South Wind
A 25' Trunk-Cabin Cruiser
By William Atkin
A Trunk Cabin Cruiser
Always there is a battle between headroom and length; and this is especially antagonistic as it concerns little cruising motor boats like South Wind. If, in a 25-foot cruiser, the freeboard and house heights are kept at a reasonable altitude it is impossible to have full headroom; and, on the other hand, if full headroom is demanded the resulting design will look, and be, top-heavy. Of the two evils, the better is limited headroom, because while this may be inconvenient, the top-heavy high sided boat will be a hard roller and more or less dangerous if used on rough water. If I were building a cruising motor boat for myself and family I should go dreadfully easy on height, and out-of-proportion headroom.

South Wind strikes a happy balance in this matter. She is 25 feet in length over all; 24 feet 3 inches on the water line; 7 feet 6 inches in breadth; and 1 foot 6 inches draft. The freeboard at the bow is 3 feet 8 inches and at the stern 2 feet 9 1/2 inches. Headroom in the cabin under the top beams is 5 feet 3 inches. Under the companion hatchway 5 feet 6 inches. Under the standing top 6 feet 2 inches. These dimensions keep the weights at a reasonable distance above the water line and provide workable headroom. She will be a most comfortable little packet while under way any time; and perfectly able and safe.

The deck arrangement shows a trunk cabin with very narrow side water ways. The deck house is 9 feet long; the cockpit 10 feet. This leaves an after deck 2 feet. long. The cockpit floor is 4 inches above the load water line and the motor installed under a housing as shown. The standing top does not cover the entire cockpit, leaving the after end and the stern seat open to the sun.

The cabin is arranged for the accommodation of two people. Stove, sink, ice box, lockers, stand on the starboad side at the companionway; toilet room is opposite. With the companionway hatch removed there is full headroom here. Two berths extend for a length of 6 feet 3 inches, these have lockers under the after ends. There is a good sized locker under the forward deck and the locker for anchor cable. For such a little boat the room inside and in the cockpit is unusually large.
The lines show a fair formed model designed for speeds up to 12 miles an hour and with modest power; 20 to 35 h.p. The keel extends the full length of the boat protecting the propeller and rudder. Rudder shoe is not contemplated, nor is it needed. Unless the shoe is very heavy it will bend up and strike the propeller and thus do greater damage than if is it eliminated entirely. Also free water flows into the propeller without the customary shoe. Universal, Kermath, Red Wing, Gray, and several of the other motor manufacturers make units that will just fit South Wind. A motor of approximately 185 cubic inches, weighing in the neighborhood of 550 pounds will be ample for speeds up to 12 miles an hour.
Plans for South Wind are $100

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