Eric has done a fine job in this piece writing about “POSH”, a replica designed to create a modern version of a 1937 52′ commuter designed by John L Hacker. Not only is the replica going to be beautiful, but it will keep the design cues that will keep her fast and sleek.

Boat design is as much an art as it is a science, and that’s one of the reasons I find it so fascinating. Both need to be harmoniously blended in order to achieve the desired result. It’s possible to design a boat that is beautiful with lousy performance, and it’s also possible to design the most scientifically advanced boat possible that is uglier than a mud fence. The designers task is to meet in the middle.

As Eric points out, ‘back in the day’ if you wanted to go fast, you had to design and build the boat with a narrow beam. Over the years since, engines got smaller, lighter, and more powerful. At the same time, we developed an insatiable appetite for huge interiors to hold all our accommodations, gadgets and stuff. We got lazy and our boats got fat. But why worry? The engines got so powerful that it became easy to push our behemoths through the water as fast as we wanted to go.

The design principle remains unchanged; narrow is fast. That’s one cue the replica “POSH” will keep. In addition to staying slim, the hull will be tweaked to enhance the quality of her ride and further reduce drag.

Get the rest of the story here.