This Yacht is featured in the May 1998 issue of BOAT INTERNATIONAL magazine, page 23

                                              June 1998 issue of YACHTING WORLD.

DESIGN NO. 965         A Cat-Ketch for a French couple. " Millenium Falcon"

They knew what they wanted!

They had seen in the Caribbean the 68 feet free standing schooner Magie Noire of my design.  They wrote their intention of 

ordering a set of plans for a 50-foot long cat-ketch fulfilling their requirements.  A year of cruising later, they stopped in 

Newport and commissioned the drawings. Now another year has passed and they are busy building the boat back in France.

At 50 feet, she is significant in size and weight.  At 16T, built out of steel and with a long-term cruising program, it is 

important to remain focused on simplicity.  One does not want permanent slavery in terms of replacement and maintenance.  

Not so much because of the material chosen; steel, ( F.R.P, wood and aluminum should all be protected by some form of 

epoxy barriers) but because the area and volume of such a vessel are huge.

The straightforward interior is designed around the protected midship cockpit.  Forward, the companionway on starboard 

gives access to a quarter berth and a navigation table.  Port side, the galley is designed to satisfy the demands of French 

cooking.  Then the saloon, and further ahead, the Head! There is a watertight bulkhead forward of the mainmast.

Aft of the cockpit, the private stateroom shows hanging lockers, desk and cabinets.  Surprisingly two large single berths 

were chosen instead of the more common double berth. The engine room is behind a watertight bulkhead with access door. 

This degree of simplicity has been pursued all the way to the hull shape, the keel and the rudder.  The construction and the 

rig, of course, have benefited from the same treatment.

The hull shape in section is based upon two constant angles joined by a constant radius.  This technique can produce fast 

boats, rapidly built. The construction follows the principle of longitudinals notched into widely spaced frames.  The hull is 

designed to the ABS Guide for building and Classing Offshore Racing Yachts. The owner opted for a wooden deck instead 

of steel or aluminum.

The keel appears brutal in profile. One does not associate rectilinear shapes with speed.  In this case a marginal speed factor 

is being sacrificed for a better balance under sail.  Lower the lead ballast as much as possible and offer volume for tankage.

The spade rudder features a trim tab connected to the inboard wind vane. 

The free-standing rig is turboed by full length battens commanding large roaches.  I have moved the mainmast further aft 

than usual and this gives more justification to the keel and rudder shape and size.  It is unfortunate that “ free of wire masts 

 is misunderstood".  The only way to render them more popular would be to adopt false spreaders and fake shrouds.  Just for 

theLook!  I am not kidding. The masts are of wood construction. Better than aluminum but not as good as Carbon fiber.

The path to define what is important in an offshore boat is very individual and is the reason why I design boats and continue 

to do so.  Having designed more different modern free standing rigs than anybody else in the world, I have developed a 

goodknow-how.  But the work towards perfection is never over.

DESIGN NO. 965RADIUS CHINE BUILDING TECHNIQUE.