U.S. Coast Guard Academy Leadership 44 Design

[JohnRPollard]

We were discussing the US Naval Academy's 44-foot Sail Training Craft (STC) in another thread. I commented:

...I've often wondered whether it would be feasible to purchase one new and re-configure it for cruising.....

So, after I wrote the above, I got curious and went digging to see if anyone had piggybacked on the Navy-build and ordered up one of these boats for themselves.

I didn't find any evidence of that. BUT, I found some interesting information about the US Coast Guard Academy's attempts to acquire some STC Mark II boats.

Apparently the CG Academy realized this would be a good opportunity to upgrade their fleet (they are still using the Luders yawls !!). However, they were a bit slow to the draw, and missed the opportunity to get in on the Navy contract with Pearson Composites. So they had to solicit their own bids, which came in much higher than expected/budgeted.

Disappointed, they went back to the designer, Dave Pedrick, and asked him to re-work the design/spec with an eye to reducing acquisition and operating costs. Not sure what else he did, but he came back to them with a revised boat, including a fractional rig, that the USCGA then put out for bids.

Morris Yachts is now building hull #1 of the USCGA's Leadership 44 Class.

Wow!! This fractional rig makes an already appealing design that much more so, to me anyway. Wouldn't it be cool to order and outfit one for performance cruising?

Line Drawing

It looks to me like they went back to a conventional foredeck hatch, instead of the sliding version that the USNA spec-ed.

[JohnRPollard]

And here is the press release from Morris Yachts, when they were selected for the build last fall. Note who they competed against.

Press Relase

[Jeff_H]

That is one neat boat. Now if it was only a few thousand pounds lighter, and a little less round bottomed, had a real forward stateroom, and real aft stateroom and was within a price range I could afford.....

We can all dream can't we?

Jeff

[sailingdog]

A few more changes and you'll have a totally different boat...

Originally Posted by Jeff_H

That is one neat boat. Now if it was only a few thousand pounds lighter, and a little less round bottomed, had a real forward stateroom, and real aft stateroom and was within a price range I could afford.....

We can all dream can't we?

Jeff

[Faster]

Thanks John.. nice link. I love poring over such nicely done drawings.

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by Faster

Thanks John.. nice link. I love poring over such nicely done drawings.

Yeah, me too. Neat stuff.

I'd be interested to hear from someone "in the know" what the other differences are between the USNA and USCGA designs. I was sort of hoping Jeff might know more...

I notice the fractional rig still seems to use fairly large overlapping headsails. Maybe they couldn't go as tall as they'd have liked with the mast? I know the USCGA is upstream on the Thames River in Connecticut from some highway bridges. Maybe they had clearance issues?

I much prefer the fractional rig, but in some respects it's kind of too bad these two service academies didn't settle on a common design so they could compete against each other in a "one -design" fleet.

[nolatom]

This might make a good recruiting tool for the Academy. The more true sailors graduating into the working Coast Guard, the better for all of us.

[eryka]

Originally Posted by JohnRPollard

We were discussing the US Naval Academy's 44-foot Sail Training Craft (STC) in another thread. I commented:



So, after I wrote the above, I got curious and went digging to see if anyone had piggybacked on the Navy-build and ordered up one of these boats for themselves.

I didn't find any evidence of that. .

John, I think I was typing while you were typing; I understand that a civilian version of the 44 may be made availablbe at some time in the future. There would have to be a lot of changes; the Navy version is deliberately labor-intensive (see my post on the other thread) which is the exact opposite of what you'd want in a civilian boat. But if you can afford to get your hands on one ... WOW do they sail!!

[mstern]

Originally Posted by JohnRPollard

I notice the fractional rig still seems to use fairly large overlapping headsails. Maybe they couldn't go as tall as they'd have liked with the mast? I know the USCGA is upstream on the Thames River in Connecticut from some highway bridges. Maybe they had clearance issues?

The highway bridges on the Thames just south of the Acadamy aren't a clearance problem. The Eagle fits underneath. And the railroad bridge south of the highway bridges is a moveable bridge.

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by JohnRPollard

I'd be interested to hear from someone "in the know" what the other differences are between the USNA and USCGA designs. I was sort of hoping Jeff might know more...

Definitely not in the know...but My best and first guess is a lighter lay up.