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THE SAGA 409 Cruising Sailing Sloop
The SAGA 409 design is the first of a new series of more stylish performance orientated cruising boats. With a modern superstructure and Interior design, it is intended to respond to contemporary desires of a more ergonomic and stylish feel and blend it with all the classic requirements of a seagoing sailing yacht.
The Builder gave us a good long wish list, which always helps to stay true to the ethos of Saga Yachts and we have added our own ideas and solutions to bring it all together into a improved coherent design.
Being intended as a good performing Cruising boat, we started by identifying the weights and designing a hull for a realistic displacement and performance in cruising mode and with good tankage and storage capacity.
The hull canoe body has quite a low Prismatic Coefficient, first to help light air speed , which cruising boasts need most. The buttocks aft are very straight for a very clean stern wave and it is moderately fine forward, with a slight Vee in the sections to reduce slamming. The stern sections are wide and provide additional form stability to reduce heeling.
The low VCG bulb keel helps enormously in achieving a very high righting moment which we consider essential for extended cruising with a angkle of positive stability someway beyond 120 degrees. The fin is designed with a modern Low Reynolds’s number airfoil section for extra low drag at typical boats speeds. A large built-in keel sump below the canoe body will collect bilge water. The rudder is a deep high aspect ratio with a normal NACA section with modified trailing and leading edge to provide light feel and yet good effective control.
The very high ballast ratio will give the boat plenty of stability, far more than usual, and will make it a enjoyable and comfortable boat to sail.
The Sail Plan is of generous proportions, with a high aspect ratio planform. A 3 spreader Selden rig supporting a non-overlapping jib was chosen for its simplicity, long-lasting and to use as soon as the wind gets up. In the foremost furling forestay we have a light air sail with large overlap for light winds and reaching. For downwind a asymmetric can be tacked on the bow. The storm jib has its own removable stay that can be set behind the jib.
The deck layout is as simple as possible with the majority of the controls brought back to the cockpit. We still left a winch by the mast for some Cruising essential manoeuvres and easy of use.
The twin steering wheels with controls available to hand and large sailing instruments for better viewing will make it very nice to sail. Twin wheels provide good visibility and allows a clean passage along the center of the boat to the transom . The cockpit seats are long enough to sleep in and have good comings for comfortable and deep enough for protected seating. We have taken care to design the bimini and dodger to be well integrated with the deck design, which is so important when you are cruising.
Easy and safe anchoring was one of our priorities and I think we have the best system here.
The interior follows an established layout, prioritising the Owners cabin but having a good size Guest cabin aft as well, all with above average headroom. The styling is more modern that usually seen of sailing boats but respects all the sea-going needs, good storage and ergonomically friendly and with lots of wood.. The galley is huge, fridge /freezer, large cooker, etc . The saloon is also very spacious and we have designed a table that folds out of the way to create a feeling of space and comfort.
It is important to us that the Saga’s of the future will retain qualities such as: Safety and Strength. Safety by having boats with adequate stability and a seamanlike layout. Strength as in to make sure Saga continues to be known as being well built to last. Quality and comfort must not be compromised for speed.
My aim was above all to design a sound yacht that sails well, and bring some new ideas and design solutions to combine with Saga’s expertise. I am sure she will be a sweet boat to own.
- Tony Castro |
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