[Jeff_H]

As usual, I think that Jack has hit the nail on the head. It is pretty much imposible to design a center cockpit boat below 40-42 feet or so that does not represent a major compromise in sailing ability, storage capacity, and motion comfort. The reasons are pretty much as Jack has stated but to explain this further, when you design a big center cockpit boat the natural volume distribution of hull is such the midship cockpit is occurring aft of the maximum point of beam and that there is enough room to get accomodations in the ends. In a smaller boat, the physical dimensions required for an aft cabing, pushes the cockpit further forward relative to the length of the boat so that the cockpit now occupies the most prime real estate on the boat, the portion of the boat with the greatest depth of hull and the greatest beam. While this helps get useful passages in, it wipes out a large volume of otherwise useable space. Similarly, to get enough room the stern for a reasonable double berth and the normal acoutrements of an aft cabin, the volume of the stern of a boat under 40 or so feet gets increased dramatically in a way that is not beneficial to the boat''s sailing ability.

It is those sort of challenges that keep most designers away from designing small center cockpit boats, unless they are intended for coastal use or seen as motorsailors. While there have been a number of smaller mid-cockpit boats built over the years you would probably end up with a better sailing sailing boat with nicer, more usable accomodations if you would either accept an aft cockpit or else expand your size range to something over 40 feet.

Respectfully,
Jeff