The Paradox 1050

As a direct result of the development of the cat-rigged Open30, we now have a client for a new design, the Paradox 1050. As with the 30, which will become the test platform for this boat, the concept is based on simplicity and performance and is geared towards short-handed sailing, both above and below decks.

The Paradox 1050 has a displacement/length ratio of 72, an upwind sail area/ displacement of 36, and a modern powerful hull form of all carbon fiber construction. The state-of-the-art appendages include a hydraulically actuated canting keel with an “L” bulb that delivers all the righting moment this boat will ever need without having seven people sitting on the rail. It also has a centerline dagger board that can raised or lowered in order to fine tune the balance of the boat, and twin kick-up rudders for optimal steerage.

The square-topped uni-sail is fully battened and is designed with almost the same combined sail area as a main and jib on a conventionally rigged boat. The slab reefing system is contained within jack-lines supported by the wish-bone boom. A fractional asymmetric on a roller furler is flown from a deck-mounted, retractable, articulating bow sprit. Based on our VPPs and the on-the-water testing we are doing on our cat-rigged Open30, we are extremely confident the 1050 will be a great performer in a wide range of wind conditions.

The below decks area on the 1050 has been ergonomically designed to accommodate all the needs of a single-handed sailor. An expansive nav-station with easy access to the companionway dominates the interior space. Port and starboard sea-berths are outboard with a “U-shaped” galley located forward and to starboard. Gear stowage is to port and a head forward of this. There two symmetric compartments aft which can be used as double berths if in cruising mode.

The client for the first boat is adopting a “green” theme for the onboard systems, such as an electric sail drive, lithium-ion batteries and a wind generator or solar panels. Energy efficient fuel cells are also being considered.

We already have a great deal of interest for the 1050 coming from Europe where it will be marketed as an affordable short-handed sailing yacht. We’ll also be considering a more cruising oriented low-tech configuration with a lifting keel, a cruising interior, a longer house and shorter cockpit. Construction is due to begin sometime in November, 2009.

See our article “Just the Ticket – Less Strings and Things” from Seahorse Magazine