Elizabeth Stuart
A 28' 9" V-Bottom Raised-Deck Day Cruiser
By William Atkin
A Day Cruiser
The spring comes, and there are many summers not so far down the channel: summers that will be full of wavelets, singing tides, flying bunting, and happy hearts afloat: summers gay in spirit and waterways crowded with little boats, laughing people and motors contented with ample fuel, spinning away power for the joy of living. What better, then, than an able little day cruising boat like this one I have named Elizabeth Stuart? The latest of our large family of boats is a V-bottom model. The sections below the chines are straight; those of the top sides moulded, that is curved. The over all length of this day cruiser is, 28 feet 9 inches; water line length, 27 feet; breadth, 8 feet 4 inches; draft, 2 feet 1 1/2 inches. The freeboard at the bow to the raised deck is 5 feet, while at the stern the freeboard is 3 feet 8 inches.
This member of the family is not intended for use as a cruising boat; rather for the kind of sailing one will do in most watering places; afternoons, week ends, holidays. The cockpit is 11 feet long by 5 feet 8 inches wide. There is an after deck 3 feet long. The cockpit is self bailing; it is 12 inches above the load water line. There is, of course, full headroom beneath the pilot house roof. This does not extend to the stern. Seems better from every standpoint to leave the after end of the cockpit open to the sun and weather. If this does nothing else it may restrain guests from draping themselves all over the forward deck and pilot house roof in an effort to get a nice summer's tan. In connection with this I have always wondered why so many motor boat pictures show a woman astride the flag staff and the stem and several others draped over the scenery: are there no comfortable accommodations elsewhere in the little ship for these?
The cabin is laid out in the simplest manner. Sink and single burner alcohol stove to the port side of the motor box; lockers to the starboard hand. There is room beneath the sink for a smalll ice box. And rather nice locker space under the table for the small stove. The cabin seats are 6 feet 3 inches long and wide enough to rest on. If one expects to sleep on the boat over night I would install a pipe berth each side over the seats.
It will be noticed that there is a lot of curve aft as the side sections approach the chine, the boat being wider at the water line than at the chines. It is surprising how much this flare or bulge does toward preventing the boat from yawing and heeling while under way, running off in rough water. Just enough lift and reserve buoyancy to cut down the harshness of the sharp corners of the chines. It is a wonder some of our distinguished designers of war motor boats have not looked into this. The hull is designed for a speed of approximately 14 miles an hour, using for power a motor of about 190 cubic inch piston displacement. A good heavy four cylinder motor of this size will be ideal for our little ship Elizabeth Stuart. Mounted on Felter's felt or rubber vibration dampeners, vibration will not be objectionable and the greatest amount of efficiency will be obtained from the motor specified.
Plans for Elizabeth Stuart are $100

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