LRC58: a fuel-efficient boat.

Loa: 17.6m

Beam: 4m

Lwl: 17.4m

Draft: 0.85m

Heavy Displacement: 14 tonnes

Engine: 75-90 hp

Fuel: 3,800 litres

Fuel efficiency: 0.80 litres per nautical mile

Water:1,300 litres

Cruising speed 7-8 knots

Range: 5000 nautical miles @7 knots

This fuel efficient boat is designed to work well as a permanent live-aboard but will be equally suited to coastal cruising, crossing oceans or drifting down a canal in France. 

The boat is self-righting.  A 75hp diesel running through a shaft and attached to a controlled-pitch propeller will produce a cruising speed of between seven and 10 knots and a maximum of 12 knots, making this a fuel-efficient boat.

This boat is the culmination of countless hours spent dreaming and sketching. What I wanted to achieve was a comfortable vessel to live, voyage and work onboard for the fussiest clients of all, myself!

At the top of my list of desirable attributes was rugged simplicity, efficiency, safety and affordability. I wanted to be able to do all maintenance myself.

I was originally going to build myself a sailing yacht, feeling that sailing would be more economical. It soon became apparent though that for the cost of the mast, sails, keel etc. I'd be able to buy enough fuel to go a very long way indeed. The size of engine is what one would expect to see as an auxiliary in a sailboat this size. Windage is a fraction of a sailboat with no mast and rigging to drag through the breeze.

With a powerboat I can point exactly where I want to get to and probably get there when I want. The comfort of sitting behind a stout windscreen when it's windy and rainy outside will be priceless. Shallow draft allows entry into the most exciting cruising grounds, including European canals, bridges are no obstacle. There is more choice of anchorage.

The hull is very sleek with maximum waterline length. I've kept the interior volume relatively small compared to the overall lenth. Most trawler type boats in this length category are much heavier, beamier and higher, have much more internal volume, weight, and therefore cost. A low displacement to length ratio is crucial for effortless cruising speeds and low fuel consumption.

One of the key elements in achieving efficiency is the controllable pitch propeller. There is a manually operated hydraulic pump at the helm for adjusting the pitch. With an exhaust gas temperature gauge this allows the engine to be loaded up to optimum operating temperature regardless of the conditions thus extracting the maximum mileage from every litre of fuel.

Construction is aluminium which I chose because of its strength, light weight and the fact it can be left unpainted. I think the unpolished workboat look (on the outside only!) will help the boat blend in various ports around the world.

This boat is available professionally built by experienced boatyards. Contact us for details.

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