It’s nice to get real designer drawings from Kevin Dibley. The drawings are expertly produced and a clear sign that Kevin loves his work. Kevin calls this sailboat a performance voyager. Fine. In 1974 I had to convince sailors that the Valiant 40 was not a radical, dangerous, speed freak of a cruising boat. Times have changed. Kevin’s design reflects what the experienced sailor wants today: a blend of comfort and performance. Performance remains a moving target. 

The old Valiant 40, D/L 260, was considered by many to be too light for serious cruising. Kevin’s 72 has a D/L of 113. That’s on the light side of moderate. The L/B is 3.92. It’s a slick hull with twin rudders, a beaver-tailed ballast bulb on a high-aspectratio fin and a chine aft. I can’t see anything in the design that will slow this boat down. The keel retracts to 7 feet 6 inches. The draft with the keel down is 13 feet 9 inches. The beam is carried well aft. 

There are two complex interiors designed around the keeltrunk. I have never seen layouts quite like these. There are sleeping quarters for three couples or two couples and two kids. I’m sure Kevin can draw up a layout to suit you if the standard layouts don’t work. The elevated dinette arrangement may not provide the feeling of a saloon where a group can spread out and relax. 

The cutter rig is huge with two versatile roller-furling headsails. The SA/D is 28.4. The big, square-top main will twist off to depower automatically, to some degree, in a breeze. But these are big sails and when the flotsam hits the fan it will be a lot of flotsam hitting a big fan. “Honey, will you douse the chute?” “No.” 

This is a very handsome boat with a very spacious cockpit. A big door in the transom will make bringing the dinghy on board relatively easy.

 

 

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LOA 72’2”; LWL; Beam 20’1”; Draft 7’6” (keel up), 13’9” (keel down); Displ. 76,058 lbs.; Ballast 28,218 lbs.; Sail area 3,158 sq. ft.; SA/D 28.4; L/B 3.92; D/L 113; Auxiliary 200-hp Volvo Penta; Fuel 528 gal.; Water 264 gal.  

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Dibley Marine Herne Bay, Auckland, New Zealand +64-9-940-9745 www.dibleymarine.com   

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Our best estimate of the sailaway price   

$3 million