Passagemaker Lite

Welcome to passagemakerlite.com

A DESIGN WHOSE TIME HAS COME
The Passagemaker Lite design series is a modern lightweight fuel-efficient re-statement of the fast seaworthy long-range power cruiser. Stock plans for the 46, 56, and 80 were developed in 2002.

To date, in early 2007, a Passagemaker Lite 46 is scheduled to begin construction in South Africa; a custom cold-molded Passagemaker Lite 41 is being developed, for use on the eastern seaboard and the Carribean; and we have a steady stream of inquiries about both stock and custom plans.

Tad Roberts

Latest News and Articles

Passagemaker Lite 46plus in the 2007 October issue of Western Mariner magazine

• October 11, 07
• Comments

Western Mariner magazine has a story about Passagemaker Lite 46plus Ataraxia under construction at Moondance in In the Shipyards section of their October issue.

The full press release for Ataraxia is in our News section.

Passagemaker Lite 48'6" Ataraxia is under construction in South Africa at Moondance Yachts

• July 25, 07
• (6) Comments

Passagemaker Lite 46plus Ataraxia is a slightly modified version of the PL46 design; length overall has increased to 14.79m or 48’6” including the swim platform. The increased length allows slightly more space in the engine room and in the saloon area, and allows Peter and Nicole to add a second cabin/office area opposite the galley.

The hull is being strip-planked with 30mm Japanese cedar sheathed with fiberglass inside and out. Structural members are laminated African Mahogany and the deck will be plywood on laminated beams. Her overall look is of a modern classic yacht equipped and built to cross oceans.

UPDATE July 27, 07 Peter will be posting construction photos.

UPDATE August 7, 07 There are new renderings of Ataraxia in 'Passagemaker Lite' blue and in dark red.

Passagemaker Lite 46 scheduled to begin construction in South Africa

• March 28, 07
• (0) Comments

A Passagemaker Lite 46 is scheduled to begin construction in South Africa in early 2007. Construction is to be cedar strip core. Power to be decided.

Nicky and Peter have started a blog at Ataraxia Blogspot about building their Passagemaker Lite 46.

Fuel use, efficiency, and ocean-crossing

There is a fairly large gap between theoretical fuel consumption and actual (ocean crossing) use. Let’s look a little more closely at real fuel consumption.

• March 28, 07
• (10) Comments

The Passagemaker Lite hull form is reasonably efficient under power; the form minimizes wave making and form drag with a long waterline and narrow beam. But there is a fairly large gap between theoretical fuel consumption and actual (ocean crossing) use. Let’s look a little more closely at real fuel consumption.

Like all problems involving boat design and the ocean, these differences, (theoretical to actual) are due to numerous variable factors. The two main factors involved are drag (resistance) and thrust (propulsive power).

Theoretical resistance models deal with wave making and wetted surface resistance. The forms of resistance not taken into account include bottom roughness and growth, wind and wave resistance, current and tide, and appendage drag. Thrust at the propeller and what the engine has to produce are different because of power loss in the system. There are alternators and water pumps running which require HP, there are loses in the gearbox and propeller shaft bearings, and propeller efficiency ranges from 50-70%. Power output and engine efficiency will also vary with fuel and air temperature.

While the PL 46 (bare hull theoretical model) does show a speed of slightly over 6 knots using somewhere between 9 and 11 Hp, that is Hp delivered at the propeller. It is without appendage drag, wind or waves or currents, etc. In reality few moderately sized modern engines will operate long term at that low an RPM. If the engine is run long term below operating temperature there will be damage. So 1200 RPM is probably minimum, and minimum fuel burn (real world ocean cruising) is probably closer to 1.3 usg/hr. or about 4.9 liters per hour for a speed of 6-6.5 knots. This is the speed and fuel use achieved by Idlewild on her recent circumnavigation using a single 55 HP engine.

The designed fuel capacity of the PL 46 is 860 usg or about 3250 liters. About 3% will remain in the tanks when empty. This is a useable 3150 liters, a minimum reserve should be 25%, so range should be based on a useable 2362 L. At 4.9L per hour this gives us 482 hours at 6.5 knots, which equals approximately 3100 miles. The reserve size should be based on voyage length and expected conditions, ie if your passage involves a high chance of encountering contrary weather conditions, the reserve should be much larger.

Where the PL concept comes into serious contention is coastal passages of 1000-1500 miles when she can run at speeds far above those 6.5-7 knot maximums of typical ocean crossing powerboats. At 9 knots the PL46 will be using less than 75Hp for a fuel burn of about 12.2L per hour. This is loaded at 32,000 pounds and without stabilizers or paravanes deployed.

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