Robert Perry's Ideal Cruiser - Buppy Boat 43

[Steadman Uhlich]

"The Buppy Boat"
"Carbon Cutter 43" by Robert Perry

Naval Architect Robert Perry recently posted these drawings and said he would use the hull shown in a boat he would design for himself. The way he describes it, this would be his current vision for an ideal boat for him and his wife to cruise in, with occasional guests. He lives in Seattle.

I am always curious to learn what a designer or architect or naval architect would design for themselves, since much of their work is done to match the desires of a paying client which can influence what the final boat becomes. It can be surprising to see what they imagine as their own "dream boat."

Perry has a widely recognized reputation for designing popular cruising boats (he made his reputation in the 1970s with designs of several traditional styled boats, mostly produced in Taiwan). He is a regular commenter on several very popular sailing forums, and on Facebook sailing groups too, but not on CF, due to some squabble a few years ago. He is generally and widely respected.

I have no connection to Perry or his builder.
I am neither criticizing nor praising his boats from the past or this current design.

I am simply curious how this particular design strikes the experienced CF members.

I recognize that many people will be fans of Perry, and many may own boats he designed.

I am curious what the Cruisers Forum members think of this design and specifications.

I hope you will look at the design and make your comments based on what you see and think, aside from your associating it with the famous designer's name.

In other words, if this design was by a "no name" (anonymous) naval architect, what would you think of it?

Noteworthy are these facts:
1. Carbon Fiber Hull. (He calls the hull a "Carbon Cutter" design.)
2. Full Keel design with 7 foot draft
3. LOA = 43 feet
4. Transom hung rudder
5. Displacement 35,000 pounds
_________________________________

Here is what Robert Perry posted on Facebook yesterday:

"This boat has been rolling around in my head for a few months. It started as a variation on my carbon cutters using the same hull. Then it magically morphed to 52'. The idea was "what would I want for a boat if I could build anything I want now?" It would be a boat specifically designed for me, Ruby and my two grand kids, Violet and Drake. My wife has her own hobbies and is happy on board any boat. She's adaptable. The imagined reality would be that 90% of the time it would be me and Ruby.

I want a boat that has noble distinction. I want a boat that pays aesthetic tribute to the boats of the 50's and 60's, back before we knew what ":Euro" was. Back when all a boat had to be was a boat. Yes, life would be very different on my boat. There would be no attempt at all to recreate life ashore on my boat. From the moment you stepped aboard, everything in your world would be different.

I'll let you just take a look at it now. I'll come back some time later and explain in detail how I expect the interior layout to work. I have spent quite a bot of time tweaking this to exactly what I want. So, if you don't see something it';s because I didn't want it.

This is a big, powerful 43'er able to chomp through anything the PNW can throw at it and do it with panache. When this boat enters a harbor I want sailors to say, "What the hell is that?""
___

"My intention was to draw a big brute of a boat. A boat that can move through our worst chop in 40 knots Deep reef and storm staysail.

35,0000 lbs. Same as the carbon cutters. Same hull."
_____________

[Panope]

Where do I sign........

Steve

[Sailmonkey]

I really like it.

I think the only change I would be compelled to make would be offset the aft companionway and make the aft berth a double or larger. And possible squeeze a dry head into the aft cabin for the wife’s nightly restroom trips.

[daletournier]

I remember briefly following the carbon cutter thread on sailnet? I think it was sailnet. He'd designed the carbon cutter for a client and had suggested not going with the full keel, but the client insisted.... I could be wrong, didn't follow it that closely but that part stood out to me because of him suggesting a more modern underbody.

He's changed his mind?

[Stu Jackson]

Interesting layout, dinette in galley up. Seems a better layout for just Bob and Ruby, where do the grandchildren sleep? Someone doesn't get their own cabin...

Split bunks aft could work for sea berths?

SH, thanks for posting, always wondered about the "what would they do for themselves?" ideas.

Anyone remember if Ted Brewer did one of these for himself?

[Cheechako]

A couple things.
-I like the raised salon in the PNW for sure. That has exactly what I would want in a boat. Galley and table up. You can sit at the table, have your morning coffee and watch wildlife and things going on in the anchorage. I almost bought an old Islander 37 with that layout just because of it.
- I like the outboard rudder. It keeps things very simple, it eliminates leakage into the rudder core due to the shaft intrusion, it provides a lot of leverage for steering being that far aft.
-I like the strut from keel to rudder protecting the prop and stabilizing the rudder, but wonder if it isnt just better to extend the keel further aft really.
- I wouldn't want 7 ft draft for most places but in the PNW it's fine.

I've conferred and drank some Jameson with Bob and he's a great and open guy. He showed me a list of his own criticism's and reviews of his designs... good and bad.

One cool local boat Bob designed was Night Runner. It was made to look like a vintage traditional boat above the water and fast boat underneath. Good racer! Race winner and has rounded Cape Horn! The bow on NR looks a bit like version one of the boat shown by the OP.
The saga of the cutter NIGHT RUNNER - YACHT DESIGN

[Caribbeachbum]

I admire that the boat actually is rigged as a cutter, and not a staysail sloop that someone decided to call a cutter because it has two headsails.

These are probably a joy to sail, though perhaps less quick than Perry could have made them with a deep fin keel of some kind. I think the client had four of these built with a plan to put them in different parts of the world so he could fly there (private jet, I guess) and have a yacht that he really liked to go sailing on waiting for him.

I miss the days when Bob Perry would jump into a thread like this and respond to comments...

[Paul L]

What's the tankage? Looks like there's plenty of room in that keel for tanks.

If it's only a PNW boat then the draft is fine, but I'd want less in a new cruiser. What's the air draft?

[IslandHopper]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHaR6vOJk4o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oOuCN715VA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nO8-yLD3ELI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=issPcAbhvlk

[hpeer]

I can’t figure out how to save those thumbnails on an iPhone so I can really look at them.

In broad outline, gross generalities, there is a lot of comparison to our big boat. She’s an older design of course but:
44’ on deck...49’ with sprit.
6-1/2’ draft full keel
True cutter
36,000 lb design weight - 40,000 sailing trim

Many differences as well
Center cockpit
Rudder comes up through the deck to have a permanent tiller plus wheel steering
Steel construction

I’m surprised at the weight of his boat. IF 43’ includes the sprit and rudder she is more of a 40’er. Wonder how much ballast he is carrying?

He and traded ideas about Water boats">Blue water boats on SN. I’d be interested in how far he went in making the boat crash worthy.

[sandy stone]

Well, it's all about your planned use for the boat, your personal taste, and what you can afford. The hull shape, as near as I can tell from the drawings, looks like a wholesome and able sea boat. After all, it is Bob Perry. I like the rig, except for the bowsprit. I really hate bowsprits, but maybe the stem could be extended to meet the forestay. Not my kind of keel/rudder configuration at all, but for cruising on inhospitable coasts like the PNW I could see it. Not crazy about the head all the way forward. And if the hull is truly intended to be built in carbon, that really puts it into fantasy land.

[nortonscove]

I own a Perry boat that I've put up for sale. Nothings wrong with it. We went bigger and more Euro. Of course I'm not in the same area and can't judge what works for someone else. I just find that most of my time is spent in the cockpit or at anchor and in both instances it is about sighting along the the bow or from inside. The same reason I don't favour a catamaran.

[S/V Alchemy]

It's got a lot of the same design points as our steel pilothouse cutter, designed in 1982 and built as a one-off in 1988.

[NevisDog]

It works for me too, the below water hull shape is close to my ideal - perhaps a foot less draft. So many times now I've wished for a long, flat bottom to my keel, and of course the large aperture ahead of the rudder and cutaway forefoot will allow for much better steering than a traditional full keel. Thanks for posting this, SH, she's a powerful looking beauty.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by S/V Alchemy

It's got a lot of the same design points as our steel pilothouse cutter, designed in 1982 and built as a one-off in 1988.

I like what I see in that photo.

What follows is written in a friend tone as a friendly request.
If you have a link to the plan view (overhead and profile) drawings, I would like to see them. Please post a link or send me a PM if you will.

Also, if you have a link to photos showing the interior, I am curious about the layout and would like to see that too.

I ask because I am curious and love to see boats like yours, no other reason.