Sea Trials

Tests in 2004 included lake trials, sea trials to F6, open class racing, a 160-mile cruise from Devon to Wales across the Bristol Channel, and a test report by Practical Boat Owner magazine.

Reviews of Explorer

General characteristics

Explorer combines the pleasures of dinghy and yacht sailing. Like a dinghy, she is responsive and exciting to sail, will turn in a boat length, and can be stopped with a foot against a wall. Yet like a yacht, she looks after you. Virtually impossible to push over, she self rights instantly from a knockdown, with so little water in the cockpit you barely get your shoes wet. You can heave-to in a force 6 and stand in the cockpit to tend to the reefing lines. And she takes steep 4ft waves on the beam with barely a roll. The helm is responsive but light, a pleasure to guide single-handed all day.

Self-righting

Self-righting from a 90 degree knockdown is instant with keel extended or retracted. From a 180 degree inversion with swing bulb keel extended, a gentle pull is required on the chine from a person in the water; self-righting begins at 135 degrees. From 180 degrees with keel retracted it is necessary for a person to pull themselves up with hands on the keel, exerting part of their body weight on the keel; at about 120 degrees automatic self righting takes place, so make sure she does not sail off without you!

Shipping water

Shipping water is limited to pints during a knockdown because when at 90 degrees, the hatch and footwell are above the waterline. A few gallons are shipped in a complete inversion. A fully flooded cockpit reduces aft waterline by inches. Built in buoyancy successfully keeps Explorer afloat when the cabin is completely flooded, at a level well below the gunwales.

Narrow hull

Easily powered, narrow hull lines mean Explorer requires only a small amount of sail to drive her. She has moderate initial stability, making her safe and comfortable in a seaway. Her stability, generated by low ballast rather than broad beam, increases dramatically at large angles of heel. So if you push her too hard there is no worry of a knockdown; Explorer simply feathers up into the wind and returns to an even keel. Designed to row, she has averaged 2.5 knots for two hours under oar.

Rough weather trials

Rough weather tests were conducted in the Bristol Channel off North Devon, during a F6 with a steep 4ft chop. Under deep reefs, Explorer was as comfy as a duck. She beat easily to windward, her sharp cold-moulded forefoot cutting smoothly through oncoming waves. Only the occasional double-wave produced a slight slam. On a reach it was a great pleasure to watch waves rush up on the beam to shoulder height just beside you, and then disappear under the hull with barely a roll. She was designed to sail in up to and including F7, though F6 is the maximum to be encountered for the RCD category C.

Race results

Race results in the North Devon Open Week Cruiser Class, consisting of six 2-hour races over 6 days, were very positive. Under a handicap of 1360 Explorer gained 3rd in the class. The most similar competitor was the 5.2m (17ft) Eagle 525 sailing under a Portsmouth Yardstick of 1350, who came fourth. Being light for a cruiser, Explorer can outsail the larger yachts in light airs. In stronger winds when vessels reach hull speed, greater length affords greater velocity. Explorer’s hull speed, at 1.4 times the square root of the water line length in feet, is 5.4 knots (10kph).