Bluejacket in various water conditions
Cruising Ontario Waterways
-------------Links:
Bluejacket 24
The Bluejacket 24 was designed to fill an unoccupied niche in the range of available power cruisers. What was wanted was a boat that satisfies these initial requirements:
-
Light enough and small enough to be easily trailerable with a family vehicle.
-
Capable of economic cruising at 12 to 14 mph with a top speed of at least 50% higher.
-
Seaworthy in coastal and inshore waters.
-
Economical in and out of the water.
-
Sitting headroom over the berths in the sleeping cabin and standing headroom in the pilothouse.
-
Classic lines.
-
Comfortable for cruising with a crew of two for a week or more.
-
A private head with standing headroom.
No such boat was to be found in the commercial market and another requirement that the boat be buildable at home by someone with modest skills became necessary. A full description of the genesis of the Bluejacket 24 design can be had by clicking here.
The Bluejacket 24 has proven able to meet all of the above goals and more that came into focus as the design progressed. By satisfying the goal of comfortable cruising in the transition speed range between hull speed and planing speed, Bluejacket also runs almost level at all speeds. As anyone experienced with powerboats knows, this is very rare. In cruising boats possessing all the above characteristics, it may well be non-existent other than with the Bluejacket 24.
A photo gallery of some features of the Bluejacket 24 may be seen by clicking here.
Final specifications as built are:
Length over all = 24 ft 3 inches (291 inches)
Beam = 96 inches (hull), 98 inches (incl. rubrails)
Beam, waterline (max) = 78 inches (hull), 80 inches ( incl. splashrail)
Beam, waterline (transom) = 70 inches (hull), 72 inches (incl. splashrail)
Headroom (over bunks) = 36 inches
Headroom (forecabin) = 52 1/2 inches
Berth length = 80 inches
Headroom (pilothouse) = 75 inches
Weight, dry w/o engine = 1850 lb
Positive floatation = >1600 lb (foam)
Power = 50hp outboard
Displacement (cruising = 2850 lb
w/engine, fuel, water,
2 crew & stores)
Freeboard, forward = 48 inches
Freeboard, aft = 34 inches
Speed, max = 24mph
Speed, cruising = 11 to 18 mph
Because the Bluejacket 24 is designed for use in inshore waters, the question of suitability for "rough" water is often expressed. Since we believe it would be irresponsible to claim that the Bluejacket or any other small cruising powerboat is seaworthy in all offshore conditions, the recommendation for use in coastal, inshore waters, lakes and rivers is given. Nevertheless, the Bluejacket 24 is quite capable of performing safely in some rough weather and wave conditions as described by clicking on "Bluejacket in various sea states"