| Nutmeg A 35' 6" Ketch By William Atkin |
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| A Practical Cruising Ketch | |
| There is, Shipmates, a great deal to be said for gaff-head sails for cruising yachts as shown by the sail spread of the 35-foot 6-inch ketch Nutmeg. Of first consideration to any one of seagoing experience is the matter of getting aloft to clear away tangled gear or to re-reeve new halyards, lifts or tackles. On a long cruise, gear will chafe and must be renewed while miles away from a convenient ship yard high-derrick. And it is pretty generally conceded that the shorter masts of the gaff-rigged yacht are less likely to meet disaster pounding and thrashing around in a really bad sea way; then the matter of staying is much simplified with gaff rigged craft. And, of course, the shorter masts are cheaper to build in the first place and far less expensive to keep in first class condition. Everything in connection with the gaff head rig has long passed the experimental stage which is worth a lot from the standpoint of maintenance. There have been, and still are, some very fast sailing yachts rigged with four-sided sails. At any rate, here we have Nutmeg. | |
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| She is a ketch of modest sail area and all the earmarks of comfort and ease of handling. The rig is compact and shipshape. Four comparatively small units make sail shortening easy and safe. The total sail area is 569 square feet; mainsail 259 square feet; staysail 85 square feet; mizzen 116 square feet; and jib 109 square feet. The boat will balance perfectly with all sails spread, with mainsail alone, with mizzen and two head sails, and with mizzen reefed and full staysail, and if it blows like hell with double reefed mainsail. And, so you see, here is one chalked up for the ketch sail plan. There is generous height in the masts above the gaff jaws to lift the gaffs without excessive down thrust. | |
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The deck shows a typical cockpit as developed by your writer and designer; side seats not too far spaced; tanks beneath these and on the cockpit floor (not inside the hull); narrow deck house; bridge deck; and hatches both forward and aft. Here you have all the elements of safety, ventilation, and comfort. Change one and you'll affect the balanced assembly. The cabin is designed to accommodate a party of four. A handy galley just below the companion way; motor hidden away under the bridge deck and cockpit floor; but really accessible; doors to close in the noise; combination sofa and berths in the main cabin, lockers, drop leaf table; separate toilet room; large clothes locker, and two built-in berths up under the forward deck; also plenty of hanging and locker room for clothes, sails and gear. Headroom under the deck house is over 6 feet. And that, then, is the layout in briefest terms. | |
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| The lines show a typical yacht hull with modest overhangs, and displacement. The over all length is 35 feet 6 inches; length on water line, 28 feet; breadth, 9 feet 10 inches; and draft, 4 feet 11 inches. Freeboard at the bow is 4 feet; and at the stern, 3 feet 3 1/2 inches; least freeboard, 2 feet 9 inches. Displacement is 19,600 pounds. There will be 5,400 pounds of iron in the keel with inside ballast weighing 2,500 pounds. The hull is thick through the garboards with full rounded sections from end to end. An easy form to push through the water and one forming a minimum of eddies and costly waves. | |
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| Plans for Nutmeg are $200 MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM SHIPS PLANS STORE https://store.mysticseaport.org/ships-plans/ shipsplanstore@mysticseaport.org
+1 (860) 572 5360 | |
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