Awenda 800

The Awenda design concept originated in 2007 as a simple, sturdy, trailerable power cruiser for my own use. Originally conceived as a 10 m boat, I later developed 8, 8.5 and 9 m hulls based on the same general design.

Awenda 800

These are planing hulls, with cruising speeds of around 20 knots. With appropriate power, they should be able to reach the high 20s, and are designed to have no discernable planing hump. The aim was to provide a more comfortable, more efficient ride than a typical deep-V in the lower speed ranges where most cruising folk tend to run their boats. The bottom loading for these designs, one of the key parameters for low-speed planing performance, is in the 110-180 kg/m2 range- about half to two-thirds the average for boats this size, implying a quick climb-to-plane and very efficient performance in the 10-20 knot speed range.

Their closest relatives would likely be Tom Lathrop's Bluejacket, Paul Bieker's Shearwater and Will Allison's Graphite. At about 1500 kg for the 8 m and 2500 kg for the 10 m when empty, the Awendas are of moderate displacement for their class- a bit larger and a fair bit heavier than the Bluejacket or Shearwater, slightly smaller than the Graphite, and quite light when compared to mass-produced fibreglass boats of similar size. They are built in sturdy glass-sheathed strip planking. The construction effort involved would be well within the reach of an ambitious home builder with carpentry experience, and would be a pretty easy project for a professional wood-and-fibreglass shop.

I have done some model tests on the 10 m version, with very promising results, and the hull design is complete. After the model tests, though, I decided that the Starwind 860 would be a better fit for my personal needs in the near future, and development on the Awenda was put on hold in favour of the Starwind. The structural calculations, interior layouts and construction details have not yet been prepared.

Awenda 850

 

Length overall: 

8 m

Plans available: 

Not at this time

Build status: 

1/6 scale model testing started, plans for full-size version not yet finished

Design number: 

008