displacement redux

[shmangasarian]

I''ve read the previous discussions on displacement (re: disp./ballast ratios) but I can"t seem to get a handle on the following - -
I am looking at a Beneteau 435 (disp:24000/ballast:9300 a respectable 39% ratio) and an Elan 43 (disp:15200/ballast 6000 again a respectable 39.5% ratio) Here''s my quandry: given same length, same beam, same headroom, same power plant (weight of engine), same flush deck design - - how do you explain the large difference (37%) in displacement. Is it possible the waterlines are that much lower/higher due to weight of materials?

[Jeff_H]

A couple things here....I beleive that you are looking at an early 1990''s era Elan, the Elan 431 (8200 kg= 18000 lbs) which was a late IOR era racer- cruiser design and comparing it to the mid-1980''s era Beneteau (which is listed as weighing a not so spritely 21800). The Elan is lighter for all kinds of reasons such as smaller tankage, lighter interior components, minimal liners and a lot of hand glass work, smaller engine, tapered rig, and so on.

The Elan appears to be a much better built boat all around. The Elan claimed to be using very high quality materials, a lot of careful engineering and a lot of hand labor on such items as hand glassed in stringers and transverse frames. The Beneteau, while a pretty nice boat, does not appear to have as high a standard of construction.

Both are quite dated designs although the Elan looks like the better of the two.

Jeff