Bluewater cruiserr

My first impression on seeing this hull was that it was awkwardly full forward, and this fullness is very evident in the drawings. There is a lot of "roundness" in the topsides and this full shape is carried well into the bow sections. This is not the shape of speed. Take a look at the fast boats of today and you will see rapier-fine bows designed to minimize drag. Still, considering that this boat is not a racer but a comfy cruiser you could justify the puffy bows by their impact on internal volume. I see this basic shape on most Dixon designs so apparently it's a shape that he prefers.

With an L/B of 3.08 you can classify this boat as quite beamy. You can choose either a shoal keel drawing 5 feet or the standard keel drawing 6 feet, 8 inches. Considering the beam of this boat and the fullness in both ends, I'd prefer to see the keel farther aft for better helm balance. That's just my eyeball judgement. The D/L is 236.

The layout, with its aft stateroom, offers the advantages of a center-cockpit configuration while preserving a large aft cockpit. The owner's stateroom is forward with an adjoining head, shower and "office" area. This office area is probably a spacious nav station, but I think the volume might have been better used by contracting the nav area a bit and using the extra volume for more storage. Show me a boat with too many lockers. I dare you.

The inside steering station is very well laid-out with excellent visibility forward but no visibility at all aft. The raised dinette is rounded in form, and regular readers will remember that I favor corners in my settees. I think we unconsciously seek corners when we relax. The galley features great counter space and looks like a cook's delight. Of course, the raised sole of the pilothouse means that stowage volume under the side decks is minimal. Built in New Zealand the SP shows wonderful woodworking details far beyond that of typical production boats.

On deck the SP is beautifully detailed with some of the best custom fabricated deck fittings I have ever seen. The bulwark chocks are works of art. These chocks blend a stainless half-oval rub strip with a well-proportioned teak caprail. The result is a very handsome boat. Note the prerequisite Euro stripes aft of the pilothouse windows.

The SA/D is low at 15.16. The SP will not be a light air flyer, but the 76-horsepower Yanmar should help in that area. Given the motorsailer-type configuration of this boat I think a lowish SA/D is prudent. The main is an in-the-boom furling type by Leisure Furl.

The SP is built with a Kevlar layer in the laminate and a Herex foam core. The laminate is heat cured. The rudder stock is carbon fiber. There is tankage for 120 gallons of fuel and 184 gallons of water.

My pals Dave and Laura did not leave on their world cruise this fall after Laura found out she had leukemia. They will instead cruise the Pacific Northwest. The SP would be the perfect boat for them, providing comfort, visibility and shelter from our pervading drizzle.