What if …

… and if only … and what couldabeen.  No regrets over the demise of das Boot, no choice in 2017 … plus I couldna now … but but but … were I starting out, like … how would I do it?

Well, monohull, a cruising boat based on this basic shape of hull:

… 43 feet long deliberately … 44.5 is the largest “pleasure craft” in the UK and that’s too long for my carvel and chine method … around 7 feet wide, so berths can go across.  Only talking hull, not rig.

Shallow full length keel, deep V to about 2.5 feet, rudder at end of skeg. End on, it looks a bit this way, only multiplied of course:

Narrow, highsided, despite windage, very strong below.  So to rig … no photos have what I want in the rig but this gives some idea:

Sails on the fore and mizzen equal the area of the mainmast. Three foresails … yankee, jib, staysail with boom to foremast. Mainmast has three separate square sails, mizzen (aft) is just a gaff rig with two reefing points.

What that produces is a lovely tracking boat, no yawing or pitching and not fast enough to shoot off waves. Downside is not manoeuvrable, so not suited to in-waters, it’s a voyaging boat. Crew of three has enough room.

I’ve sailed on one of those old dinghies, narrow, highsided, heavy … we were in a gale and she just sailed straight through it … similar motion to a long, loping, touring car.