Our team’s mission with B/OLD was to design a platform for active owners who want the look of a classic workboat, but with modern ease of maintenance. That combination would describe many boats, but with B/OLD, we went further to expose the raw art of conceptual design.
We started with her main profile. From a distance, she has the recognizable bona fides of an archetypal trawler. As one gets closer, the shapes and proportions of her superstructure zag from traditional design. Contrasting blocks and colored surfaces break up what is normally all white, giving B/OLD an appeal that we think makes her less vulnerable to market trends.
Perhaps her most striking design element is her A-frame-style arch, which serves a multitude of needs. It allows for a beach-club type of cockpit when stowed. When opened, it creates an enclosed, climate-controlled space that extends the salon. Loose furniture here gives owners a number of possible configurations. An incorporated shade can protect the entire cockpit with attachable side doors and curtains.
In addition, the foldable, electrically actuated arch functions as a dual-point davit to lift the dinghy and stow it on the after section of the superstructure.
The open-plan salon is on the same level as the cockpit, with a few steps up to the split-level helm. It’s wrapped with three-quarter-inch thick glass, and has seating with 360-degree views, making it a fine place to keep watch, navigate and spend time with guests. A pair of captain’s chairs at the helm allows a companion to split the navigational duties. The companion chair folds into a navigation desk for a solo mariner. A U-shape dinette below the helmsman’s eye level takes up the forward section.
In keeping with B/OLD’s exterior styling cues, all exterior glazing would be treated with a coffee-colored ultraviolet-protected film, creating a distinct exterior profile.
A displacement steel hull and more than 16 feet of beam allow for a galley-down layout. The cooking space is flanked by two staterooms. The forward master is ensuite and spans the full beam. The guest stateroom’s head serves double duty as a day head.
Her foredeck lounge is accessible from the salon via a starboard-side sliding door or from the cockpit along wide, fully protected side decks. While the boat does not have an asymmetrical layout, her port side deck is wider, as the starboard side deck is partly compromised by a cutaway that’s used to stow long items such as paddleboards and kayaks.
The 50-foot B/OLD will be rated CE Category A Ocean, making her ideal for coastal cruising and longer, off-the-grid jaunts. At an 8-knot cruise speed, her range exceeds 1,500 nautical miles. Larger fuel tanks can be fitted for transatlantic capability.
B/OLD Specifications:
LOA: 50ft.
Beam: 16ft. 2in.
Draft: 4ft. 10in.
Displacement: 70,500 lbs.
Fuel: 1,200 gal.
Water: 400 gal.
Power: 2x 180-hp diesel inboards
