I have been thinking more and more about what I want in a sailboat. I go back and forth between the old faishion work boats- love those french luggers and very modern, but still wood boats- best material for one-offs.
On the modern side I would like a strip plank or plywood hull evocative of the Open 60s. Like the boat Endanger Species which was written up in WB a few years back. Somthing that went to weather OK, was very fast downhill and was fairly stiff.
To me this suggests a fairly flat bottom,but not neccsissarily a sharpie. Finding another slip at my current club rate is never going to happen in mylifetime, so lets limit the boat to 24ft, my current slip limit, but I think a beam of up to 9ft would work since I don't need a trailer.
I have a peculiar layout idea, and your comments here or suggetstions of other designs would be most appreciated. First, the boat should be center cockpit and not have a sette or dinning table down below. An "optional" canvas enclosure should be available to bubble the whole cockpit. Because the boat would be used in Sothern California, heavy fabric should be sufficient to provide a nice useable "family room" in the cockpit when at anchor those 2 weeks a year one might actually cruise overnight. The head should be all the way forward like the Norwalk Island Sharpie 26. The foward cabin should also house the galley (stove to port, sink to starboard, ice chest under stairs. In addition "1/4" berths, extending under the cockpit seats could be accessed here- perhaps each with just enough room to sit down out of the weather if an emergency down below spave near the galley was needed.
The rear of the boat would be a seperate cabin for Mom and Dad while at anchor. By carrying the beam well aft, a good size (Queen??)bunk could be here and placed very low to maximize headroom and minimize movement at anchor. Top this area with two nice Bomar's for light andventilation, as well as rear hatch. Top of this are is alo excellet place to store small hard dink while underway
Power should be an inboard with saildrive with enough power to take advantage of the otherwise light semi-planing hull.
The rig should be a "modern" gaff or lug sail on a carbon mast with little to no rigging/shoruds/stays. A retracable or folding bowsprit to fly and symetrical spinnaker would greatly increase the downwid abillity the hull would be designed for. Maybe a copy of the Freedom 40 wishbone cat-ketch rig.
If possible an insulated fish box in the sole of the cockpit would be great since i love to fish.
OK, comments, criticisms and other ravings can now commence.

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