Barracuda 48
2009 December 1
This is our first review of the work of Barracuda Yacht Design, an eight-man group in Madrid headed by Inigo Toledo. The design submitted is a 48-foot "performance cruising yacht." I think we should get into labels later when we review the Rogers 82. For now, it's safe to say that "performance cruiser" covers a very wide variety of designs. This design is to be built by Universal Yachts in Seville. The drawings are beautifully presented and meticulously done.
The hull shows generous freeboard and a D/L of 175.5. The half-angle of entry at the DWL is 18 degrees. The L/B is 3.37. There is no deadrise to this hull anywhere once you get past the forefoot knuckle. To my eye, this hull appears to be designed for interior volume despite what the designers call "the sporting pretensions of this handsome looking yacht." The rudder is a very deep, high-aspect-ratio spade type with a thickness ratio at the root of 19 percent that tapers down at midspan to 13.6 percent. Often the ideal thickness ratio of a rudder blade has to take a back seat to rudder stock diameter requirements. There are two keels available. The shoal keel gives you 7 feet, 7 inches of draft while the deep keel gives 10 feet, 6 inches of draft. The keel sections show a distinct hollow in the last 15 percent of the chord. This hollow is quite noticeable when you get down to that squashed bulb tip. The keel foil at the root has an 11.89-percent thickness ratio. This is for the "standard" keel.
The interior is laid out for three couples in the traditional manner with mirror-image double quarterberths aft and a V-berth double forward. There are two heads but no separate shower stalls. The galley is nice with a large refrigerator outboard of the sinks. I think three couples could be quite comfy aboard this boat. That centerline bench seat at the dining table might get in the way if it is fixed in that location.
The sailplan shows an unusual looking cabintrunk. It's a bit amorphous for my eye but it doesn't look bad. Lines coming aft from the mast are concealed beneath the housetop. If I use the sail area as listed in the promotional material I get an SA/D of 23.65. I suspect if we had I J, E and P we might have a slightly lower number. The rig is fractional, of course, with the mainsail roach overlapping the backstay by about five inches. I don't see a mainsheet traveler on the deck but I do see two padeyes forward of the companionway that appear to be intended for some type of mainsheet bridle system. The standard 125-percent genoa leads between the lower diagonal shroud and the V1 shroud.
This is a huge cockpit. You could really stretch out on those seats. There are twin wheels aft and twin cockpit tables for outside dining. The transom is open with a large, flush hatch giving access to the lazarette. There is a well in the bow for ground tackle. This design has a very usable fo'c'sle with a large access hatch.
LOA 48'; LWL 40'8"; Beam 14'1"; Draft 7'7" (shallow), 10'6 (deep); Displacement 26,455 lbs.; Ballast 9,700 lbs.; Sail area 1,312 sq. ft.; SA/D 23.65; D/L 175.5; L/B 3.37; Auxiliary Yanmar 4JH4CE 55-hp; Fuel 69 gals.; Water 85 gals.
Barracuda Yacht Design, C/Alfonso Gómez, 9, 28037 Madrid, Spain, 34 914-400-450, www.barracuda-yd.com.
OBE: $560,000
Our Best Estimate of the sailaway price
The hull shows generous freeboard and a D/L of 175.5. The half-angle of entry at the DWL is 18 degrees. The L/B is 3.37. There is no deadrise to this hull anywhere once you get past the forefoot knuckle. To my eye, this hull appears to be designed for interior volume despite what the designers call "the sporting pretensions of this handsome looking yacht." The rudder is a very deep, high-aspect-ratio spade type with a thickness ratio at the root of 19 percent that tapers down at midspan to 13.6 percent. Often the ideal thickness ratio of a rudder blade has to take a back seat to rudder stock diameter requirements. There are two keels available. The shoal keel gives you 7 feet, 7 inches of draft while the deep keel gives 10 feet, 6 inches of draft. The keel sections show a distinct hollow in the last 15 percent of the chord. This hollow is quite noticeable when you get down to that squashed bulb tip. The keel foil at the root has an 11.89-percent thickness ratio. This is for the "standard" keel.
The interior is laid out for three couples in the traditional manner with mirror-image double quarterberths aft and a V-berth double forward. There are two heads but no separate shower stalls. The galley is nice with a large refrigerator outboard of the sinks. I think three couples could be quite comfy aboard this boat. That centerline bench seat at the dining table might get in the way if it is fixed in that location.
The sailplan shows an unusual looking cabintrunk. It's a bit amorphous for my eye but it doesn't look bad. Lines coming aft from the mast are concealed beneath the housetop. If I use the sail area as listed in the promotional material I get an SA/D of 23.65. I suspect if we had I J, E and P we might have a slightly lower number. The rig is fractional, of course, with the mainsail roach overlapping the backstay by about five inches. I don't see a mainsheet traveler on the deck but I do see two padeyes forward of the companionway that appear to be intended for some type of mainsheet bridle system. The standard 125-percent genoa leads between the lower diagonal shroud and the V1 shroud.
This is a huge cockpit. You could really stretch out on those seats. There are twin wheels aft and twin cockpit tables for outside dining. The transom is open with a large, flush hatch giving access to the lazarette. There is a well in the bow for ground tackle. This design has a very usable fo'c'sle with a large access hatch.
LOA 48'; LWL 40'8"; Beam 14'1"; Draft 7'7" (shallow), 10'6 (deep); Displacement 26,455 lbs.; Ballast 9,700 lbs.; Sail area 1,312 sq. ft.; SA/D 23.65; D/L 175.5; L/B 3.37; Auxiliary Yanmar 4JH4CE 55-hp; Fuel 69 gals.; Water 85 gals.
Barracuda Yacht Design, C/Alfonso Gómez, 9, 28037 Madrid, Spain, 34 914-400-450, www.barracuda-yd.com.
OBE: $560,000
Our Best Estimate of the sailaway price
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