motor boats will have two separate power trains completely independent of each other.
Grab rails shall be provided at the entry and exit of all restricted passage ways.
The off watch must be able to talk to, and pass hot food/drink to the helm without opening the main doorway.
Bright yellow plastic cushions in the cockpit on tear off's as MOB marker/floatation devices.
A rear view mirror. Mainly as a reminder to KEEP A WATCH.
(Southampton Water is very busy, many yachts get zoned in, much to the annoyance of ferries and mega tankers/cruise ships that can't see anything under their noses).
Solar and Wind generator to allow night sailing without taking the batteries below damage levels.

Yes, most of this stuff is readily available, but it's not often included.

[Bash]

I'm not in favor of the plumb bows that have become the latest fad. Great for a boat kept in a slip, but if you're mooring or anchoring it's nice to have enough overhang that the anchor's not going to gouge out gelcoat when you weigh, or so that you can tighten yourself over a mooring ball and not have it banging into the hull.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by senormechanico

Make it and all contents inflatable?

Stop cheatin' ;-)

I was the first to suggest inflatable/deflatable cruiser!

b.

[zeehag]

inflatable helps-----as for bow shape,........i love clippers, as long as not overdone.......

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Eleven

All fore deck access hatches WILL be hinged at the front (for when the crew don't bother to lock them off again).

Yikes! I have two large foredeck hatches with aft hinges, and I love them. It's what keeps the boat from needing air conditioning when I'm on the hook.

I never leave it up to crew to dog the hatches. That's the skipper's job, because he sleeps in the foreward cabin and he hates a wet berth.

[ADMPRTR]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

And why do people feel that newer boats are designed for "women"?

I also disagree with that statement. One of the first things my wife comments about the newer boats is the lack of storage. I personally think the new boats have more volume but often don't use it as well. But they also are comfortable which appeals to both genders and I think that is the key.

I recently looked at the newer sibling of my boat. It had the same hull but a different configuration below decks. I was amazed at the trade-offs that were sacrificed to offer an aft-cabin.

Looking at the new boats, the aft cabins are nice but again, sometime they seem to have odd configurations for the berth that makes me question how comfortable they would be, especially with a couple sleeping. I think in some cases the designers have a check list and as long a they can check something they don't care how well designed it is.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Bash

Yikes! I have two large foredeck hatches with aft hinges, and I love them. It's what keeps the boat from needing air conditioning when I'm on the hook.

I never leave it up to crew to dog the hatches. That's the skipper's job, because he sleeps in the foreward cabin and he hates a wet berth.

But do you know all us sailing sailors are but a bunch of ignorants?

Here (see attached image):

I was browsing YW yesterday. A brand new flagship from a big name boatbuilder. Hatches open aft.

And just imagine what happens when you happen to step on such a sleek, glossy surface on a wet and bumpy night ...

But, sure, them know better ;-)

Cheers,
b.

[dennisail]

Fully retractable keel and hinged rudder for running in water less than 2 foot deep (southerly yachts have this if only I could afford one). You will be able to get away from all the monos that are too deep and cats that are to wide to reach certain places. Hurricanes anchorages will be everywhere right up the far end of a mangrove creek . You will hardly need to use the tender as your yacht will go right up the beach, and be ON the beach for 2/3 of the tide cycle if you choose.

[Eleven]

My Jaguar has both those, sails in 600mm. They are called Catalina's I think, in the US of A. Built there too.

[dennisail]

I also have a 25 foot trailer sailer which draws 10" with boards up and is fast a seaworthy. I want a 35-40 foot version

[Duke 48]

Originally Posted by JJB

Not listen to the designer when he says use a Yanmar engine!

What is the issue with YANMAR?

[Curmudgeon]

The complaint I've heard against Yanmar is the aluminum block, as opposed to cast iron.

As for what I would do differently, I don't know enough about sailboat design to answer intelligently. Every boat is a compromise, and there are compromises that I'm less willing to make, but those are personal preferences, not design improvements.

For example, do you hinge the hatches in the front or the back? Hinges in front are more seaworthy. But at anchor, the boat can get very stuffy since the hatches when open block air from coming in. At anchor you would prefer hatches with the hinges aft.

I too like the Southerlys and wish I could afford one. But there is a price to be paid for that lovely swing keel, starting with reduced interior volume.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by dennisail

Fully retractable keel and hinged rudder for running in water less than 2 foot deep (southerly yachts have this if only I could afford one).(...)

+1

Also available from e.g. Ovni and a couple of other European makes. Indeed great feature - also in the rocky country where it limits any damage from grounding as well as allows us into the most protected anchorages.

b.

[CoastalCowboy]

Same basic design as the Formosa 51 ketch with a few variations: 1) Steel hull, 2) replace all that outside teak with flexiteek. I'm a strong believer in the idea that the various "Formosa" designs would still sell well if they were still being produced.