HYBRID WATER CRAFT

Combining the best features of yachts, powerboats and caravans

The Hybrid Yacht concept differs greatly from traditional sailing yachts or motor vessels, and fulfills a different role.

The Concept -
Sailing is great when 
1) you are not in a hurry
2) the sun is out and the breeze is good.
3) The engine is not working, and you are out on  the water.

Power is great when 
1) The engine runs, 
2) The wind and weather is bad, and you want to drive from inside a sheltered cabin 
3) You need to actually get somewhere fast.

After you have actually had the chance to enjoy the two abilities combined, then its possible to enjoy two worlds on the water, rather than one.
 
- Propulsion Types. Usually, a boat has one major propulsion method, and perhaps a secondary backup method. Generally, the hull shape is optimized for whatever propulsion method is selected. To have a boat that you can experience the challenge of learning to sail, and enjoy the tranquility of wind power - and yet still be able to get to somewhere in a hurry, or to cope with non-co-operative winds, is a brilliant concept. When a boat does two things quite well (sail and power ) it is twice as good as a boat that does only one or the other job very well. Then, by improving the accommodation size and quality, you are able to enjoy a richer and more fulfilling experience in the big outdoors.
We seek the most cost effective way of getting comfortable speed with great internal capacity. 

This approach will sacrifice some sailing ability over more specialised sailing boats of the same size. But consider, there is only about 3 or 4 knots between the speediest sailboats of the same class. That's just walking pace. Sailing is a nice experience, and after you have done your time "around the sticks" - you will realise that the biggest difference between winning sailing boats, is the amount of money the owners can afford. Who wants to spend $15k on a mast or $20k on sails to be able to boast  "I have the best sail boat in the club"

For example, most trailer-sailers big enough to accommodate 4 + people may be 2 or 3 knots faster under sail - but they sacrifice the interior room for bulky centerboards, and also the ability to go faster than 6-10 knots under power due to their specialized sailing hulls. Other motor boats of the same length and weight, cant sail for love nor money, as they have no mast, and would capsize if they did.

Boat Type Philosophy
- Hull Type. If I wanted maximum sailing performance, I suppose I would go for one of the small catamarans, with heaps of floor space, and sacrifice the load carrying capacity for speed. However, my priorities include the ability to spend days, or weeks in remote and pristine waterways, without having to spend a fortune on yacht stuff, with all my gear (food, diving gear, decent head and shower,usable kitchen etc). The priority is cheap, roomy, cheerful family safe accommodation on the water. I can store the boat on its trailer at home, during the cold unsailable days, and my grandkids will still want to use the boat as a playhouse or overnight camping adventure- its that comfortable. I can tow it to inland lakes for fishing (its small enough) and live on it comfortably for days at a time. The 'pointy caravan' is easy to tow home (saves marina costs) and easy to tow around the country. It fits into lakes, is not too scary offshore in reasonable weather. For people (and their families), who aren't into the expensive death defying heavy weather offshore trip, or the ego trippers who hang their self esteem (and their wallets) on finishing first after circling around the same old racing circuit week after week.

- Human Friendly . Lets think about boats from the point of view of women. That side of the equation so brutally ignored. Boats are for ... um, "romantic pursuits" , A lot of the luxury boats are designed to be inhabited by sweet young things in very little clothing  (Check out any yachting magazines). But often, the problem is getting the female of the species to actually get on the boat, more than once. So, having a boat that is not grimy, claustrophobic, with bearable toilet and washing facilities etc etc should be uppermost in all boat designers minds (barring full racing enthusiasts of course). Other jobs don't need to be so tedious either. Take the raising and lowering of the centreboard  In the ideal boat, this can be done by a slim, non muscular, georgeous bikini clad thing, and doesn't require your 200 pound ex footballer mate who can only get out sailing every 6 months. -

Room and Comfort.  As a 6 footer, I get really ticked off about having to soak in short baths and spas in hotels. The same goes for boats. I need a boat to accommodate a six footer, with the roomiest accommodation possible. I have crewed on longer boats that are cramped, with a centreboard case taking up most of the saloon, and a low windage cabin that gave me a backache, and a headache in rough weather.

Ballast Philosophy
Keeping a sailboat upright on the water requires weight to counteract the effects of  the wind.
Yes - even Catamarans and Trimarans rely on weight - of the water. As the wind forces their lee-ward hulls into the water, the weight of the water resists, and they don't capsize. Some multi-hull craft will even load up the windward hull with say waterballastl,  to counteract  the effect of the wind.
On monohulls, their is no separate leeward float. But, as  the hull leans away from the wind (heels) the bulk of the leeward side of the hull presses into the water, and holds the boat up.
The majority of mono-hulls also use some kind of ballast to resist the effect of the wind - and since they require a large skeg or keel to enable  them to sail, this is a convenient place to add the weight.
In recent times, it has become practical to use a load of water as ballast. Super large tankers have been doing it for years on return voyages when they have minimal cargo. A lot of smaller craft use it. It is cheap, readily available and disposable,
It is not as compact as lead, but neither do you have to pull it around on your trailer - because you empty it out before becoming a land based vehicle.
I guess there are many types of ballast purists. A fan of ancient wooden boats would scoff at the idea of wasting lead as ballast - that's what waterworn stones are for! They can be disposed of when you reach your cargo pickup point, for a useful load - probably of lead! I suppose a true racing purist should not settle for anything less than spent uranium as ballast. Goodness knows, with the amount they spend on other gear, its not out of the question. Radiation ? Heck, put a kettle on it!

While the concept of water ballast is not new, I envisage an important improvement, already in use by some small sailboats eg Swallow Trailer Sailers
Removable inspection covers over the tanks allow maintenance inside the tank, or allow you to put lead (or stone) ballast in for really heavy weather or a crucial race.

Another innovation is the ability to use the water ballast tanks to keep fresh water. in collapsible containers. 400 kilos of fresh water is a real luxury at sea. At the start of the trip, most of the ballast is fresh water in collapsible 'bladders". During the trip, as fresh water is used for showers, drinking and cleaning,  the tanks are topped up with salt water, until all the fresh water is used and you have to return to land to replenish. You could  even replenish from rain water if you get some fortuitous showers and rigged up a suitable collection system.