My friends and I are intrepid souls. For us, seeking adventure on the water is what we enjoy most. We have found that being adventure-ready requires adaptability. It can be something as simple as a vessel with movable furniture in the cockpit to host a family dinner, or to make way for a quartet of enduro motorcycles, ready to explore the coastline of a remote archipelago. For this, you need a smart platform with a flexible system that allows you to bring what you need for any given adventure.
This is the ethos of Project Corsair, a boat that is adventure-ready in her bones. Her moniker is inspired by two things: my favorite vintage aircraft, the Vought F4U Corsair; and the French corsairs, who were swashbuckling privateers who conducted raids on behalf of the Crown.
Above the waterline, this aluminum, semi-displacement vessel will have clinker-style hull sides that mimic wood planking. It also will have flush, deeply tinted windows that blend in with her dark Awlgrip finish. A beefy, workboat-inspired superstructure gives Corsair a timeless, sturdy, purposeful profile. From the wheelhouse, the skipper has unobstructed 360-degree sightlines for docking, and for keeping track of crew and guests. High bulwarks on wide side decks ensure full protection.
Regarding adaptability, we can also revise the idea of what a helm should look like when it’s not in use. If the boat is on the hook or at the dock, then the helm can transform into a forward lounge, utilizing the navigation equipment for entertaining.
A workhorse, A-frame davit is hidden, flush-aligned with the deck. With a rating of more than 6,600 pounds, it is ready to handle roomy RIBs with powerful outboards, or even a small submarine. Depending on the adventure, there’s enough room in the cockpit to keep a sailing dinghy, personal watercraft or an armada of paddleboards. To accomplish this, six flush-mounted tracks in the sole can accommodate chocks, brackets and metal containers—think of the cargo belly of a Lockheed C-130, and you’ll have the idea. Extra tie-down hooks will be welded throughout her cockpit to use as needed. To handle the significant weight differences of each load, the Corsair is equipped with a tripod-style leveling system via three ballast tanks (one large tank forward and two flanking aft) deep in her hull.
I often think of the cockpit, which is the centerpiece of her flexible design, like the bed of a pickup truck. Scratches and dents are part and parcel of its use. However, the aluminum with a commercial-style, anti-slip surface is built rugged and can easily be replaced. One could even weld a custom rack right to the sole, as its aluminum can be polished and restored like new when the job is done.
I decided to swap the conventional, mid-engine room and use that space for a full-beam master or double stateroom. A stern-facing window makes it possible to check the goings-on from the master and lets in generous light.
Since the technical and engine room compartment is well aft, Corsair has enormous flexibility for its propulsion system. A diesel-electric package, backed by a robust,
lithium-phosphate battery bank and generators, is a viable option. But if one wanted to keep things simple, a single diesel would suffice. For repowers and to upgrade the propulsion package as technology advances, the engine hatches and deck are easily removed. For most hotel loads, solar panels are integrated into the hardtop, allowing for zero emissions in remote and protected waters.
An efficient hull form means she will not need extensive power to get on plane. Corsair will cruise at 9 knots, returning a range of about 3,000 nautical miles. Top speed is 12 knots. Her robust keels provide protection for the boat’s running gear and allows Corsair to beach, with the keels keeping her in place.
PROJECT CORSAIR
LOA: 78ft.
Beam: 20ft.
Draft: 4ft. 6in.
Displacement: 132,277 lbs.
Fuel: 1,320 gal.
Water: 660 gal.
Propulsion output: 350 kW
This article was originally published in the July/August 2023 issue.
