CLEARING UP THE HERRESHOFF 12 1/2 VERSUS PAINE NEW DESIGNS COMPARISON

 

The 12 1/2 is on top, the LEVANT 15  is below.  The Paine 14 and York 18 are a scale-down and a scale-up of the same basic shape.

I tried to make the topsides of my designs mimic the shape of the 12 1/2 as much as possible. My model has a little less flare to the topsides, but the shape of my transoms is very similar, and they all have “hollow bows” just like the Herreshoff.

Below the waterline my designs are hugely different. The 12 1/2 has a full length keel, my designs use a true fin keel. The 12 1/2 rudder is attached to the aft end of its keel, my designs use a spade-like rudder whose entire leading edge is exposed to flow. (The York 18 uses a true spade rudder). The sectional shape of my designs is much flatter in deadrise for more form stability, the H12 has a veed shape and a large garboard radius, as is necessary using plank on frame construction.

My designs have a lot less wetted surface than the H12, they are much lighter in weight relative to their length than the H12, the carbon fiber masts on my designs weigh roughly HALF what the solid spruce H12 mast weighs, and they do not need stays, turnbuckles, etc. for still less weight aloft and less windage.

In general, my designs are as easy to sail, without hiking, as the 12 1/2. They are considerably faster, relatively, than the H12, especially in light to moderate airs. They accelerate much quicker than the H12 because they are, comparing apples to apples, lighter. To my amazement my designs only point a little higher than the H12, proving once again that Nat Herreshoff was a bloody genius! My designs are hugely easier (less costly) to maintain than at least a plank on frame H12, and they are MUCH easier to launch and retrieve from their boat trailer, and to rig and unrig.