Rough Weather
A 35' 7" Ketch-Rigged Motorsailer
By William Atkin
An Unique Auxilliary
For going places -- that will be the function of Rough Weather. The trend of requests for designs shows an increasing interest in boats of not too much draft. There was a time when deep draft was the first consideration. However, a cruising yacht can get to windward very well on half the draft that was once thought absolutely necessary. I notice in my own designs that the beam to overall length ratio is decreasing; and that the draft to load water line ratio is following in the same direction. And this trend is noticeable in the work of other designers as well. Providing there is ample width to the keel through the garboards there is just as much headroom and floor space in these more shallow models as in the deeper boats; and despite the decreased displacement there is an equal amount of room below for cabin accommodations.

Rough Weather is a jib-head ketch 35 feet, 7 inches over all; 32 feet, 1 inch on the water line; 9 feet, 8 inches in breadth; and 4 feet, 4 inches draft. Her displacement is 21,200 pounds. She carries 6,200 pounds of lead outside and will require an additional weight of 3,000 pounds inside.

The sail plan shows a modest spread of canvas, 515 square feet in all divided as follows: staysail, 130 square feet; mainsail, 290 square feet; and mizzen 95.5 square feet. The sails will be set on standard sail track for both masts and booms. With all respect for the more efficient sloop and cutter rigs, there is a lot to be said for a sail plan carrying two masts. For one thing the two-masted rig gives the impression of a ship, and not of just another sloop. More gear to be sure; but is not inefficiency sometimes alluring? Evidently many cruising men think so because there are many small ketches, schooners and yawls afloat these days and many planned for future construction as well.

The deck arrangement is unique. There is a big cockpit, this being 6 feet, 3 inches wide by 8 feet long. The seats each side serve as boxes over the gasoline tanks. The cabin trunk is narrow, having a hinged fore end, skylight, and effective windshield for protection of the steersman while the boat is under motor power. It is quite all right to steer from outdoors at speeds under 6-7 miles an hour. But above this rate is another matter. Therefore the little pilot house. The bulwark rail stands nearly 5 inches above the edge of the deck, thus affording excellent protection for anyone walking forward. The boat will be steered by either the long tiller or the bulkhead steerer.

Below, the cabin is laid out for the convenience of a party of four. Forward there are two built-in full-size berths with a hanging locker and chest of drawers. Despite the extreme forward position of the two berths there is 5 feet, 9 inches of headroom here. The galley extends along one side of the passageway between the two cabins with the toilet room and a large hanging locker along the opposite side. Headroom in the galley is a full 6 feet. The main cabin has a folding box berth and an extension berth; the sofa forming the latter being ell-shaped and having drop leaf table fixed to the floor boards.

The lines show an easily propelled model and one that will be stiff and able in any weather; it will be noticed that there are no appendages sticking out or sharp corners to cause eddies and surface disturbances. The sections are easy and the buttock lines long and reasonably flat; the latter is true also of the diagonal lines. Therefore the speed expected will be well over 11 miles an hour with a motor developing 35-40 h.p. at 1,000 turns per minute. It will be noticed that the propeller shaft is in the center of the rudder post, but the flywheel is splayed off toward the port side. Thus the shaft clears the butt of the mizzen mast, and the slip stream from the propeller (because it is kicking to starboard) will definitely keep the boat on a straight course. There is nothing experimental about this splaying of the propeller shaft. I have installed this system in five boats and the results are even better than I expected.
Plans for Rough Weather are $200

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