Taylor 49c Dreadnought

Custom racer/cruiser, built in cold-molded wood by Brooklin Boatyard

Design # 132; DREADNOUGHT

Built by: Brooklin Boatyard

Launched: 2014 (Blackfish and Rascal, variations on Dreadnought theme, followed in 2017 and 2020)

Photo by Billy Black

DESIGN #132: 49.0 ft LOA Cruiser/Racer: 5/21/13

Specifications:

LOA 49.0 ft Sail Area (RSAT w/genoa)1007 ft^2

LWL 35.0 ft ‘IM’ 53.0 ft

Max Beam 11.6 ft ‘J’ 15.6 ft

Draft 7.8 ft ‘LP’:142% (Genoa), 95% (Self-Tacker)

Disp (Meas Trim) 16,500 lbs ‘P’ 53.3 ft

Ballast 7,250 lbs ‘E’ 19.4 ft

Equipment:

Spars: HallSpars; custom carbon mast (w/2 swept spreaders) & carbon boom

Rigging: Navtec; 22-13-5 Nitronic solid S.S. rod

Winches: Harken; 2×46.2STP primaries, 2×40.2STP mainsheet, 2×40.2STP housetop (1 electric)

Electronics: Owner option

Engine: Yanmar; 53 hp 4JH5E Diesel w/SD50 Saildrive

Design Comments:

Lively performance, handsome aesthetics, a comfortable cockpit, and ample stability are all priorities for this repeat customer of Brooklin Boatyard. Above the waterline, the long, graceful overhangs, sweeping sheerline, and small counter stern all reflect a classic style. At the same time, below the waterline and aloft, the focus is on contemporary performance, with hull, appendage, and rig detailing that is state of the art. The boat will be day cruised and singlehanded on a daily basis, and enthusiastically raced a number of times each year. She will not often be taken offshore or on extended cruises, so her interior is focused more on comfortable and attractive social spaces rather than on the cargo carrying capacity required for passage making.

The hull and deck are constructed with the cold molded wood/epoxy technique for which Brooklin Boatyard is justifiably famous. The hull features tongue and groove Alaskan cedar planking each side of diagonal western red cedar veneers, and the deck boasts a handsome and traditional teak overlay. The stem, keelson, and ring frames are laminated Alaskan cedar. The keel loads are supported and distributed by a grid of laminated keel floors that are capped with unidirectional carbon fiber. Cold molded wood construction not only results in high strength and toughness relative to weight, but it also provides very impressive acoustic and thermal insulation. The interior is finished in a classic ‘Herreshoff’ style, with off-white painted surfaces trimmed with brightwork highlights that are a Brooklin Boatyard trademark.

Her light weight construction allows a high ballast/displacement ratio, which combined with a carbon rig, provides ample stability to support a generous sailplan. The boat will be day cruised and singlehanded with a self-tacking jib, but raced most often with a genoa. A ‘socked’ asymmetrical spinnaker and modern, sophisticated deck hardware (including an electric main halyard winch) allow a shorthanded crew to handle the rig with ease and confidence. The jib furler and hydraulic backstay adjuster are both located below to keep the deck clear and the look clean. Her long ends give her generous deck area and gear locker volume.

Long sailing length and narrow beam will give this design a meter boat feel, with low drag and an especially comfortable motion in a seaway. Her low wetted area and large rig reflect her emphasis on rewarding performance in light-to-moderate air New England. Her deep, high aspect ratio appendages feature ample profile area to provide a user friendly ‘groove’ even when downspeed or in sloppy sea conditions. Her unusual combination of classic style with contemporary performance will set her apart from (and usually far ahead of!) everything else on the water.