Thanks for your input Nick. Helpful, as is the pic of your beached boat (on the sail slides thread). That is exactly what we often did with the BRex.
There are always compromises to be made, including aesthetics, practicalities - and price - at least in my case.
I spoke to Matt N at some length before buying, as did my pre-purchase surveyor. Matt was extremely helpful, as ever, but I am always aware that Swallow is a very busy small yard and so don't like to take up too much of their time.
Survey report consequently states:
"Construction: GRP foam sandwich construction (hull and deck). (‘Divinycell’ PVC foam) (some
areas of the deck may be GRP sheathed plywood)."
"Note: This vessel is understood to be Bay Cruiser 26 hull number 1. The vessel has significant
differences from the subsequent production model and may be considered to be a ‘one-off’
prototype. The hull is understood to have been built by laying up GRP onto the ‘Divinycell’ PVC
foam core and then filled and faired, rather than being moulded in a female mould."
From what I can see, bulkheads, lockers and lids, doors etc are, imo, foam core laminates, some with very thin ply facings?
Matt mentioned the standing head room and inboard saildrive as compromises made during design evolution.
So, from this it seems to confirm that "Muddy waters" is perhaps the "plug" for later boats? it's definitely not Bluebottle.
Looking forward to plenty of tweaking/bimbling over the winter as there are many things I plan to change/modify.
See you in Fowey? I'm unlikely to voyage as far East as Torquay
