PSCs - Wet vs. Dry?

[JohnRPollard]

MC1,

Re spoon bows, here is a good example of a "spoon bow":

Cape George 34 Profile Drawing

Contrast that with the PSC 34 bow shape, with the stem raked forward:

PSC 34 Photo

As the overhang is reduced, it becomes more difficult to flare the bows of the boat without resorting to a concavity that looks odd, as you sometime see on plum-bow designs. With our raked stem, it's easy to add pronounced flare in the bows without using any curvature. That is one of the benefits of the design.

But it's all a trade-off. Personally, I'd prefer to have the extra waterline that comes with the spoon bow, even if I lost some of the "dryness" that comes with our raked stem and flared bows.

[DaveMancini]

MC1,

Couple of things by way of clarification: Because we knew we would be going to weather in the trades for a couple of weeks and also having a full bow tank, I stowed the 45# CQR in the head (don't use the head at sea). We also pulled the 250' of 3/8" chain aft into the space behind the bow tank. Then, we moved every other object with any weight aft into the center of the boat (books, oars, etc.). We don't do this on downwind passages, but prudence dictates it for long passages on the wind. Besides keeping the boat drier, it makes for faster and more comfortable sailing.

Second, Bill Crealock told me the 34 has the same interior volume as the 37 (surprising, I know). The waterline of the 34 is only a foot and half shorter and the bows are fuller. Displacement to WL is lower. This might have something to do with it. Despite all of this, I have always preferred the lines of the 37.

Dave Mancini
PSC34 #305 "Swan"

[MC1]

Thanks John and Dave. I'm in serious danger of learning something here.

The factoid about the 34/37 interior volumes does surprise me Dave. You've inspired me to start a new thread on, "Things Bill Crealock Told Me".