Designed especially with a view to producing a big boat that can be built by the amateur builder with a minimum of time and expense, Matty, fills a niche in the hundreds of designs MoToR BoatinG has published these last many years. And this is an especially interesting kind of boat. All those shallow waters of these United States, thousands of miles of protected and shallow waters, can be used only by center board craft of very modest draft, also there are many other localities where there is reasonably deep water inside and offshore; but a shallow bar to be crossed on the way in and out. Here again the necessity for a center board type of boat. Matty was designed for use in places of this kind, and for people with slim pocketbooks and a desire for a comfortable kind of sailing boat.
Matty is ketch rigged, a handy and efficient sail plan for any small boat. The total sail area is 366 square feet. The combined center of effort of the jib and mizzen is very close to the center of effort of the main sail. The balance of the sail plan thus remains constant under main alone or under jib and mizzen. The sail area is modest for a boat of this length; but this is a good feature on a center board boat; one does not want to be lugging sail on a craft of this type. With a rig of this kind there is a minimum of running rigging, blocks, and cleats; all of which, of course, makes handling easier.
The boat is 29 feet 2 inches over all; 27 feet on the water line; 9 feet in breadth, and draws 2 feet 6 inches of water under the rudder. The latter can be unshipped if necessary. The draft under the skeg is 1 foot 6 inches. With the center board all the way down the draft is 4 feet 9 inches. The free board at the bow is 3 feet l0 1/2 inches; least freeboard, 2 feet 8 1/2 inches; and freeboard at the stern 3 feet 1 inch. The boat will require 1200 pounds of inside ballast. The displacement of Matty is very close to 6,200 pounds; from this figure you can get a good idea of the capacity of the boat. Matty is not a small boat, by any means. With alterations in the cabin and deck arrangement and the addition of a motor the little boat would be fine for work purposes.
There is a lot of room on deck and in the cockpit. This makes the boat very useful for day sailing, and day sailing is a very pleasant pastime. The cockpit is arranged with a seat each side, with lockers beneath the hinged tops of these seats; there is length enough to stretch out full if a nap is needed or to take a sun bath. A small bridge deck stretches across the hull giving strength and raising the companion hatchway well above possibility of shipping water. If small motor is to be installed the bridge deck gives the necessary headroom for this and still the motor is not taking up room in the cabin house part of the boat. The mizzen steps through the cockpit floor and is supported by the oak bench that stretches across the cockpit at the level of the side seats. The cockpit will be self draining; its level is 15 inches above the L.W. L.
The deck house is 9 feet long and slightly over 6 feet wide; therefore a lot of room inside. With the modest depth below the waterline it is next to impossible to get full headroom; but there is 5 feet 3 inches under the cabin top beams which is enough for many people. I suppose builders will raise the house sides, and increase the crown of the house top beams. I would not advise this under any circumstances; it will ruin the looks of the little boat, and harm its sailing qualities if this change is made. Inside, the cabin has two full length bunks. There is, too, a large locker and table space each side aft. Room here for stove, sink, ice box, and stowage space for dishes, cooking things, supplies and food. The center board trunk is always in the way in boats of shallow draft type; it just cannot be helped. It might be a good idea, but more work, to have twin companionways, one either side the trunk.
