New Astondoa 72... The worst foredeck ever designed!

I've been on the one displayed this year in Miami.

Undoubtedly there are people who will pass up this boat because of the headroom. But there are also people who will pass up other boats with moor headroom because of what they give up in order to get the headroom that they enjoy.

There is no shortage of buyers for sailboats where headroom is more scarce.

I think that lack of headroom when you are tall is a great reason to not buy a boat, totally legitimate. I just don't think that it's at all a reason to call a designer stupid. They made a decision that suits some people who are not you, that's okay. They can't be all things to all people.

Those issue's can easily be rectified by simply stating to the builder to adhere to those safety concerns if an intended buyer is wanting to buy . Or maybe it's a deliberate ploy to get more cash out of the buyer if they are experienced and clued up if a person is a first timer they wouldn't be any the wiser .

You cannot change a mold to get additional headroom, for a buyer wishing to have that. It's very cost in-effective. What is a buyer giving up if the builder chooses to build a boat with proper headroom. Nothing really that he would notice, and he'd have a boat that is worth more because it appeals to a larger group of buyers.

Fast boat design (Med style)

Also I am a "blow boater", I might add a few points about fast boats from the Med (US types like fast SFs I do not know).

I was asked by my son to assist and accompany him on his aquisition tour(s) for a 80 foot (24 Meter) fast planning / flybridge type boat. I must tell you, most of the points mentioned above, I have to agree with.

Mediteranian boatbuilder are very conservativ and reluctant, when it comes to changes from their standards or their option list. Semi custom, for them, means 90 % semi and 10 % custom. They do not want changes from their molds and designs (Sometimes they are even not allowed to change the design, the rights of the artists ). They do not have the time, money and/or manpower for prototyping. The first boat of a series is the exibition boat / the prototype and the first customer boat. Also having modern design, the inside is rather standard piece of bread. Deep V hull with spray rails, 2 big engines from one of the well known branches, shaft and prop, sometimes with prop tunnel. The rest is form over function and nice colours.

Whats left for you is the choice of wallpaper and carpets, may be the type and colour of the wood. Things like large windows right at the waterline (I would use may be for a glass bottom boat), one of these famous foredecks or flybridges with handrails at one foot height, really scare me away.

But what surprised me the most, were the crew cabinets (I did not say quarters). Crew cabins of this size like on a typical med type planning yacht would bring you in legal trouble in Germany, if you would keep your dog in them (animal protection laws). But forcing a paid crew to live in those "lockers" is against human rights, period.

I can watch (from my mooring in Mallorca) crew members permanently living in those quarters, keeping most of their belongings in their cars at the pier. And we are not talking about 60 or 70 foot boats, we are talking about 100 feeet fast planning yachts.

My crew has land based permanent quarters provided, works on day duty, when I am absent and lives on the whole boat (except owner cabin) on ferry trips. A happy crew means a happy ship.

Outcome was: We left the area very frustrated and my son is now having a one off build in Northern Europe. End of story!

The buyer would definitely notice the price hike.

Another very safe foredeck design

Found this one today at Porto Christo. Itama 55, no rails, no anti slip surface, no hand held, no foot rail, nothing. But CE certified!!! Italo Design at its best.

Mediterranean boats are mainly targeting the local buyers.
The height of the average Italian, Spaniard, Frenchman and Englishman would not be similar to the average American, both in height and width
Note: I have left out the Germans as the further North you go, the taller the population.

Isn't England up at the same latitudes as the northern, less populated, half of Germany?

Northern Italians, Germans, and the English (well actually the UKish) are on a par with the us at 5'10" average height for men. Southern Italy and France are about an inch and a half shorter. Spain is an inch and a half again shorter than they are. On average, according to a somewhat official looking table I found when I googled it. Super scientific over here

let's make a new cre role

+rule:
Everey new crew member should have a height not over 1.65m.

Riva Rivale, even an Italian go fast boat can have a safe foredeck.