The 50' Abshire is intended to be a performance cruising vessel for construction in steel. Displacement is 50,000 lbs on a waterline of 42 feet and a draft of 5.5 feet. Please check out the perspective views available via the two links above. Both images are colored wire frame views that provide an excellent three dimensional sense of the proportions of the vessel.
Abshire is a slight modification of the design called Lucille, another member of the family of vessels originally derived from Redpath. Lucille was designed with an easily plated rounded steel hull, but for Abshire the single chine hull form was chosen in order to achieve the maximum economy of construction, while keeping
all the excellent features of Lucille.
The rig for example is identical in size, proportion, and detail to that of Lucille. The vastly simplified gaff schooner rig on these vessels makes use of modern spar and sail materials, and a performance oriented sail cut. The interior layout options are the same as for Lucille, however a number of other interior arrangements are also possible.
The primary goals with Abshire have been fast cruising, windward ability in a highly traditional configuration, simplicity of materials, ruggedness, reasonableness of cost to build and maintain... in short, a practical boat that will be a pleasure to sail and to own.
Abshire certainly fits the description of "the boat in which you'd like to be seen arriving...!"
