Instant Poll: Someone Should Design a Boat....
Readers share ideas on boats designs that ought to exist...
Sure, there are lots of boat designs out there—both production boats and designs and kits for the amateur builder. Even so, every year there are new designs that come along and seem to fill a void or offer an interesting twist on an existing type.
Maybe we’ll have a design contest again one of these days, but in the meantime, tell us what you’d like to see your favorite designers get busy creating (use the comment section below) —Eds
Fewer designs, more (affordable) boats. I see all sorts of designs that I would like to have, and of course new designs are welcome, but for the typical boating public few beautiful, affordable small boats are available. Nowadays the ‘regular guy’ wanting a small fishing boat gets a plastic kayak... can’t afford something better. Nicely designed small craft are either build it yourself ... which most people will never do .... or way too expensive ... even without engines. A 14 foot rowboat for $6000 - $10000 ... really. Affordable places to keep a boat... ha! We need some practical, beautiful, affordable designs so ‘beautiful boating’ is widely available and affordable.
I would like to see a production boat, about 18 feet long with a 7 foot beam, with a displacement hull and small outboard motor(9.9-20hp), two wide berths, location for a portapot, small galley in an enclosed cabin with 6 foot standing headroom, with a small aft cockpit and small fore deck with anchor well. Steering station inside cabin. This would be an ideal boat for long distance cruising on calm waters, bays, rivers and lakes. Something you could sleep aboard in reasonable comfort. Perfect craft for us older sailors to remain on the water, but with less effort. Just my thoughts.