NIGHTLAMP
Drawing #14005
Blue Water Cruiser

This blue-water double ended schooner has been designed for a family of four who plan to sail the oceans. The yacht will be built by the owner Eric Bechhoefer on his property in Vermont, and her name will be NightLamp.

We started our conversation about a blue water live-aboard long time ago, and this is the result of long and fruitful collaboration.

We exchanged almost 600 e-mail and numerous great telephonic conversations in a period of three years while the design evolved. When the design of the hull was done, Eric built the half model of NightLamp to feel the shape. The owner input was paramount to achieve the right balance between having a large yacht for the family to be able to live aboard for a long period of time, but also the possibility for himself to built his dream boat.

On that regard the design has been kept simple, hard chine, constant bevel on each upper and lower frame as on the rabbet, flush deck and just a small pilot house for all year round sailing. The square sail rigging  is a request from Eric, and I designed it being myself a great enthusiast of square sail.

The NightLamp draft is only 5', and the engine will be a great part of the help if the boat is on perilous position. But the 5' draft allow this large yacht to visit all the nicest cove and harbors. She can be considered has a motor-sailer, but with more sail power as usually rigged on this type of boat. To keep the construction simple and not too expensive the ballast is all internal made of rebar and concrete.

To allow Eric and his family to be as independent as possible and being self sufficient in all conditions, the masts are on tabernacle. A huge manual Wintech barge winch help the lowering and raising of the mast. The Wintech is also used for anchorage, the chain replaced with galvanized wire rope.

Since Eric knows some good lumberyard around his home, the NightLamp will be built of native wood, mostly pine and oak. The fastening will be all galvanized, and no glue enter the construction. The bedding throughout will be mostly roofing cement."