Matthew Smith, Naval Architect

42' Coastal Cruiser BARBARA E.

This unique design includes an 11' RIB stowed in the cockpit on rollers to faciliate easy launching and retieval. The owner has extensive cruising experience in a variety of craft and he realized that most boats on the new and used market today either do not have provisions for carrying a dinghy or the davit arrangement is difficult to use and is not suitable for offshore passages. Additionally, he wanted a large cockpit with easy access to the water and shallow draft so that his cruising area would not be limited. He wanted all of this in a yacht that could cruise at 24 knots with a top speed of 35 knots and was competitively priced with existing production boats on the market.

In order to meet all of these requirements, the boat will be powered by twin Mercury Verado 300 hp outboards installed 6 feet apart. By spreading the outboards, the dinghy can be pulled up onto the stern and stowed securely in the cockpit. The outboards also have the added advantage of providing shallow draft operation, economical performance and minimal installation costs.

There is an 8 kW diesel generator onboard to provide the electrical needs for air conditioning, hot water and cooking as well as battery charging when spending extended time at anchor. Diesel was chosen for the generator for safety, longevity and so that a diesel fired cabin heater could also be used onboard.

The bridge deck includes settee with a dinning table in addition to the helm station on starboard and a navigation station to port. Down below there is a galley, guest stateroom, enclosed head with separate shower and the owner’s stateroom forward. All of the mechanical systems including the generator, pumps and systems are centrally located below the bridge deck sole with easy access from hatches in the sole.

The laminated wood hull and deck was built and outfitted by New England Boatworks in Portsmouth, RI. The construction details used on this boat will take advantage of the benefits of both composite and wood techniques to produce an economically built and very strong hull that will last for many years to come.

BARBARA E. was launched in May of 2011.
Photography of the BARBARA E. was provided by Joe Beckham of Light Forge Studio.