Tuesday 9 November 2010

EF Six

I've always been a fan of the Oliver Lee designed Squib, a twenty foot keel boat which, racing apart, I think would make a really fun, spirited day sailor for our choppy Solent waters.

While small and light enough to trail behind an average family car, the Squib's fixed keel doesn't really lend itself to easy launching and recover, so the downside - it's much better kept on a mooring.

I was delighted then, to spot this yellow boat in France which is very similar to the Squib but with the advantage of a lifting keel.

Called the EF Six it was designed by Van De Stadt and has a strong following in the Netherlands, I know from personal experience with our old Legend 34, that Van de Stadt design boats which have good performance.

A high performance day boat, big enough to take some rough water, fast and rewarding to sail, my idea of a pretty perfect boat.

The lifting keel makes minimal impact in the cockpit space, mind you I wouldn't mind seeing some side benches in stead of that flat floor - maybe I'm just getting old!

2 comments:

  1. Oh my, look at the purchase on the main sheet!
    Hardly need benches, you'll be hiked out off the decks most of the time. That's what those straps are for.

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  2. What a fantastic discovery! The EF Six with its lifting keel seems like the ideal blend of performance and practicality, offering the joy of sailing while accommodating the challenges of launching and recovery. The nod to Van De Stadt's design excellence and the boat's ability to tackle rough waters make it a promising day sailor. Here's to the allure of new possibilities on the water!

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