Andrew Simpson > Designs
I've been designing sailboats – both monohulls and multihulls – for over 35 years, with a particular interest in fast offshore cruising yachts, usually designed to fulfil specific purposes. Nearly all of them were custom built, employing a variety of techniques, ranging from various forms of laminated timber to synthetic composites – often a combination of both.
But why custom build when there are so many designs to be had off the shelf? Well, although there are undoubtedly some respectable production boats around, most have been hopelessly compromised to conform with accepted marketing wisdoms. A good example is the general perception that sailors are incurably gregarious – an erroneous presumption if ever there was one. This compels builders to stuff in as many berths as possible, almost invariably to the detriment of the boat.
My own belief is that almost the exact opposite is needed. Most offshore boats are sailed short-handed – often by couples – and it's unfortunate that more designs don't reflect this reality. The rewards for having fewer berths means open, less compartmentalised interiors. Liberating all that unnecessary structure provides efficient, comfortable spaces – galleys, chart tables, cockpits – and loads of extra storage. Isn't that the best option for most of us?
Likewise, the deck layout and sail plan should be optimised for short-handed sailing. It should be possible for a single person to complete every task on deck. This means having all sail controls ready to hand and keeping them as simple as possible.
Simplicity is a tremendous virtue at sea. Complicated systems might offer convenience – often of the push-button variety – but they are inherently more prone to failure, whereupon most are found to be impossible to repair with the resources available. The image of crews stuck in port waiting for a crucial spare is no myth, but a depressingly common occurrence.
None of these designs were conceived with the home boat builder in mind. Their completion demands appropriate core skills. But, since the can be built without expensive moulds or tools, they are not beyond reach for the accomplished amateur.
For further details, you can contact me through this website.
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'Spook' |
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Designed in the mid-1980s as a compact ocean cruiser, Spook
was the prototype for the series of related designs
that followed. Now owned by Greg Marsh and Juliet Wilson,
she is currently cruising the Mediterranean. The characteristic stepped sheer increases the utility of both the cockpit and the space beneath it – a feature I've not yet seen reason to change. The hull has quite a pronounced tumblehome which, if you're unlucky enough to put it to the test, reduces her inverted stability and will help her roll upright again. Her flush foredeck is a delight to work on and the low profile doghouse gives virtually all-round vision from below. Spook's hull and deck are of GRP sandwich construction, cored respectively with Airex foam and end-grain balsa – a structural combination that's both light and strong. |
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'Alacazam' |
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Owned by Dick McClary and Mary Swift, Alacazam was built in
the UK but is now based in the Caribbean. She can be
sailed either as a sloop or cutter – the latter being
an ideal rig in area where reaching between the islands
is a common point of sail. Her hull is of epoxy/glass
sheathed cedar strip with marine plywood deck (also
sheathed) and an interior trimmed with American red
cherry. She is fast and weatherly and extremely easy to handle. When conditions suit, she carries water ballast in tanks on either side. She's entirely stable without it, but the ability to reduce heeling can sometimes be very useful. Despite her generous internal volume, Alacazam has only five berths – two of which are for occasional guests and the third a water-resistant sea berth. Light and airy below, she makes a comfortable floating home for Dick and Mary. |
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'Shindig' |
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Shindig is our boat – by which I
mean Chele's and mine. She is currently in La Rochelle
(see News) and we plan to be cruising the Atlantic coasts
of Spain and Portugal this summer. Her hull is both narrower and finer forward than Alacazam's, and was derived from Vlad the Impaler one of my racing designs of similar length. Again, the hull is of cedar strip, but this time has a layer of khaya (African mahogany) veneer beneath the epoxy sheathing. However, her deck and most of the interior structure is of lightweight Herex-cored composite, using vinylester resin in the deck laminate for improved strength and durability. Shindig, too, has water ballast, though less than Alacazam, since her deeper draft gives more inherent stability. A somewhat 'retro' feature is her low aspect ratio rig, designed to reduce the heeling moment while still giving lots of drive. An easy boat to sail, she is both quick and comfortable – not always the case with faster yachts. |
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