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What is a K boat?

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Ok Jerry, you've peaked my interest. Any pictures or video of a twin engine or Allison powered K boat?  

"Flat" foot'n said: Ok Jerry, you've peaked my interest. Any pictures or video of a twin engine or Allison powered K boat? Click to expand...

Definition of a "K Boat"..."A blown injected, methal burning circle boat, in which the crowd runs to the shoreline to watch".....more simply put. "When the drags are blown out, the K's come out".  

That's exactly what happened at Irvine.  

I remember the first time I saw K-Boats racing at Lakeport on Clear Lake, it was during an intermission of the ski racing event being held that weekend. This was probably right around 1980, and at that time they were burning nitro instead of alky. Was quite impressed, and amazed.  

Sharp Shooter said: Here's a thread that everyone can use (Now and future) so we don't have to keep answering this question over and over. A K boat is a boat set up AND REGISTERED to race under the guidelines of the American Power Boat Association K class rules. In the beginning there werent many rules but now there are. This is a page from the 24th Annual 1972 Memorial Regatta at Long Beach Marine Stadium. Click to expand...

:raining:  

So we know what a K-Boat is, but the big question remains, why "K"? K doesn't seem to stand for anything, did there used to be APBA "A Racing Runabout", "B Racing Runabout" etc up to the mostly unlimited "K Racing Runabout"?  

Pretty sure its kilometer  

"K"ick ass?  

Definition Back in the day the Inboard Category of APBA had different classes using different letter designations, A, B, E, Y, etc. and U was already taken by Unlimited Hydroplanes so K became the standard for any "Unlimited" class of racing in the Inboard and Inboard Endurance categories- ie: KJ (unlimited jet), KM (unlimited marathon) and the subject of our discussion KRR - (Unlimited Racing Runabout). By definition a K Boat has always been synonymous with the APBA though many times KRR's and other classes have kept their designation and run under another sanctioning body. Ross Wallach, SCSC/RPM Racing Ent./GNRA/POPRA  

rossdbos said: Back in the day the Inboard Category of APBA had different classes using different letter designations, A, B, E, Y, etc. and U was already taken by Unlimited Hydroplanes so K became the standard for any "Unlimited" class of racing in the Inboard and Inboard Endurance categories- ie: KJ (unlimited jet), KM (unlimited marathon) and the subject of our discussion KRR - (Unlimited Racing Runabout). By definition a K Boat has always been synonymous with the APBA though many times KRR's and other classes have kept their designation and run under another sanctioning body. Ross Wallach, SCSC/RPM Racing Ent./GNRA/POPRA Click to expand...

By definition a K Boat has always been synonymous with the APBA though many times KRR's and other classes have kept their designation and run under another sanctioning body. Hence: NRKA  

Monstrous said: By definition a K Boat has always been synonymous with the APBA though many times KRR's and other classes have kept their designation and race under another sanctioning body. Hence: NRKA Click to expand...

2manymustangs said: K commonly represents extremes.... Which is a very good description when you are talking about many of the Kboats, and NONE more extreme than K69 and the REAL K BOAT KING!!! )THumbsUp View attachment 283394 Click to expand...

$11,000 for the hull $30,000 for the engine X2 $10,000 for rigging $15,000 for paint $45,000 for the hauler $300 for fuel 200 man hours to get ready $500 for entry fee's $500 for food $500 for beer All this for 5 minutes of fun Priceless.................  

K Boat A hole in the water you pour money into ! :wink2:  

Cool old flyer Jerry. Sure tell how times have changed, only one Biesmeyer listed and not a single blower pictured.  

Was the original "Cold Fire K-50" Blown injected? or just Mech Inj? any old pics of it from back in the day?  

Started its life injected.  

If it wasnt for the NKRA/NRKA the K class would have DIED ! WE have supported since 2006 the interest back in K'S ! So Gordy why the Bashing ? Even the APBA recognizes our club Look at all the boats being built! You guys dont get it. I brought The Kings out of retirement to the races in Burley and long beach! What about Irvine? We brought competion and the crowds to see us run! And Kicked ASS !!! You guys give it a rest ! I dont give a FUCK what anybody thinks about my replica/poser trailer queen Fake K ! I own a boat that was restored with the help of 2 of the greatest names in boat racing history !!!! What have you guys done for the K class lately EXACTLY NOTHING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

Dossangers said: So Gordy why the Bashing ? Click to expand...

I have a question, When did Ks become KRRs and start running circles. And if unblown engines were allowed then, when did the blown requirement start? What made a K back then different from a PS or ProComp? Engine limit? Could a Pro Comp run K like a SS runs PS? When did this stop?  

As I remember it Bob: The K's as I came to understand it were limited to blown only boats and the unblown boats were not allowed to race in the class during the heyday of the KRA era when some PS were able to beat several top running K's. As we know there are a few top running SS and PS's that could beat most of the K's out there as they are more efficiently using their lesser horsepower to keep their speeds up in the turns where the K's effectively have to shut down. APBA was pressured to institute this rule and the way they did it was under the guise that (at the time) no one could just jump into the K class, it was a class that you had to qualify for and to let PS or the like run with them went against this rule. Sharp Shooter, care to chime in, as the K historian? Wayne, it was great having you and Dave (RIP) run your boat when you did and it's always awesome to have NKRA guys come out and throw their hat in the ring whether it was during the Irvine Lake K challenge or at Long Beach or Burley, etc. As I said previously it's just great to see so many beautifully restored and newly built K boats and given the fact that we have so many new K drivers out there and had qualifying heats at Parker the K's are definitely back as a class and growing!! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but there are several K boats out there that haven't yet graced the race course but could be just as competitive as the current crop of K boats. I for one am ecstatic at the growth in all the flat classes and the crowds should be very happy at Long Beach this year! Ross Wallach, President SCSC  

rossdbos said: Bob: The K's as I came to understand it were limited to blown only boats and the unblown boats were not allowed to race in the class during the heyday of the KRA era when some PS were able to beat several top running K's. As we know there are a few top running SS and PS's that could beat most of the K's out there as they are more efficiently using their lesser horsepower to keep their speeds up in the turns where the K's effectively have to shut down. APBA was pressured to institute this rule and the way they did it was under the guise that (at the time) no one could just jump into the K class, it was a class that you had to qualify for and to let PS or the like run with them went against this rule. Sharp Shooter, care to chime in, as the K historian? Wayne, it was great having you and Dave (RIP) run your boat when you did and it's always awesome to have NKRA guys come out and throw their hat in the ring whether it was during the Irvine Lake K challenge or at Long Beach or Burley, etc. As I said previously it's just great to see so many beautifully restored and newly built K boats and given the fact that we have so many new K drivers out there and had qualifying heats at Parker the K's are definitely back as a class and growing!! Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery but there are several K boats out there that haven't yet graced the race course but could be just as competitive as the current crop of K boats. I for one am ecstatic at the growth in all the flat classes and the crowds should be very happy at Long Beach this year! Ross Wallach, President SCSC Click to expand...

What do you mean revived. What were the K boats before they revived them. I guess what I am asking is, when did sprint Ks start as a class as opposed to what I think were strictly straight away boats in the past.  

The Vintage Inboard Flatbottom classes Here's a rundown of the very limited info available on runabouts A Matter Of Class [1951] I found another one from 1951  

Stickman said: The Vintage Inboard Flatbottom classes Here's a rundown of the very limited info available on runabouts Click to expand...

So heres a guess. Patterson's Superciders and Rudy's Rayson X/P could run as Ks for kilo recods without running a sprint race because at the time nobody was running circle Ks in the mid 60s, but the class still existed and records could still be set. I don't think the saved the K class in 1960 because there were so many boats running the class, but because they felt they needed maintain an unlimited flat class if for nothing other than straightaway speed records.  

Here's some good history Click on this: Inboard Racing: A Wild Ride - Bob Foley - Google Books  

rossdbos said: Click on this: Inboard Racing: A Wild Ride - Bob Foley - Google Books Click to expand...

Dossangers said: Great pics They are but I know one thing, if you raced a flat and never raced a K you are missing a real experience that money cann't buy. Click to expand...

Check with Sharp Shooter. There was a white Biesemeyer with turbos that ran at LB in the 70's. I don't recall the name of the boat.  

Roaddogg 4040 said: Boyd, Jerry prolly doesn't link it 'cause he tries to make a couple of bucks in return for the hundreds of hours he has spent filming and editing these races.:yes: Steve Click to expand...

Boyd, Jerry prolly doesn't link it 'cause he tries to make a couple of bucks in return for the hundreds of hours he has spent filming and editing these races.:yes: Steve  

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In 1950 the RNZYS ran a design competition won by Arthur Robb and a subsequent 12 boats were built within the following decade.

The following gives a list of the 12 K’s courtesy of the Wooden Boat Forum.

Designed by Bob Stewart, Built by Col Wild in 1948 Bill Couldrey told me that Bob Stewart wanted him (Couldrey) to build the boat but as he didn’t have a yard at that time, it was arranged for Couldrey to build her at Col Wild’s yard. Bob Salthouse however says Couldrey was only on wages at the time & most work was done by Chris Robertson. Both statements are probably true.

K 2 Jenanne

Designed by Bill Couldrey, Built by Low Bros, Whangarei 1950. She was designed in late 1948, built in Whangarei and finished off by her owner, Murray Wiseman and did not hit the water until 1950.

K 3 Thelma VII

Designed by Bill Couldrey, Built By Allan Williams 1950.

Designed by Arch Logan, Built by Bill Couldrey 1939 Converted to the K-class rule in 1950

K 5 Kitenui

Designed by Colin Wild, Built by Colin Wild 1950

K 6 Penelope

Designed by Bob Stewart, Built by Allan Williams 1952

Designed by Colin Wild, Built by Colin Wild 1950. Launched in October 1950 for Sir Keith Park. Renamed Robin c1975.

K 8 Anthea II

Designed by James McGruer, Built by Collings & Bell 1957.

Designed by Arch Logan, Built by Bill Couldrey 1935. Converted to the K-class rule 1953, design work done by Jack Brooke.

K 10 Katrina II

Designed by Bob Stewart, Built by Percy Vos 1957.

K 11 Kiariki

Designed by Jack Brooke, Built by John Salthouse 1959. Launched early 1959.

K 12 Sapphire

Designed by Sparkman & Stephens, Built by Percy Vos Ltd.

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The latest addition to New Zealand's classic yachting books has finally arrived. Filled with photos and stories, this book showcases the history and the spirit of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's 'glamour class' – the K Class fleet.

'The Ks were beautiful boats to sail. When I look at them today, and I think of all the things we used to do in them - bloody hell! We were all pretty gung ho...' ~ Kim McDell talking about his time with Waiomo

In 1944 the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron held a world-wide competition to create a new class of keelers that would be just as comfortable racing as cruising in the sparkling waters of Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf.

The K Class fleet developed from this competition – 13 yachts designed by well-known local and international yacht designers such as Arch Logan, Arthur Robb, Bob Stewart, Bill Couldrey, James McGruer, and Olin Stephens.

Referred to in their hey-day as the 'glamour class' of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, the Ks were similar in size and shape to the International 8 Metre boats popular in Europe.

This book traces the history of the K Class and offers a glimpse into what it was like for those who were lucky enough to spend racing and cruising on them. Although the fleet was small, their beauty and performance touched the hearts of many sailors, and left the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron in no doubt they had created a very fine class.

From Bob Stewart's Helen to Sparkman & Stephens' Sapphire, the fleet has impressed and delighted many of New Zealand's yachting fraternity for almost seventy years.

Page after page of photos, from both professional photographers and family albums, highlight the joys of sailing such beautiful boats.

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K-Boat is a 16 ′ 0 ″ / 4.9 m monohull sailboat designed by Murray Wright and built by Wright-Built Boat Co.(USA) between 1936 and 1978.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Originally called KOHINOOR. Sailed primarily on the Finger Lakes, NY, (USA). 110-pound steel centerboard. A short run of fiberglass versions were built by East Suburban Plastics of Syracuse, NY (1975). The Wright-Built Boat Company was located at Dundee, NY. Image has been promised. Dimensions are approximate.

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In defence of the K-Class…

Steam-powered submarines are such an obviously stupid idea that only an idiot would build them. Right?

The Royal Navy took rather a dim view of submarines in their early days. This manifested itself in several ways, though perhaps the most obvious is that they were allocated numbers instead of names. Only proper ships have names. Even the insistence on calling them boats – despite their latest descendants displacing nearly 16,000 tons and carrying enough explosive firepower to make Jutland look like a fart in the bath – hints at a residual snobbery. And it’s hard not to assume that this attitude is detectable in the designs of their subs.

Exhibit A in this particular argument is always the K-Class. They’re essentially one of those ideas that provides its own punchline – the oil-fired, steam-powered submarine – and yet somehow the execution was even worse.

Amongst their other foibles, the K-class were capable of diving uncommanded (in a boat full of holes!), when they dived deliberately the bow could be at crush depth whilst the screws beat the air uselessly, and it’s claimed they took half an hour to prepare to dive safely. Although “safely” was, as we’ve established, a strictly relative term and the actual record for diving – presumably unsafely – was 3 minutes 24 seconds*. Oh, and the swivelling torpedo tubes were fairly useless, although not quite as useless as the torpedoes they contained. The only time a K-Class fired on an enemy vessel it was rewarded with a series of dull thuds as the torps bounced harmlessly off.

Indeed the Ks barely saw combat. Entering service too late in the war to have much to shoot at, they remedied the lack of action with 1918’s Battle of May Island, in which a brief moment of jammed steering gear led to the loss of two submarines and damage to four others. The incident was considered so embarrassing that much of it – including details of the resulting courts martial – was hushed up until 1994. We’d invented Britpop by then! And wished we hadn’t.

But here’s the rub: the K-Class did exactly what it was designed to do. Well, apart from all the defects and the whole Battle of May Island debacle. That definitely wasn’t in the brief.

The K-Class were, however, trying to square a very awkward circle. The Royal Navy wanted a submarine that could plausibly keep up with the fleet and then either ambush a retreating enemy or create havoc on the flanks. That the Ks were happily capable of causing havoc in the absence of the enemy was merely an unfortunate sidenote to this ambition.

To keep up with the fleet meant the K-Class had to be fast. The intention was that they could operate at 21 knots, but the final design blew that out of the water – the only thing a K ever would. Capable of 24 knots on the surface, a speed not matched until the 1960s, the Ks were seriously rapid. But that came at a cost…

To obtain that speed they simply had to be powered by steam turbines. Diesels had been tried with mixed success in the preceding J-Class but struggled to push the vessel above 19 knots. The fact that the boilers could only be fired on the surface wasn’t a showstopper as submarines of the time were expected to be quicker on the surface than submerged anyway. Amps for the electric motors were smaller then or something.

The Ks also had to be big – size and speed are generally linked in maritime affairs – and if anything that was a bigger issue than all those holes in the roof. They were the length of a small cathedral but had roughly the same manoeuvrability – and probably a similar amount of praying on the inside when they were asked to turn sharply. It didn’t help with controlling the boat’s attitude whilst diving either – the controls of the time simply weren’t quick or accurate enough to easily retain control.

Whether they needed that pace is a slightly more dubious point. It’s been suggested that the Royal Navy were bounced into the idea of the fleet submarine by reports that the Germans were trying it – and it’s worth noting that the Germans didn’t manage to make it work either. Nobody really did. The idea of submarines acting with the fleet directly, rather than sneaking around to the expected ambush point, disappeared with experience. Having the Ks prove that the experience was horrible certainly can’t have done much to promote it.

But that, really, is where the defence rests: if there was a problem with the Kalamity Class, it was the concept itself. To meet it the K-Class was asked to do just one thing at all costs – be fast – and at 24 knots they certainly met the brief.

Now if only somebody had thought to request they avoid the rest of their nonsense…

* There’s some contradictory information on the diving times. It’s claimed K8 achieved a dive in 3 minutes 24 seconds, and the design specification was certainly to be able to dive in fewer than five minutes. On the other hand the 30 minute figure crops up a lot and the incredibly specific 24 minutes and 15 seconds has also been attested . What I think is going on here is different criteria, with a crash dive under wartime conditions relying on a lot fewer safety measures than a more controlled dive with the boilers entirely damped etc. The latter would allow the boiler room to be left open to the rest of the submarine, with a consequent ability for the crew to check those holes for leaks. That would leave us with figures of 24ish minutes on average and perhaps 4 or 5 minutes in a rush – something that sounds more plausible as a war machine.

11 thoughts on “ In defence of the K-Class… ”

Its rare that one of your write ups feels more upbeat than the corresponding Wikipedia article, you must have a soft spot for the K Class! 🙂

True. I don’t think the Wikipedia article gets across how audacious the concept itself was given the technology of the day, and that’s what really did for the Ks – every decision necessary to deliver the speed made it harder to build a sensible submarine.

They make marginally more sense if you consider them as a surface ship that can hide underwater.

Although taking half an hour to “hide” might be deemed to take some of the gloss off that party trick – especially since once under water presumably the only weapons it could deploy were its not terribly effective torpedoes? And while popping up mid battle and saying “surprise, here’s another surface ship that’s been hiding!” could be useful if it had a full complement of surface ship armament I’m assuming that was sacrificed in the search for speed/submersibility so they’d need to pop up really, really close to the enemy in order to actually do any useful damage (if at all)?

The concept was that they could sail with the fleet, and would then detach to lurk somewhere the enemy were expected to cover later, particularly a line of retreat. It’s interesting though that the Royal Navy were already anticipating both Jutland and Dogger Bank in that regard, with the High Seas Fleet needing to preserve its ships when faced with a substantial portion of the British fleet. They might also have been used as a picket – they were later fitted with pretty powerful radios, possibly to facilitate a scouting role.

My point about thinking of them as surface ships that can submerge is more about their range and ability to move with the fleet, and that the underwater performance was no more than adequate at best.

I’m probably going to amend the dive time in the article, as it’s almost certainly an exaggeration possibly based on the time for boilers to cool off enough that the boiler room could be left open? In a crash dive – and the Ks could obviously crash more than most – they could be sealed off. That meant the biggest space in the ship – and the one with all the holes in it – couldn’t be seen though…

The lurking & scouting with a powerful radio certainly does make sense – especially in a pre-sonar & pre-radar age. There probably weren’t any other efficient ways to get that capability at the time, and since the original plan probably included an assumption of effective torpedoes the idea would have been a fine one.

This would work well as the second half (a new twist!) of a longer (not necessarily “long”) article on the K.

One thing about the Ks that strikes me is that the prolonged dive times seem to negate much of the point of a high “sprint speed.”

True, although the major point of having that speed was so that they could steam with the rest of the fleet when they were required.

In the great visual dictionary of metaphors, the K-Class boldly illustrates the phrase “disaster waiting to happen”..

Excellent article, my only disappointment is that you couldn’t squeeze in my favourite description of them (“the speed of a destroyer and the bridge facilities of a picket boat” – hence, partly, the May Island events). The cathedral simile makes up for it.

‘The most fatal error imaginable would be to put steam engines in submarines.’

John, (Jacky), Arbuthnot Fisher – 1913.

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Artiglio: careful as you go now, getting to the point, ukraine: back to the future, the enduring beauty of french predreadnoughts.

Herreshoff Buzzards Bay 18

Only 5 Buzzards Bay 18s were built by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company during the winter of 1903/1904 for the Beverly Yacht Club where they were known as the K Class. Artisan Boatworks’ Buzzards Bay 18 features edge-glued cedar planking over steam-bent oak frames with a laminated mahogany backbone. Optional auxiliary power by a Beta 14-hp inboard diesel is completely hidden from view within the cabin. GMT Composites of Rhode Island designed and built the carbon-fiber mast, which is faux painted to simulate Sitka spruce, of which the booms and gaff are constructed. The carbon mast allows the BB18 to be sailed without running backstays. This feature, in combination with a full-length jib club, makes the entire rig easy to singlehand.

The Artisan-built BB 18, BESHERTE, recently won 1st place at the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta (Gaff & Schooner Division) in 2018 and 1st place in the Camden Classic Cup (Daysailer Division) in 2019. Whether competing in the classic yacht regattas or leisurely daysailing with grandkids, the Buzzards Bay 18 promises to be a cherished family heirloom.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, contact Alec Brainerd at  (207) 542-0372 .

Additional Specifications LOA: 29′ LWL: 18′ Beam: 8′ 1″ Draft: 3′ 11″ Displacement: 4700 lbs Sail Area: 472 sq ft

  Standard Features and Accessories – Edge-glued cedar planking over bent oak frames and a laminated mahogany backbone – Bronze fasteners throughout, and hardware by JM Reineck & Son – Faux bois carbon mast by GMT Composites, boom and gaff varnished sitka spruce – Sails by Nat Wilson or loft of owner’s choice, with Sunbrella covers – Varnished mahogany transom, coamings, rails, seats, and trim – Bare teak cockpit sole – Choice of paint colors, boat’s name hand painted with gold leaf – Shaw & Tenny paddle and boathook – Life jackets, anchor with rode, electric bilge pump, and all required safety equipment – 3-year warranty on all materials and workmanship

Optional Extras – Epoxy composite construction – Galvanized Triad Boat Trailer – Cockpit cover – Beta 14 HP diesel engine with insulated box and associated systems – 24v Mastervolt Electric propulsion system – Spinnaker with varnished pole and rigging – Complete mooring to mooring seasonal storage and maintenance services

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1915 - 1926: K Class

K Class submarines were the most bizarre and ill-fated submarines of the First World War period. Their conception, in the spring of 1915, arose from the demand for a submarine that could accompany the Grand Fleet at speeds of up to 24 knots.

A 1913 Admiralty design was adopted and, given the outline particulars, form and general arrangements, Vickers were requested to proceed with the detailed drawings.

The first-of-class K3 was laid down by His Majesty the King in May 1915 and was completed at Vickers within 15 months of being ordered. As a result of her trials, additional fans were fitted in the turbine room to combat the very high temperature generated by the steam turbines.

Of the 17 of the class, six were built at Vickers , each at an estimated cost of £340000. Originally 28 K Class submarines were ordered, but of these several were later cancelled, K18 to K21 were redesigned and became the M Class and K26 was an experimental submarine, built in an attempt to overcome the defects of the earlier K boats.

At the time, they were not only the largest submarines in the world, but also the fastest - their phenomenal speed being attained from 10 500 shp oil-fired steam turbines. In addition to the steam turbines, the class had an auxiliary diesel generator for charging the batteries and powering the electric motors.

The pioneer vessels of the K Class had a flush deck with a slight sheer forward but, because of a tendency to dive into head seas, later boats were redesigned to overcome this alarming habit and were fitted with large clipper bows and buoyancy tanks.

In order to allow this change, the armament and torpedo tubes were rearranged - the guns were removed to the superstructure and, where fitted, twin 18-inch deck tubes for use on the surface at night were removed.

The outline of the K boats was broken by two small funnels, which were hinged to fold down into a watertight well. The large air-intakes for the two oil-fired boilers also required watertight seals.

In the concise words of a contemporary submariner, the K Class had 'too many damned holes', and a minor obstruction or wire rope was sufficient to jam a vent open just as the submarine was ready to dive. An added disadvantage was that the highly ingenious design of the class was so complex that it was vulnerable to small defects.

K Class submarines could submerge faster than any previous steam submarines, but the delay was still impossibly long. Although the specified time to close down and secure the boiler room, funnel, etc. was only 30 seconds, the class still took about five minutes to dive. Once submerged, the class could dive to a depth of 200 feet.

The K boats, being high-speed Fleet submarines, were fitted with a deckhouse built over and around the conning tower, forming, in fact, a fully-enclosed bridge and giving, for the first time in Royal Navy submarines, protection to bridge personnel other than by canvas screens.

K Class submarines began to enter service in 1916, but because of their role with the Fleet they were unduly exposed to the risk of collision and a chapter of accidents befell the class. The worst accident occurred on the night of 31st January 1918 when ten K boats were operating with battle cruisers on a night exercise off May Island.

During the night, the helm in K14 jammed to starboard and she swung round and collided with K22, which was actually the K13 renamed after she had drowned most of her crew on her maiden voyage. The two boats locked together and in a series of collisions K4 was sunk by K6 (losing all hands), and K7 was sunk by HMS Fearless (also losing all hands). Four other submarines were damaged. This incident added further to the suspicion of a hoodoo on the class, because just two months earlier K1 had been sunk by the gunfire of HMS Blonde off the Danish coast.

These disasters finally sealed the fate of the K Class submarines and most were taken out of service at the end of the war.

The class never had an opportunity to prove themselves as Fleet submarines only six of the 17 boats built were in commission for six years or more, and the maximum time in service was nine years. However, experience gained from the K Class led to the building of the experimental submarine K26 .

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Class: K-Klasse

The K sailing yacht is a one-size-fits-all among radio-controlled sailing yachts. The goal for the design was to create yacht whose size and construction are well defined in class regulations. The emphasis of the K class is on sailing or competitive sailing. The design is aimed at making it easy to mount and dismount.

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17 Sailboat Types Explained: How To Recognize Them

Ever wondered what type of sailboat you're looking at? Identifying sailboats isn't hard, you just have to know what to look for. In this article, I'll help you.

Every time I'm around a large number of sailboats, I look around in awe (especially with the bigger ones). I recognize some, but with most of them, I'll have to ask the owner. When they answer, I try to hide my ignorance. The words don't make any sense!

So here's a complete list with pictures of the most common sailboat types today. For each of them, I'll explain exactly where the name comes from, and how you can recognize it easily.

So here's my list of popular sailboat types, explained:

Bermuda sloop, sailing hydrofoil, dutch barge, chinese junk, square-rigged tall ship, in conclusion, how to recognize any sailboat.

Before we get started, I wanted to quickly explain what you should look for when you try to identify a sailboat.

The type of sailboat is always determined by one of these four things:

• The type of hull
• The type of keel
• The number of masts
• And the type of sails and rig

The hull is the boat's body. There are basically three hull types: monohull, catamaran, and trimaran. Simply said: do I see one hull, two hulls (catamaran) or three hulls (trimaran)? Most sailboats are monohulls.

Next, there is the keel type. The keel is the underwater part of the hull. Mostly, you won't be able to see that, because it's underwater. So we'll leave that for now.

The sail plan

The last factor is the number of masts and the sail plan. The sail plan, simply put, is the number of sails, the type of sails, and how the sails are mounted to the masts (also called rigging ).

Sailboat are mostly named after the sail plan, but occasionally, a sail type is thrown in there as well.

So now we know what to pay attention to, let's go and check out some sailboats!

Dinghies are the smallest and most simple sailboats around.

They are your typical training sailboats. Small boats with an open hull, with just one mast and one sail. Perfect for learning the ways of the wind.

On average, they are between 6 and 20 ft long. Mostly sailed single-handed (solo). There's no special rigging, just the mainsail. The mainsail is commonly a Bermuda (triangular) mainsail. Dinghies have a simple rudder stick and no special equipment or rigging.

Dinghies are great for learning how to sail. The smaller the boat, the better you feel the impact of your trim and actions.

How to recognize a sailing dinghy:

• short (8ft)
• one Bermuda sail
• open hull design
• rudder stick

Common places to spot them: lakes, near docks

If you'd ask a kid to draw a sailboat, she'll most probably draw this one. The Bermuda Sloop is the most popular and most common sailboat type today. You'll definitely recognize this one.

How to recognize a Bermuda Sloop:

• triangular mainsail (called a Bermuda sail)
• a foresail (also called the jib)
• fore-and-aft rigged
• medium-sized (12 - 50 ft)

Fore-and-aft rigged just means "from front to back". This type of rigging helps to sail upwind.

Any sailboat with one mast and two sails could still be a sloop. Even if the sails are another shape or rigged in another way. For example, here's a gaff-rigged sloop (more on the gaff rig later):

If you want to learn all about sail rigs, check out my full Guide to Understanding Sail Rig Types here. It has good infographics and explains it in more detail

The Bermuda sloop has a lot of advantages over other sailboat types (which is why it's so popular):

• the Bermuda rig is very maneuverable and pretty fast in almost all conditions
• it's really versatile
• you can sail it by yourself without any problems
• it's a simple setup

Common places to spot a sloop: everywhere. Smaller sloops are more common for inland waters, rivers, and lakes. Medium-sized and large sloops are very popular cruising boats.

Cutters have one mast but three or more sails. Most cutters are Bermuda rigged, which means they look a lot like sloops.

How to recognize a cutter:

• looks like a sloop
• two or more headsails instead of one
• commonly one mast
• sometimes an extra mast with mainsail

Cutters have more sail area, which makes them faster, but also harder to sail single-handed. There's also more strain on the mast and rigging.

Common places to spot a cutter: everywhere. Cutters are very popular for cruising.

They mostly have a Bermuda rig, which means triangular sails. But there are also gaff cutters and naval cutters, and some have two masts.

Here's an example of a two-masted naval cutter with an extra gaff mainsail and top gaff:

The Hydrofoil is a pretty new sailboat design. It's a racing sailboat with thin wing foils under the hull. These lift up the hull, out of the water, reducing the displacement to nearly zero. The foils create downforce and keep it from lifting off entirely.

This makes the hydrofoil extremely fast and also impressive.

The hydrofoil refers to the keel type. There are both monohull and multihull hydrofoils.

How to recognize a hydrofoil:

• it flies above the waterline and has small fins

Common places to spot a hydrofoil: at racing events

Famous catamaran: La Vagabonde from Sailing La Vagabonde

A catamaran is a type of cruising and racing multihull sailboat with two hulls. The hulls are always the same size.

Most catamarans have a standard Bermuda rig. The catamaran refers to the hull, so it can have any number of masts, sails, sail types and rig type.

How to recognize a catamaran:

• any boat with two hulls is called a catamaran

Common places to spot catamarans: coastal waters, The Caribbean, shallow reefs

The advantages of a catamaran: Catamarans heel less than monohulls and are more buoyant. Because of the double hull, they don't need as deep a keel to be stable. They have a smaller displacement, making them faster. They also have a very shallow draft. That's why catamarans are so popular in the Caribbean, where there's lots of shallow water.

Catamarans are nearly impossible to capsize:

"Compared with a monohull, a cruising catamaran sailboat has a high initial resistance to heeling and capsize—a fifty-footer requires four times the force to initiate a capsize than an equivalent monohull." Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize a trimaran:

• any boat with three hulls is called a trimaran

Trimarans have three hulls, so it's a multi-hull design. It's mostly a regular monohull with two smaller hulls or floaters on the sides. Some trimarans can be trailered by winching in the auxiliary hulls, like this:

This makes them very suitable for long-term cruising, but also for regular docking. This is great for crowded areas and small berths, like in the Mediterranean. It sure is more cost-effective than the catamaran (but you also don't have the extra storage and living space!).

Common places to spot Trimarans: mostly popular for long-term cruising, you'll find the trimaran in coastal areas.

Gaffer refers to gaff-rigged, which is the way the sails are rigged. A gaff rig is a rectangular sail with a top pole, or 'spar', which attaches it to the mast. This pole is called the 'gaff'. To hoist the mainsail, you hoist this top spar with a separate halyard. Most gaffers carry additional gaff topsails as well.

Gaff rigs are a bit less versatile than sloops. Because of the gaff, they can have a larger sail area. So they will perform better with downwind points of sail. Upwind, however, they handle less well.

How to recognize a gaffer:

• sail is rectangular
• mainsail has a top pole (or spar)

Since a gaffer refers to the rig type, and not the mast configuration or keel type, all sailboats with this kind of rigging can be called 'gaffers'.

Common places to spot a gaffer: Gaffers are popular inland sailboats. It's a more traditional rig, being used recreationally.

Schooners used to be extremely popular before sloops took over. Schooners are easy to sail but slower than sloops. They handle better than sloops in all comfortable (cruising) points of sail, except for upwind.

How to recognize a schooner:

• mostly two masts
• smaller mast in front
• taller mast in the back
• fore-and-aft rigged sails
• gaff-rigged mainsails (spar on top of the sail)

Common places to spot a schooner: coastal marinas, bays

How to recognize a ketch:

• medium-sized (30 ft and up)
• smaller mast in back
• taller mast in front
• both masts have a mainsail

The ketch refers to the sail plan (mast configuration and type of rig). Ketches actually handle really well. The back mast (mizzenmast) powers the hull, giving the skipper more control. Because of the extra mainsail, the ketch has shorter masts. This means less stress on masts and rigging, and less heel.

Common places to spot a ketch: larger marinas, coastal regions

How to recognize a yawl:

• main mast in front
• much smaller mast in the back
• back mast doesn't carry a mainsail

The aft mast is called a mizzenmast. Most ketches are gaff-rigged, so they have a spar at the top of the sail. They sometimes carry gaff topsails. They are harder to sail than sloops.

The yawl refers to the sail plan (mast configuration and type of rig).

Common places to spot a yawl: they are not as popular as sloops, and most yawls are vintage sailboat models. You'll find most being used as daysailers on lakes and in bays.

Dutch Barges are very traditional cargo ships for inland waters. My hometown is literally littered with a very well-known type of barge, the Skutsje. This is a Frisian design with leeboards.

Skutsjes don't have a keel but use leeboards for stability instead, which are the 'swords' or boards on the side of the hull.

How to recognize a Dutch Barge:

• most barges have one or two masts
• large, wooden masts
• leeboards (wooden wings on the side of the hull)
• mostly gaff-rigged sails (pole on top of the sail, attached to mast)
• a ducktail transom

The clipper is one of the latest sailboat designs before steam-powered vessels took over. The cutter has a large cargo area for transporting cargo. But they also needed to be fast to compete with steam vessels. It's a large, yet surprisingly fast sailboat model, and is known for its good handling.

This made them good for trade, especially transporting valuable goods like tea or spices.

How to recognize a Clipper:

• mostly three masts
• square-rigged sails
• narrow but long, steel hull

Common places to spot a clipper: inland waters, used as houseboats, but coastal waters as well. There are a lot of clippers on the Frisian Lakes and Waddenzee in The Netherlands (where I live).

This particular junk is Satu, from the Chesapeake Bay Area.

The Chinese Junk is an ancient type of sailboat. Junks were used to sail to Indonesia and India from the start of the Middle Ages onward (500 AD). The word junk supposedly comes from the Chinese word 'jung', meaning 'floating house'.

How to recognize a Chinese junk:

• medium-sized (30 - 50 ft)
• large, flat sails with full-length battens
• stern (back of the hull) opens up in a high deck
• mostly two masts (sometimes one)
• with two mainsails, sails are traditionally maroon
• lug-rigged sails

The junk has a large sail area. The full-length battens make sure the sails stay flat. It's one of the flattest sails around, which makes it good for downwind courses. This also comes at a cost: the junk doesn't sail as well upwind.

The cat rig is a sail plan with most commonly just one mast and one sail, the mainsail.

Most sailing dinghies are cats, but there are also larger boats with this type of sail plan. The picture above is a great example.

How to recognize a cat rig:

• smaller boats
• mostly one mast
• one sail per mast
• no standing rigging

Cat-rigged refers to the rigging, not the mast configuration or sail type. So you can have cats with a Bermuda sail (called a Bermuda Cat) or gaff-rigged sail (called a Gaff Cat), and so on. There are also Cat Ketches and Cat Schooners, for example. These have two masts.

The important thing to know is: cats have one sail per mast and no standing rigging .

Most typical place to spot Cats: lakes and inland waters

Famous brig: HMS Beagle (Charles Darwin's ship)

A brig was a very popular type of small warship of the U.S. navy during the 19th century. They were used in the American Revolution and other wars with the United Kingdom. They carry 10-18 guns and are relatively fast and maneuverable. They required less crew than a square-rigged ship.

How to recognize a brig:

• square-rigged foremast
• mainmast square-rigged or square-rigged and gaff-rigged

How to recognize a tall ship:

• three or four masts
• square sails with a pole across the top
• multiple square sails on each mast
• a lot of lines and rigging

Square-rigged ships, or tall ships, are what we think of when we think of pirate ships. Now, most pirate ships weren't actually tall ships, but they come from around the same period. They used to be built from wood, but more modern tall ships are nearly always steel.

Tall ships have three or four masts and square sails which are square-rigged. That means they are attached to the masts with yards.

We have the tall ship races every four years, where dozens of tall ships meet and race just offshore.

Most common place to spot Tall Ships: Museums, special events, open ocean

This is a bonus type since it is not very common anymore. As far as I know, there's only one left.

The Trabaccolo is a small cargo ship used in the Adriatic Sea. It has lug sails. A lug rig is a rectangular sail, but on a long pole or yard that runs fore-and-aft. It was a popular Venetian sailboat used for trade.

The name comes from the Italian word trabacca , which means tent, referring to the sails.

How to recognize a Trabaccolo:

• wide and short hull
• sails look like a tent

Most common place to spot Trabaccolo's: the Marine Museum of Cesenatico has a fully restored Trabaccolo.

So, there you have it. Now you know what to look for, and how to recognize the most common sailboat types easily. Next time you encounter a magnificent sailboat, you'll know what it's called - or where to find out quickly.

I loved this article. I had no idea there were so many kinds of sailboats.

i have a large sailing boat about 28ft. that im having a difficult time identifying. it was my fathers & unfortunately hes passed away now. any helpful information would be appreciated.

Jorge Eusali Castro Archbold

I find a saleboat boat but i can find the módem…os registré out off bru’x, and the saleboat name is TADCOZ, can you tell me who to go about this matter in getting info.thank con voz your time…

Leave a comment

You may also like, guide to understanding sail rig types (with pictures).

There are a lot of different sail rig types and it can be difficult to remember what's what. So I've come up with a system. Let me explain it in this article.

The Ultimate Guide to Sail Types and Rigs (with Pictures)

How Much Sailboats Cost On Average (380+ Prices Compared)

Types of Sailboats: A Complete Guide

Learning the different types of sailboats can help you identify vessels and choose the right boat.

In this article, we'll cover the most common kinds of sailboats, their origins, and what they're used for. We'll also go over the strengths and weaknesses of each design, along with when they're most useful.

The most common kind of sailboat is the sloop, as it's simple to operate and versatile. Other common sailboat types include the schooner, cutter, cat, ketch, schooner, catamaran, and trimaran. Other sailboat variations include pocket cruisers, motorsailers, displacement, and shoal-draft vessels.

The information found in this article is sourced from boat reference guides, including A Field Guide to Sailboats of North America by Richard M. Sherwood and trusted sources in the sailing community.

Table of contents

Distinguishing Types of Sailboats

In this article, we'll distinguish sailboats by traits such as their hull type, rig, and general configuration. Some sailboats share multiple characteristics with other boats but fall into a completely different category. For example, a sailboat with a Bermuda rig, a large engine, and a pilothouse could technically be called a sloop, but it's more likely a motorsailer.

When discerning sailboat type, the first most obvious place to look is the hull. If it has only one hull, you can immediately eliminate the trimaran and the catamaran. If it has two or more hulls, it's certainly not a typical monohull vessel.

The next trait to consider is the rig. You can tell a lot about a sailboat based on its rig, including what it's designed to be used for. For example, a long and slender sailboat with a tall triangular rig is likely designed for speed or racing, whereas a wide vessel with a complex gaff rig is probably built for offshore cruising.

Other factors that determine boat type include hull shape, overall length, cabin size, sail plan, and displacement. Hull material also plays a role, but every major type of sailboat has been built in both wood and fiberglass at some point.

Sailboat vs. Motorsailer

Most sailboats have motors, but most motorized sailboats are not motorsailers. A motorsailer is a specific kind of sailboat designed to run efficiently under sail and power, and sometimes both.

Most sailboats have an auxiliary engine, though these power plants are designed primarily for maneuvering. These vessels cannot achieve reasonable speed or fuel-efficiency. Motorsailers can operate like a powerboat.

Motorsailers provide great flexibility on short runs. They're great family boats, and they're popular in coastal communities with heavy boat traffic. However, these features come at a cost. Motorsailers aren't the fastest or most efficient powerboats, and they're also not the most agile sailboats. That said, they make an excellent general-purpose sailing craft.

Monohull vs. Multi-hull: Which is Better?

Multihull sailboats are increasingly popular, thanks to advances and lightweight materials, and sailboat design. But are they better than traditional sailboats? Monohulls are easier to maintain and less expensive, and they offer better interior layouts. Multihulls are more stable and comfortable, and they're significantly easier to control. Multihull sailboats also have a speed advantage.

Monohull Sailboats

A monohull sailboat is a traditionally-shaped vessel with a single hull. The vast majority of consumer sailboats are monohulls, as they're inexpensive to produce and easy to handle. Monohull sailboats are proven and easy to maintain, though they lack the initial stability and motion comfort of multi-hull vessels.

Monohull sailboats have a much greater rig variety than multi-hull sailboats. The vast majority of multihull sailboats have a single mast, whereas multi-masted vessels such as yawls and schooners are always monohulls. Some multi-hull sailboats have side-by-side masts, but these are the exception.

Catamaran Sailboats

The second most common sailboat configuration is the catamaran. A catamaran is a multihull sailboat that has two symmetrical hulls placed side-by-side and connected with a deck. This basic design has been used for hundreds of years, and it experienced a big resurgence in the fiberglass boat era.

Catamarans are fast, efficient, and comfortable. They don't heel very much, as this design has excellent initial stability. The primary drawback of the catamaran is below decks. The cabin of a catamaran is split between both hulls, which often leaves less space for the galley, head, and living areas.

Trimaran Sailboats

Trimarans are multi-hull sailboats similar to catamarans. Trimarans have three hulls arranged side-by-side. The profile of a trimaran is often indistinguishable from a catamaran.

Trimarans are increasingly popular, as they're faster than catamarans and monohulls and considerably easier to control. Trimarans suffer from the same spatial limitations as catamarans. The addition of an extra hull adds additional space, which is one reason why these multi-hull vessels are some of the best-selling sailboats on the market today.

Sailboat Rig Types

Rigging is another way to distinguish sailboat types. The rig of a sailboat refers to it's mast and sail configuration. Here are the most common types of sailboat rigs and what they're used for.

Sloops are the most common type of sailboat on the water today. A sloop is a simple single-mast rig that usually incorporates a tall triangular mainsail and headsail. The sloop rig is easy to control, fun to sail, and versatile. Sloops are common on racing sailboats as they can sail quite close to the wind. These maneuverable sailboats also have excellent windward performance.

The sloop rig is popular because it works well in almost any situation. That said, other more complex rigs offer finer control and superior performance for some hull types. Additionally, sloops spread their entire sail area over just to canvases, which is less flexible than multi-masted rigs. The sloop is ideal for general-purpose sailing, and it's proven itself inland and offshore.

Sloop Features:

• Most popular sailboat rig
• Single mast
• One mainsail and headsail
• Typically Bermuda-rigged
• Easy to handle
• Great windward performance
• Less precise control
• Easier to capsize
• Requires a tall mast

Suitable Uses:

• Offshore cruising
• Coastal cruising

Cat (Catboat)

The cat (or catboat) is a single-masted sailboat with a large, single mainsail. Catboats have a thick forward mast, no headsail, and an exceptionally long boom. These vessels are typically gaff-rigged, as this four-edged rig offers greater sail area with a shorter mast. Catboats were popular workboats in New England around the turn of the century, and they have a large following today.

Catboats are typically short and wide, which provides excellent stability in rough coastal conditions. They're hardy and seaworthy vessels, but they're slow and not ideal for offshore use. Catboats are simple and easy to control, as they only have a single gaff sail. Catboats are easy to spot thanks to their forward-mounted mast and enormous mainsail.

Catboat Features:

• Far forward-mounted single mast
• Large four-sided gaff sail
• Short and wide with a large cockpit
• Usually between 20 and 30 feet in length
• Excellent workboats
• Tough and useful design
• Great for fishing
• Large cockpit and cabin
• Not ideal for offshore sailing
• Single sail offers less precise control
• Slow compared to other rigs
• Inland cruising

At first glance, a cutter is difficult to distinguish from a sloop. Both vessels have a single mast located in roughly the same position, but the sail plan is dramatically different. The cutter uses two headsails and often incorporates a large spar that extends from the bow (called a bowsprit).

The additional headsail is called a staysail. A sloop only carries one headsail, which is typically a jib. Cutter headsails have a lower center of gravity which provides superior performance in rough weather. It's more difficult to capsize a cutter, and they offer more precise control than a sloop. Cutters have more complex rigging, which is a disadvantage for some people.

Cutter Features:

• Two headsails
• Long bowsprit
• Similar to sloop
• Gaff or Bermuda-rigged
• Fast and efficient
• Offers precise control
• Superior rough-weather performance
• More complex than the sloop rig
• Harder to handle than simpler rigs

Perhaps the most majestic type of sailboat rig, the schooner is a multi-masted vessel with plenty of history and rugged seaworthiness. The schooner is typically gaff-rigged with short masts and multiple sails. Schooners are fast and powerful vessels with a complex rig. These sailboats have excellent offshore handling characteristics.

Schooners have a minimum of two masts, but some have three or more. The aftermost large sail is the mainsail, and the nearly identical forward sail is called the foresail. Schooners can have one or more headsail, which includes a cutter-style staysail. Some schooners have an additional smaller sale aft of the mainsail called the mizzen.

Schooner Features:

• At least two masts
• Usually gaff-rigged
• One or more headsails
• Excellent offshore handling
• Precise control
• Numerous sail options (headsails, topsails, mizzen)
• Fast and powerful
• Complex and labor-intensive rig
• Difficult to adjust rig single-handed
• Offshore fishing

Picture a ketch as a sloop or a cutter with an extra mast behind the mainsail. These vessels are seaworthy, powerful, excellent for offshore cruising. A ketch is similar to a yawl, except its larger mizzen doesn't hang off the stern. The ketch is either gaff or Bermuda-rigged.

Ketch-rigged sailboats have smaller sails, and thus, shorter masts. This makes them more durable and controllable in rough weather. The mizzen can help the boat steer itself, which is advantageous on offshore voyages. A ketch is likely slower than a sloop or a cutter, which means you aren't likely to find one winning a race.

Ketch Features:

• Headsail (or headsails), mainsail, and mizzen
• Mizzen doesn't extend past the rudder post
• Good offshore handling
• Controllable and mild
• Shorter and stronger masts
• Easy self-steering
• Slower than sloops and cutters
• Less common on the used market

A dinghy is a general term for a small sailboat of fewer than 28 feet overall. Dinghys are often dual-power boats, which means they usually have oars or a small outboard in addition to a sail. These small boats are open-top and only suitable for cruising in protected waters. Many larger sailboats have a deployable dinghy on board to get to shore when at anchor.

Dinghy Features:

• One or two people maximum capacity
• Easy to sail
• Works with oars, sails, or an outboard
• Great auxiliary boat
• Small and exposed
• Not suitable for offshore use
• Going from anchor to shore
• Protected recreational sailing (lakes, rivers, and harbors)

Best Sailboat Type for Stability

Stability is a factor that varies widely between sailboat types. There are different types of stability, and some sailors prefer one over another. For initial stability, the trimaran wins with little contest. This is because these vessels have a very high beam-to-length ratio, which makes them much less prone to rolling. Next up is the catamaran, which enjoys the same benefit from a wide beam but lacks the additional support of a center hull section.

It's clear that in most conditions, multihull vessels have the greatest stability. But what about in rough weather? And what about capsizing? Multihull sailboats are impossible to right after a knockdown. This is where full-keel monohull sailboats excel.

Traditional vessels with deep displacement keels are the safest and most stable in rough weather. The shape, depth, and weight of their keels keep them from knocking over and rolling excessively. In many cases, these sailboats will suffer a dismasting long before a knockdown. The primary disadvantage of deep-keeled sailboats is their tendency to heel excessively. This characteristic isn't hazardous, though it can make novice sailors nervous and reduce cabin comfort while underway.

Best Sailboat Type for Offshore Cruising

The best sailboat type for offshore cruising is the schooner. These graceful aid robust vessels have proven themselves over centuries as durable and capable vessels. They typically use deep displacement keels, which makes them stable in rough weather and easy to keep on course.

That said, the full answer isn't quite so simple. Modern multihull designs are an attractive option, and they have also proven to be strong and safe designs. Multihull sailboats are an increasingly popular option for offshore sailors, and they offer comfort that was previously unknown in the sailing community.

Many sailors cross oceans in basic Bermuda-rigged monohulls and take full advantage of a fin-keel design speed. At the end of the day, the best offshore cruising sailboat is whatever you are comfortable handling and living aboard. There are physical limits to all sailboat designs, though almost any vessel can make it across an ocean if piloted by a competent skipper and crew.

Best Sailboat Type for Racing The modern lightweight Bermuda-rigged sailboat is the king of the regatta. When designed with the right kind of hull, these vessels are some of the fastest sailboats ever developed. Many boats constructed between the 1970s and today incorporate these design features due to their favorable coastal and inland handling characteristics. Even small sailboats, such as the Cal 20 and the Catalina 22, benefit from this design. These boats are renowned for their speed and handling characteristics.

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Daniel Wade

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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The Royal Navy K-class boats were designed in 1913; a class of steam-propelled (!) submarines which were intended to have the speed and range to operate with the main battle fleet  They were best known for their many accidents. 18 units were built, of which six were lost in accidents. Only one K-boat ever engaged an enemy vessel U 95, hitting her amidships, but the Torpedo failed to explode !!
Their function within the fleet was to conceived to be as an executioner for a retreating enemy fleet.  In 1913 an outline design was prepared for a new submarine class, which could operate with the fleet, sweeping ahead of it in a fleet action. Steam power was chosen as the only means of the Fleet submarine being able to maintain the required 24 knots cruising speed. The oil-fired steam turbine plant required space and was heavy - this in turn dictated the impressive dimensions of the class. The boats were 338 ft (103 m) long and displaced 1,980 tons (2566 tons submerged). As such they were very large for a submarine and quite unwieldy for the technology of their time; most of the class at some stage hit the bottom of the sea with their bows at one time or another whilst the stern was still on the surface. Dive time was around 5 minutes, with the record being 3 minutes 25 seconds, claimed by K-8.
Diving a K-class boat was a complicated affair; first the boiler fires had to be extinguished, funnel and boiler vent apertures shut and funnels folded, a number of fans and boiler vents closed as well as ensuring the engine and boiler room was evacuated of all personnel, all this whilst the heat and smoke was building to near intolerable levels.
The Admiralty, misled by the size of the boats , deemed them to be self-contained, therefore the crews lived on their submarine full-time with no depot ships or shore side barracks. The lack of personal space, smell, oil and fumes can only be imagined. *The subject of my model, HMS K13, shortly after completion *suffered an accident when heavy seas had damaged one of the funnels and water had nearly flooded her engine room .After repairs, on the last day of her sea trials she sank during a routine dive in early 1917 in Gareloch (Scotland) . Whilst salvage operations were being initiated, after 56 harrowing hours on the bottom, eventually 48 crewmembers were rescued; nevertheless the accident claimed 32 lives.  Six weeks later the unluckily numbered K 13 was raised and after an extensive refit was re-commissioned as *HMS /K22/*, in a uncharacteristic Admiralty gesture to sailors superstition.  A year after the accident, K13 now renamed K 22 was part of the 13th Submarine Flotilla that was involved in the "Battle" of May Island on 31 January 1918. During night exercises off the Firth of Forth, together with 5 battle cruisers, 3 battleships, many light cruisers and destroyers, and 9 other K Class boats, K14's helm stuck fast and she collided with K22. Both boats were severely damaged. Battle cruiser HMS Inflexible then added to the pile up by crashing heavily into K22's starboard side. Although badly injured K22 did survive. That same night K4 and K17 were accidentally sunk and 4 other K Class subs were also damaged! After some peacetime service including a visit with the first Flotilla to Algiers in 1924 K22 was finally scrapped in 1926.
I have depicted K 22 just after the war, tied up to Admiralty buoy in a strong tidal stream, common to both Scotland and Portsmouth and most UK ports. The Pitroad Combat 1/350 Subs kit was sent to me by Modelwarships.com and languished in my to-build pile for 3 years. An enforced break in a major battleship project, due to lack of critical PE, afforded me the opportunity of an ‘easy and quick’ build . Despite the beautiful underwater hull shape, I decided upon a waterline display format, as Submarines can be visually not as interesting as surface ships.
From an online photographic dealer I acquired a couple of fine-but expensive (!) high resolution digital images of K-22, tied to an admiralty buoy with the telescopic RT aerials extended and all (harbour) guardrails in place. This gave me also a definite colour scheme, as the demarcations of dark to light varied from boat to boat, as well as size and colours of ID numbers. The first stage in this build was to waterline the hull; this was done as ever using my trusty belt-mounted belt sander.
Shortly thereafter, the upper hull having lost the stabilising mass the hull deformed quite dramatically, warping along the longitudinal axis. Long immersion in hot water, thereafter being taped to a stout piece of timber failed to effect a permanent cure, so I resorted to a 3mm stainless steel plate—into which countersunk holes had been pre-drilled in feasible intervals and positions for the submarine. I then pre-drilled the hull with a 3mm bit and then drew the hull down to the plate using No 8 Pozi-drive self-tapping screws into the resin hull body. A Century of Submarines  Peter Lawrence Submarines Anthony Preston Submarines (War beneath the Waves)  Robert Hutchinson HM Submarines in Camera   J J Tall / Paul J Kemp British Submarines of World War1  Paul J Kemp Warship Volume 2 (article)  John Lambert Yachting World Digital Edition A pocket guide to the J Class yachts – the world’s most elegant racing fleet Toby Hodges March 19, 2017 Toby Hodges profiles the world's most beautiful fleet of classic racing yachts – the J Class Shamrock V – JK3 J Class yacht Shamrock sailplan LOA: 36.50m /119ft 9in · LWL: 26.7m/87ft 7in · Beam: 6.00m/19ft 8in · Disp: 166 tonnes Original lines: Charles E Nicholson Modified design: Dykstra Naval Architects Launch year and yard: 1930, Camper & Nicholsons Identifying features: The only wooden J and the smallest. Dark green hull with bronze deck fittings. Current state: She has just had a refit in Palma after a long period under her past owner chartering, cruising and occasional racing. Race prediction:Her smaller size means she will struggle against the other J Class yachts in real time – but she has the most experienced skipper and her recent mods are all aimed at making her competitive on handicap. Skipper: Simon Lacey · Race Helmsman: Mike ‘Moose’ Sanderson Photo: J Class Association / Gerhard Standop Velsheda – JK7 J Class yacht Velsheda sailplan LOA: 39.25m/128ft 9in · LWL: 27.8m/91ft 3in · Beam: 6.57m/21ft 7in · Disp: 180 tonnes Launch year and yard: 1933, Camper & Nicholsons. Rebuilt by Southampton Yacht Services in 1997. Identifying features: Dark blue hull, pinched transom and that iconic sharp J bow. Current state: Continually optimised and very well prepared. Race prediction: Highly experienced, well-gelled crew and a yacht that is looking particularly nimble and aggressive at the start. Despite surrendering size to the modern J Class yachts she’s a firm favourite to win any regatta. Skipper: Barney Henshaw-Depledge · Race helmsman: Owner-driver Helen Fretter goes racing on board J Class yacht Velsheda Photo: J Class Association / Onne van der Wal Endeavour – JK4 J Class yacht Endeavour sailplan LOA: 39.31m/128ft 12in · LWL: 27.30m/89ft 7in · Beam: 6.68m/21ft 11in · Disp: 175 tonnes Launch year and yard: 1934, Camper & Nicholson. Relaunched by Royal Huisman in 1989. Identifying features: Royal ‘Endeavour Blue’ hull, clean deck, single deckhouse. Current state: Completely refitted by Yachting Developments in 2010-11. Based between Palma and Cascais she is for sale through Edmiston and in prize condition. Race prediction: Fully optimised and race ready, but is up for sale and now already unlikely to be ready in time for Bermuda. Skipper: Luke Bines · Race helmsman: N/A (Torben Grael in 2012) Video exclusive: what it’s like to sail the iconic J Class Endeavour Photo: J Class Association / Jens Fischer Ranger – J5 J Class yacht Ranger sailplan LOA: 41.63m/136ft 7in · LWL: 28.80m/94ft 6in · Beam: 6.41m/21ft 0in · Disp: 203 tonnes Original design: Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens Modified design: Studio Scanu, Reichel Pugh, Fred Elliot and Dykstra Naval Architects Launch year and yard: 2003, Danish Yacht Identifying features: White hull with snub nose and spoon bow. Current state: Refitted and optimised at Newport Shipyard 2016, where chainplates were moved forward and tracks modified to take a bigger headsail. Race prediction: The heaviest J, but a rocket in flat water, such as in Bermuda’s Great Sound. A veteran crew whose consistency is Ranger’s trump card. Skipper: Dan Jackson · Race helmsman: Erle Williams Ranger J5 – the first completely new J Class yacht Ranger , J5 RYS centenary 2015. Photo Paul Wyeth Rainbow – JH2 J Class yacht Rainbow sailplan LOA: 39.89m/130ft 11in · LWL: 26.90m/88ft 3in · Beam: 6.42m/21ft 1in · Disp: 167 tonnes Original lines: William Starling Burgess Launch year and yard: 2012, Holland Jachtbouw Identifying features: Black hull, red bottom and modern grey rig with race boom. Current state: Sold in 2015 by Chris Gongriep, the former owner of Holland Jachtbouw, she has since solely been used for cruising by her US owner who shows no signs of wanting to race, although she will be in Bermuda to watch. Race prediction: Was cruised and raced extensively for a couple of seasons after she was built and has proven to be a supremely fast boat for her size in the right hands. J Class yacht Rainbow – the Dutch destroyer Hanuman – JK6 J Class yacht Hanuman sailplan LOA: 42.19m/138ft 5in · LWL: 27.50m/90ft 3in · Beam: 6.60m/21ft 8in · Disp: 180 tonnes Launch year and yard: 2009 Royal Huisman Identifying features: Carries the old Endeavour II sail number JK6 – but a totally modern day reinterpretation of Sopwith’s second boat, built in aluminium. Current state: Her weight and stability were optimised at Newport Shipyard in 2016 and she was also fitted with a new mast and rigging, plus a new furling headstay. Race prediction: With her same core Comanche/Puma crew and Ken Read on the wheel, this is a highly race-oriented J Class yacht. Skipper: Greg Sloat · Race helmsman: Ken Read Inside J class yacht Hanuman Lionheart JH1 J Class yacht Lionheart sailplan LOA: 43.4m/142ft 5in · LWL 27.2m/89ft 3in · Beam: 6.55m/21ft 6in · Disp: 180 tonnes Original lines: Starling Burgess and Olin Stephens Modified design: Hoek Design Launch year and yard: 2010, Bloemsma and Claasen Jachtbouw Identifying features: Black hull and rig, bulwarks giving a high freeboard effect, two deckhouses. Current state: Constantly upgraded, Lionheart has new North raw sails with plans to build more sails before Bermuda. Race prediction: Lionheart is consistently optimised, has some key pros and a fantastic crew spirit. Should be finishing in the top three in Bermuda. Skipper: Toby Brand · Race helmsman: Owner-driver · Tactics: Bouwe Bekking J Class yacht Lionheart J/H1 – replica of an original that was never built Photo: J Class Association / Thierry Martinez J Class yacht Topaz sailplan LOA: 42.7m/140ft 1in · LWL: 27.8m/91ft 3in · Beam: 6.75m/22ft 2in · Disp: 180 tonnes Original lines: Frank Paine Launch year and yard: 2015, Holland Jachtbouw Identifying features: Longest waterline of all the Js (for which there is a sail area penalty) she has a striking Art Deco interior and a dark blue hull with turquoise antifoul. Current state: New and raring to go. Race prediction: With her fuller volume forward, longer waterline and shorter keel, Hoek believes she will be the fastest J Class downwind and in light airs. The crew has practised hard since last year and now has top big boat helm in Holmberg. Skipper: Romke Lopik · Race helmsman: Peter Holmberg New J Class yacht named Topaz is launched – and the design team says she is “absolutely stunning” Photo: J Class Association / Carlo Borlenghi J Class yacht Svea sailplan LOA: 43.6m/143ft 1in · LWL: 27.6m/90ft 7in · Beam: 6.65m/21ft 10in · Disp: 180 tonnes Original lines: Tore Holm Launch year and yard: 2017, Bloemsma / Vitters Identifying features: Dark grey metallic hull, near flush ultra-clean, ergonomically optimised deck with low single doghouse and huge 8ft diameter wheel that turns in a well that extends down to the keel frames. Current state: Just launched. Race prediction: Tore Holm was a gifted Metre designer and Svea looks like a fast upwind boat, with a race oriented deck design and a slippery underwater shape. It’s asking a lot of her crew to be competitive for 2017. Skipper: Paul ‘PK’ Kelly Race helmsman: Owner driver Nine Js and counting: J Class Svea J-S1 is sold and under construction at Vitters The history of the J-Class The Js are inextricably linked with the America’s Cup as, barring Velsheda , all were built for the purpose of America’s Cup racing. From 1929 to 1937, 20 J Class yachts were designed. Ten of these went on to be built, with six racing in the America’s Cup finals. A modern J Class yacht’s  lines can only be taken from the original designs, ensuring the fleet’s look endures. 321 IMAGES K Yachting Class Cup 16', 2002, South Florida, sailboat for sale from K Yachting Class Cup 16', 2002, South Florida, sailboat for sale from SailboatData.com K Yachting Class Cup 16', 2002, South Florida, sailboat for sale from K Class-The Hauraki Gulf’s Iconic Cruiser Racer. Vintage K Class Pond Yacht For Sale at 1stDibs VIDEO RC Sailboat with Canting Keel Long Demo "Any Kayak" Sail Rig, Straps On, Tacks Upwind The MacGregor 26M Power Sailboat Single Handed Sailing: NYC to Bermuda Nightmare, Part 4 (Westsail 42 Sailboat Paragon) Bow Bunk Part 3 Delos Explores the Tuamotu Archipelago, Part 1- Sailing SV Delos Ep. 8 COMMENTS List of sailing boat types List of sailing boat types K Class-The Hauraki Gulf's Iconic Cruiser Racer Bob Stewart's HELEN was the first K Class boat to be launched in Auckland to tremendous interest at the end of the 1940s. She raced hard and fast and generated plenty of excitement in the yachting world. By the early 1960s there were 10 Ks built and racing; and three other yachts, NGATIRA (Steve's boat) designed by Charles Bailey jr, and ... K-BOAT Notes. Originally called KOHINOOR. Sailed primarily on the Finger Lakes, NY, (USA). 110-pound steel centerboard. A short run of fiberglass versions were built by East Suburban Plastics of Syracuse, NY (1975). The Wright-Built Boat Company was located at Dundee, NY. Dimensions are approximate. What is a K boat? Here's a thread that everyone can use (Now and future) so we don't have to keep answering this question over and over. A K boat is a boat set up to race under the guidelines of the American Power Boat Association K class rules. In the beginning there werent many rules but now there are. This is a page from the 24th Annual 1972 Memorial Regatta ... K Class K Class - Classic Yacht Info. K Class. L-R Sapphire, Thelma VI, Kitenui, Katrina II, Jenanne. In 1950 the RNZYS ran a design competition won by Arthur Robb and a subsequent 12 boats were built within the following decade. The following gives a list of the 12 K's courtesy of the Wooden Boat Forum. K 1 Helen. K Class: The Hauraki Gulf's Iconic Racer-Cruiser In 1944 the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron held a world-wide competition to create a new class of keelers that would be just as comfortable racing as cruising in the sparkling waters of Auckland's Hauraki Gulf. The K Class fleet developed from this competition - 13 yachts designed by well-known local and international yacht designers such ... British K-class submarine K3 was the first of the class to be completed in May 1916, and trials revealed numerous problems, such as the aforementioned swivel tubes, and that their low freeboard and great length made them awkward to handle either surfaced or submerged. An early criticism of the class questioned the wisdom of combining such a large hull with so great a surface speed, producing a vessel with the pace of a ... K-Boat K-Boat is a 16′ 0″ / 4.9 m monohull sailboat designed by Murray Wright and built by Wright-Built Boat Co.(USA) between 1936 and 1978. Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. Sign in to save them permanently, access them on any device, and receive relevant alerts. The K class Today we look at the origins and history of the infamous K class submarines, why they were built and the incredibly long list of things that went wrong with ... In defence of the K-Class… To keep up with the fleet meant the K-Class had to be fast. The intention was that they could operate at 21 knots, but the final design blew that out of the water - the only thing a K ever would. Capable of 24 knots on the surface, a speed not matched until the 1960s, the Ks were seriously rapid. But that came at a cost…. New Build-Herreshoff Buzzards Bay 18 Only 5 Buzzards Bay 18s were built by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company during the winter of 1903/1904 for the Beverly Yacht Club where they were known as the K Class. Artisan Boatworks' Buzzards Bay 18 features edge-glued cedar planking over steam-bent oak frames with a laminated mahogany backbone. Optional auxiliary power by a Beta 14-hp ... 1915 1915 - 1926: K Class. K Class submarines were the most bizarre and ill-fated submarines of the First World War period. Their conception, in the spring of 1915, arose from the demand for a submarine that could accompany the Grand Fleet at speeds of up to 24 knots. A 1913 Admiralty design was adopted and, given the outline particulars, form and ... All Radio Sailboats The K sailing yacht is a one-size-fits-all among radio-controlled sailing yachts. The goal for the design was to create yacht whose size and construction are well defined in class regulations. The emphasis of the K class is on sailing or competitive sailing. The design is aimed at making it easy to mount and dismount. Vintage K Class Pond Yacht Quick Access. Lannan Ship Model Gallery, LLC. 483 Washington Street, Norwell MA 02061. (617) 451 2650. [email protected]. Directions. Vintage K class pond yacht with sleek hull, heavy lead keel,brass fittings and a full suit of linen sails. Model weighs 69 pounds. 17 Sailboat Types Explained: How To Recognize Them one mast. triangular mainsail (called a Bermuda sail) a foresail (also called the jib) fore-and-aft rigged. medium-sized (12 - 50 ft) Fore-and-aft rigged just means "from front to back". This type of rigging helps to sail upwind. Any sailboat with one mast and two sails could still be a sloop. Types of Sailboats: A Complete Guide The most common kind of sailboat is the sloop, as it's simple to operate and versatile. Other common sailboat types include the schooner, cutter, cat, ketch, schooner, catamaran, and trimaran. Other sailboat variations include pocket cruisers, motorsailers, displacement, and shoal-draft vessels. The information found in this article is sourced ... The K Class Submarine The Royal Navy K-class boats were designed in 1913; a class of steam-propelled (!) submarines which were intended to have the speed and range to operate with the main battle fleet. They were best known for their many accidents. 18 units were built, of which six were lost in accidents. Only one K-boat ever engaged an enemy vessel U 95, hitting ... K-class sloop The K class was a class of three sloops designed in the late 1930s to replace the aging Brinio -class gunboats of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Originally seven ships were planned of which three ships were laid down and two more ordered (which were canceled after the German invasion). Still incomplete at the start of the German invasion of the ... A pocket guide to the J Class yachts J Class yacht Velsheda sailplan. LOA: 39.25m/128ft 9in · LWL: 27.8m/91ft 3in · Beam: 6.57m/21ft 7in · Disp: 180 tonnes. Original lines: Charles E Nicholson. Modified design: Dykstra Naval ... J Class (yacht) J Class yachts Velsheda, Topaz and Svea downwind legs. The J Class is one of several classes deriving from the Universal Rule for racing boats. The rule was established in 1903 and rates double-masted racers (classes A through H) and single-masted racers (classes I through S). From 1914 to 1937, the rule was used to determine eligibility for ... United States K-class submarine The K-class submarines were a class of eight submarines of the United States Navy, serving between 1914 and 1923, including World War I.They were designed by Electric Boat and were built by other yards under subcontracts. K-1, K-2, K-5, and K-6 were built by Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts, K-3, K-7, and K-8 by Union Iron Works in San Francisco, and K-4 by The Moran Company in ... Soviet K-class submarine The K class or Kreiserskaya-class (Russian: Крейсерская, lit. 'cruiser') were a class of cruiser submarines and were the largest submarines built for the Soviet Navy during World War II.Eleven boats of the class were made, one was cancelled and scrapped. The K class submarines served in the Northern Fleet and the Baltic Fleet, and saw the most combat along the coast of Norway. K-class torpedo boat The K-class torpedo boats were a class of three small warships that served in the Dutch Koninklijke Marine.The K stands for 'Klein' (Dutch for 'small'), as these ships were ordered next to the larger G 1-class torpedo boat, where the G stands for 'Groot' (Dutch for 'big'). The 48-ton ships were ordered in 1904 and commissioned the next year. catamaran gulet motorboat powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht