Family cruiserr

The overall hull proportions are similar to those of the Sun Odyssey with an L/B of 3.05 and a D/L of 209, although the hull profile shows a small "fin of mystery" ahead of the raked rudder. Note the difference in keel location between the two boats. On the Humphreys design the keel is farther forward relative to the mast location. Generally I like to keep the keel as far aft as possible. If you combine this keel and rig location with the fact that the rig is drawn with substantial rake, you might imagine a beamy boat that is difficult to balance through a wide range of heel angles.

Two keels are offered drawing 4 feet, 7 inches and 6 feet, 5 inches. I don't like the square facing on the stem. If you are going to cut the water cleanly it seems to me a radiused or sharper cutwater might be desirable. The stern is very, very broad. The sheerline shows that attractive perkiness that distinguishes Humphreys' designs.

This rig also has swept spreaders (24 degrees) and a babystay forward. Sailmakers love babystays. They tear away at the leech of the genoa every time you tack. The SA/D of this 36-footer is 18.75. This is considerably more horsepower per pound than on the Sun Odyssey with its SA/D of 15.56. Note that the mainsheet traveler is in the cockpit with the track on the bridgedeck. This precludes a dodger, but it sure makes handling the mainsail easier.

It's easy to see that the layouts of the Elan and the Sun Odyssey are aimed at the same market, since the Elan also has two staterooms aft with double berths. I like the nook-styled nav station of this design.

The galley is adjacent to the large dinette, and while this may not be ideal for offshore, it certainly is appealing for cooking at rest. I'd like to cook in this galley. Again, I don't see any galley drawers. Drawers are expensive to build, but they are definitely the most efficient way to stow kitchen utensils.

The forward berth is kind of weird. I can't tell if it's a full-sized double berth or a "half-double." Clearly the port side is not long enough for an adult, and I can't see how a filler piece could be used to turn this into one large double. Maybe this is a berth for kids, and the adults will sleep aft.

The beamy stern of this design allows for a big cockpit, although it does not open to the transom swim step. Inboard shrouds and genoa tracks keep the side decks clean, and the teak decking, which will provide excellent nonskid, is raised to provide a deep waterway along the rail. This time, the aluminum toerail has holes. There is a well in the foredeck for ground tackle. The sculpted cabintrunk is very similar in design to that of the Sun Odyssey, but if you want to preserve headroom while providing a sleek look, the designer's options in this area are limited.

If I were interested in buying a boat like this I would definitely sail both of these designs. On the surface they appear very similar, but those superficial similarities can hide big differences in boat speed, sailing personality and feel.

Like the Sun Odyssey, the Elan appears to have been designed with the charter trade in mind.