ior 50 sailboat

Understanding the IOR Rating System & Formula

• August 25th, 2017
• Yachtmaster

Although the magazines and marinas are full of flat designed, chined and wide-sterned modern yachts made to perform and host large volumes, a great number of yachts nowadays have their origins in the Seventies and Eighties as we call them “Classic GRP Yachts”. As I was roaming the jetties of my home marina I came to rest in front of such a very, very nice and well kept yacht: A German made Hanseat in blue.

She bears the distinctive shape of a whole class of yachts which defined the Seventies yacht design: The IOR-yachts. IOR? Most of you may know this fictional conversation very well by their own neighbours in the berth: “Ah, this is a nice, classic boat indeed!”, “Yes, I like her. Her lines. She´s an IOR-yacht!”, “Yeah, for sure!”. IOR. We are all too familiar with the wide bulky hull shaped like a tea kettle. But what does IOR really mean? Here´s a short but hopefully clear explanation.

History of the IOR-Rating System

First of all, IOR, the “International Offshore Rule”, was a rating system introduced in the Sixties when for the first time in history regatta-rules and handicap ratings of Europe (namely of the Royal Ocean Racing Club of England, RORC) and America (to be precise of the CCA, the Cruising Club of America) sought to standardize their set of rules to ensure a worldwide rating system for sailing yacht races. The IOR has been kept in place up until the early Eighties when it was superseded by the more technical and scientific advanced IMS and IRC-rating, which are in place still today.

The set of rules changed massively during the years as their trustees tried to keep up with the pace of yacht designers and boat builders who sought to interpret the rules in such a way that thy would make the fastest boats possible within this set of rules. In such an environment, as we all know from other occasions, the mind of the people does incredible things and so the IOR set of rules sparked a whole generation of naval architects to create yachts and hull shapes within this set of rules – leading to this one, very iconic feature of IOR-yachts: The tea kettle shape of the hull. But what´s to it?

Design Features of Sailing Yachts under IOR-Rating

Well, in short, the IOR called for short waterline lengths. It favoured yachts with a short waterline and penalized longer boats. But as we all know: The longer the waterline length, the fast the boat sails. By the same time, naval architects and designers of the boats tried to keep the wetted surface of the yacht as small as possible, shortening the surface area of both hull, keel and rudder blades.

The yachts had been fitted with a sharp bow and the distinct “cruiser stern” which bears a large overhang. Now, let´s cast off and get the sails hoisted. What happens? First of all, when the IOR-shaped boat is now sailing, it will start to heel to leeward as expected. Due to the unique wide girth, the “tea kettle”-hull will now immerse into the water. As you may imagine by looking at such a tea kettle-shaped hull, due to the unique design features of the IOR-shaped hull, the length of the waterline increases greatly thus “imposing” a larger hull and increasing speed. That´s the theory.

Implications of IOR-designed Hulls

It really worked well for a number of yachts and IOR proved to be the offshore rule setting off a huge wave of new yachts to be built and new races to be raced. But the IOR-yachts had also some unwanted implications and sailing characteristics which are nowadays considered frowned upon the least if not to say dangerous.

First of all, IOR-yachts are a kind of unstable boats in terms of seakindness. Due to the round chined hull and the wide girth, those boats are sailing massively heeled and are always in heavy motion even in lighter swell. Modern yachts with wider sterns and pronounced chines are heeling up to a certain point and will then sail very stable. Also, during the catastrophic events of the iconic Fastnet Race of 1979 more of those unwanted and possibly dangerous effects of IOR-constructions emerged in a way that the formula itself, its official role in regulating races and the design features had been abandoned by both the commissions as well as by the naval architects. If you want to dive deeper into this topic, there are numerous books and websites available.

In present naval design of yachts the IOR-inspired hull shapes have completely vanished. Although IOR-yachts have undeniable qualities in sailing hard upwind, they are nowadays considered too shaky in terms of sailing characteristics. Also, the somewhat narrow aft sections of these yachts do only leave space for quarter berths the best – best example here is the Beneteau FIRST 30 on which I did have the pleasure to make a 7-day-short dash to the Island of Bornholm (read the full articles here and here ). This yacht offered way more comfort and volume on 30 feet than my 33 feet IOR-era King´s Cruiser 33.

So in the end, the IOR-era was an attempt to flatten the worldwide rating systems to pave the way for a global racing circus. Designers reached out far to squeeze out the best designs possible. In a way the IOR proved that a bright mind can create miracles even inside the narrowest borders. But IOR also proved that too many rules can have limitations and even dangerous aspects as well. I personally admire some of the IOR-era designs, such as my own boat – but I also praise the technological advance that brought us faster, safer and beautiful designs as well.

Other interesting articles on that topic:

What´s the Yardstick rating system all about?

Tim Kroeger on racing the Swan 60 .

Sailing a Pogo 40 Racing Yacht.

Design № 155

< Back to all designs

RACE RESULTS

FARR MAGAZINE

GET UPDATES

ENVIRONMENT

DESIGNS BY LENGTH

DESIGNS BY NUMBER

VOLVO OCEAN RACE

SUPERYACHTS

AMERICA'S CUP

 This 50 foot IOR racer, Design No. 155, was commissioned by well known Olympic Gold Medalist David Forbes of Sydney, Australia. The client wanted a yacht which would be highly competitive on the racing circuit off the New South Wales Coast and in the Pan Am Clipper Cup Series.

A great deal of research was put into achieving an all around high performance yacht which would be extremely fast in all weather conditions...rather than being an extreme performer in a given set of conditions which is typical of most designs for Australian campaigns. The design office created a higher than usual sail area to displacement ratio number to improve running and medium air performance. The sail area to wetted surface area is greater (SHR 16.1) to give light weather advantages while retaining the usual high performance Farr characteristics in moderate fresh air conditions common to the New South Wales Coast which necessitate a good beating and reaching yacht. Much of this has been achieved by responding to Rule changes allowing for a narrower waterline beam which was proven successful in the SORC with SNAKE OIL and the World One Tons with HIGHLAND FLING.

One of the most exciting dimensions of Design 155 and one which is unorthodox in the IOR design world, is the development of a keel with a "bulb" attached at the tip. The "bulb" concept reflects our research in maxi yacht keel design, which has proven that our creation of narrow, deep, high performance foils will work even better in conjunction with a bulb.

The hull and fractionally rigged sail configurations are total Grand Prix IOR race boat rating 40. However, the owner requested interior cruising amenities such as two aft double berths, enclosed head and shower, comprehensive galley including microwave, icemaker, hot and cold running water, freezer and deepfreeze. Accordingly, the deck layout and superstructure lines will not be typical of an IOR race boat.

Construction requirements, as specified by Russell Bowler, reflect the use of Kevlar vacuum bagged over a Divinycel core. The yacht will be stiff in overall flexure, torsion and panel flexure. Longitudinal weight distribution will reduce pitching inertia, and important factor when sailing in the rough Australian offshore conditions. Australian weather conditions dictated a thoroughly seaworthy yacht. The American bureau of Shipping is recognized by the design office as providing the benchmark for assessing safety and Farr used these standards as the basis for panel and frame design. This, combined with a deep aluminum ring frame at the mast attached to a centerline longitudinal aluminum supporting frame which takes the keel and engine loads, is attached to another frame aft extending to the topsides to make for an extremely stiff structure.

The Farr design office utilized research from successful One Tonners EXADOR, SUNDANCE, and HIGHLAND FLING, 43 footers SNAKE OIL and DRAKE'S PRAYER and the three Whitbread maxi yachts to develop an overall 50 foot IOR yacht which will be a successful performer in all conditions and exceed the clients requirements for an accommodating interior.

15.33 m/50.30 ft

12.14 m/39.84 ft

4.57 m/15.00 ft

18.30 m/60.04 ft

5.36 m/17.57 ft

19.72 m/64.70 ft

7.09 m/23.20 ft

Sailplan >

Deck Layout >

Interior Layout >

Farr Yacht Design

100 Severn Avenue, Suite 101

Annapolis, MD 21403

©  2018

Published on November 27th, 2013 | by Editor

Revisiting the One Ton Cup era

Published on November 27th, 2013 by Editor -->

Back in the day, when grand prix handicap racing was going bonkers, the One Ton Cup was among the holy grails in the sport. Reputations were made at the One Ton Cup.

The One Ton Cup was first created in the early 1900s for the 6 meter class, but it became an ocean racing championship in 1965 when the RORC, and then later IOR, handicap rules gained traction. A “one tonner” was a specific handicap rating number, thus providing designers the target to create the fastest boat.

And they would all gather each year to race for the Cup.

Now, with the Cup long since fought over, 2-time One Ton Cup champion Chris Bouzaid (1969 and 1972) and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron are seeking an indication of potential interest in a proposed “One Ton Cup Revisited” regatta, in Auckland, New Zealand, in February/March 2015.

The regatta would celebrate the (near) 50 th anniversary of the One Ton Cup switching from metre class yachts to offshore racers, using an international rule (RORC) to measure and rate contestants. This was when interest in the Cup went global and led to One Tonners being regarded as the Formula One class of ocean racing.

Click here for updated information.

The current thinking is to cater for RORC and IOR One Tonners that were eligible for Cup competition between (and including) the years 1965 to 1983. The Cup increased the boat size in 1984.

The IRC Rating Rule would be used to equitably handicap the fleet which would be raced in two classes – RORC and IOR yachts 1965 to 1971 (inclusive), and IOR yachts 1971 to 1983 (inclusive).

The RNZYS has had a long involvement in the modern era of the event, competing for the Cup no less than 12 times, in seven different countries. In the process, it has won the Cup on five occasions and hosted the event twice.  

The current proposal for the “Revisited” regatta would be to mirror the One Ton Cup of old – such that there would be three inshore races, a short ocean race and a proper ocean race. In deference to contestants and boats, however, the inshore races would be of approximately 20 miles length, while the short ocean race would be a 40-miler (approx) and the ocean race a 100-miler (approx).

There would be a Prix d’ Elegance and other innovative awards, with an opening ceremony and  prizegiving that would do full justice to New Zealand’s legendary record for celebrating major sailing occasions.

There would also be a New Zealand Millennium Cup super yacht and One Ton Cup Revisited weekend at the beautiful Hauraki Gulf island of Kawau, with its famous Mansion House which, in the mid-to-late 1800s, was the residence of the then Governor of New Zealand, Sir George Grey.

This will be a high-profile sailing period in Auckland.

The Finn Gold Cup will be raced off Takapuna Beach in February 2015, while the Volvo Ocean Race fleet is scheduled to arrive in Auckland (from China) on or about around 26 February 2015, and leave for Itajai, in Brazil, on 15 March 2015.

The proposed “One Ton Cup Revisited” would be an important and integral part of this major celebration of sail.

Those interested should communicate, by email that interest, with brief detail of the One Tonner that might/would be involved: Alan Sefton, [email protected]

Below is an example of boats that were eligible One Tonners up to and including 1983 (updated Dec 4, 2013 but by no means definitive). Please email the Scuttlebutt editor with any corrections and/or additions:

Boat list as of December 4, 2013 Boat list as of November 27, 2013

Tags: handicapping , IOR , One Ton Cup , RORC

Related Posts

Weather forecasts to aid Transpac 2025 →

Handicap system at 2024 Fireball Worlds →

Free Introduction to ORC webinar →

Promoting handicap racing across USA →

© 2024 Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Inbox Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. made by VSSL Agency .

• Privacy Statement
• Advertise With Us

Get Your Sailing News Fix!

Your download by email.

• Your Name...
• Your Email... *
• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

• CLASSIFIEDS
• NEWSLETTERS
• SUBMIT NEWS

Half Tonner

Since 2004 The Half Ton Class Europe is guiding the revival of the former IOR half tonners. Half tonners are 9m long sailing vessels, build to the IOR rating rules from 1967 to 1992. A boat is considered as a 'half tonner' if it fulfills the following requirements: • if it has been designed & build as a prototype one-off in the period between January 1st 1967 and December 31st 1994, and • if it has been once eligible to participate at an edition of the IOR Half Ton Cup, and • if no alterations have been made to the hull of the boat (except keel & rudder). Every production boat derived from the hull of a prototype one-off half tonner will also be considered as a half tonner.

• Latest videos, from 2017

Show photos from latest 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995

• New Sailboats
• Sailboats 21-30ft
• Sailboats 31-35ft
• Sailboats 36-40ft
• Sailboats Over 40ft
• Sailboats Under 21feet
• used_sailboats
• Apps and Computer Programs
• Communications
• Fishfinders
• Handheld Electronics
• Plotters MFDS Rradar
• Wind, Speed & Depth Instruments
• Anchoring Mooring
• Running Rigging
• Sails Canvas
• Standing Rigging
• Diesel Engines
• Off Grid Energy
• Cleaning Waxing
• DIY Projects
• Repair, Tools & Materials
• Spare Parts
• Tools & Gadgets
• Cabin Comfort
• Ventilation
• Footwear Apparel
• Foul Weather Gear
• Mailport & PS Advisor
• Inside Practical Sailor Blog
• Activate My Web Access
• Reset Password
• Customer Service

• Free Newsletter

Ericson 34-2 Finds Sweet Spot

How to Sell Your Boat

Cal 2-46: A Venerable Lapworth Design Brought Up to Date

Rhumb Lines: Show Highlights from Annapolis

Solar Panels: Go Rigid If You have the Space…

Leaping Into Lithium

The Importance of Sea State in Weather Planning

Do-it-yourself Electrical System Survey and Inspection

When Should We Retire Dyneema Stays and Running Rigging?

Rethinking MOB Prevention

Top-notch Wind Indicators

The Everlasting Multihull Trampoline

What Your Boat and the Baltimore Super Container Ship May Have…

Check Your Shorepower System for Hidden Dangers

DIY survey of boat solar and wind turbine systems

What’s Involved in Setting Up a Lithium Battery System?

The Scraper-only Approach to Bottom Paint Removal

Can You Recoat Dyneema?

How to Handle the Head

The Day Sailor’s First-Aid Kit

Choosing and Securing Seat Cushions

Cockpit Drains on Race Boats

Re-sealing the Seams on Waterproof Fabrics

Safer Sailing: Add Leg Loops to Your Harness

Waxing and Polishing Your Boat

Reducing Engine Room Noise

Tricks and Tips to Forming Do-it-yourself Rigging Terminals

Marine Toilet Maintenance Tips

Learning to Live with Plastic Boat Bits

• Sailboat Reviews

The Modern Classic Racer-Cruiser

40-year-old islander 36 proves to be a comfortable and fast ride..

The Islander 36 was built from 1971 to 1985, making it one of the longest-lived 36-footers ever on the U.S. market. More than 750 of the Alan Gurney-designed racer-cruiser sloops were built, with production spanning almost the entire history of Islander Yachts.

When it was first introduced, the Islander 36 seemed conservatively modern in appearance, with a flattish but concave sheerline, a fin keel, and a skeg-mounted rudder. The boat was designed as a racer-cruiser under the then-new International Offshore Rule (IOR) , but you would be hard-pressed to say that the same rule could create both the I36 and a modern IOR design. The Islander 36 was launched during the infancy of the IOR, before boat designers took advantage of the rules loopholes. As a result, its hull shape is undistorted and bears more resemblance to a modern fast cruiser than to a contemporary IOR racer.

While custom boats were the biggest force in racing in 1971, it was still possible to be competitive in local regattas with a production racer-cruiser. That all changed very quickly. Boats like the Islander 36-which were out-designed under the IOR but were still reasonably fast and easy to sail-served as the foundation for the movement that became the Model A of handicap racing: the Performance Handicap Racing Fleet (PHRF). And still today, I36s often take podium positions in PHRF races, particularly where I36 fleets are most popular, particularly in the San Francisco Bay area.

Even by todays standards, the hull proportions of the Islander 36 are nearly ideal for a modern racer-cruiser. The beam is moderate and carried well aft, offering fairly good hull volume aft, so that the boat does not squat excessively when cockpit lockers are loaded with cruising gear. Despite the age of the design, the I36 is not dated in appearance. You could even say that the boat is a modern classic.

The Islander 36 is predominantly a West Coast boat, but youll find them throughout the U.S. Most of the owners responding to our survey use the boat for daysailing, club racing, and coastal cruising.

Sailing Performance

Despite being designed as a racer-cruiser with an IOR Mk I rating of 27.9, the Islander 36 was not a particularly fast or successful IOR boat. However, under the PHRF rating system, a well-sailed Islander 36 is a reasonably competitive boat; many are still active in club racing, with the largest contingent in California, where conditions are a good match for the I36.

The Islander 36s rig is a simple, untapered aluminum spar stepped through the deck. It has two sets of spreaders and double lower shrouds. The shrouds are set well inboard, and genoa tracks are set just outboard of the cabin trunk to take advantage of the tight sheeting angles.

The Islander 36 is well-balanced under sail, although like many boats of its era with relatively small mainsails, you need a variety of headsails to keep the boat moving her best in all conditions. While this isn’t a problem on a crewed racing boat, todays fast cruisers tend to have slightly larger mainsails so that less-frequent headsail changes are required. The original I36 sailplan shows genoa overlaps as large as 180 percent; genoas that large are generally a nuisance to handle and tack.

Both deep and shoal draft keels were available on the Islander 36. Most boats have the deep keel, and this version of the boat is generally about six seconds per mile faster. The shoal-draft boat has an additional 150 pounds of ballast to compensate for the keels higher center of gravity.

The mainsheet traveler is positioned at the forward end of the companionway hatch. Late-model boats have a small molded breakwater aft of the traveler so that a companionway dodger can be installed. On boats without the breakwater, installing a dodger is trickier. Since the mainsheet is attached almost exactly to the middle of the boom, sheet loads are fairly high, and youll need a winch to trim the main in heavier air.

Original steering, mostly Edson brand, was the typical chain and sprocket with the steering cable led through sheaves to a quadrant clamped to the rudder post. The boat was designed with a tiller, but most owners have retrofitted wheel steering over the years. Since there are very few owner complaints about excessive weather helm, changing to wheel steering was more a matter of personal choice than necessity.

You will find slight differences in deck layouts, depending on whether the boat has been used predominantly for racing or cruising. On racing boats, the primary headsail-sheet winches are usually located on the forward portion of the cockpit coamings, with the secondaries aft. That position is often reversed on cruising boats. Likewise, racing boats may have most halyard and lift winches mounted at the base of the mast; cruisers use fewer winches, mounted on the mast itself. For shorthanded family cruising and daysailing-the type of sailing for which the boat is best suited-we would suggest larger-than-standard multi-speed self-tailing headsail sheet winches installed on the coaming, near the helmsman.

The I36s cockpit is very deep, which can make it challenging for some to see over the cabin when seated. Other cockpit features make it less than ideal for offshore work: cockpit drains are fairly small and there is no bridgedeck. To comply with the International Sailing Federations (ISAF) Offshore Special Regulations for offshore racing, the companionway dropboards would have to be fixed in place up to the level of the aft cockpit coaming, which would make it extremely difficult to get below.

Like most boats with a long production history, a variety of engines were used in the Islander 36-and most have been replaced over the years-making generalizations about performance under power difficult.

The I36 was first powered with an Atomic Four gasoline engine; that was followed by the undersized Palmer P-60 gas engine, the optional Perkins 4-108 diesel, and then the optional Westerbeke L-25 four-cylinder diesel. Islander even used a Volkswagen diesel engine, the Pathfinder 42 horsepower, in the 36 at one point, and by the end of the boats production run, a 30-horsepower Yanmar diesel was used. Most of these original auxillaries have since been replaced.

The most common replacement engines youll find in contemporary Islander 36s are Yanmars, usually in the 30- to 37-horsepower range. They are lighter, and with about a 2:1 reduction and a 13-inch three-blade, fixed prop, the I36 can approach 7 knots in flat water.

Given this wide variety of engines-some left-handed, some right-handed-and the mix of fixed, folding, and feathering props, Islanders will often pull from one side to another when backing up. With all but the smallest two-blade, folding props, skippers will need good seamanship skills for well-behaved backing into slips and docks. The knack is to get the boat moving astern with modest power, idle to keep speed under 2 knots, then use the large rudder and skeg to ease into a berth.

The Islander 36s interior finish is one of its best selling points. However, there are several interior-design shortcomings that are typical of boats of the early 1970s. Two of the biggest changes in boat interiors since then have been in navigation stations and galleys. The marine electronics boom had not begun in 1971. Loran C was new, and very expensive. Only hot race boats had wind instrumentation. Satnav was a far-off dream for recreational sailors, as were such things as personal computers and weather facsimile machines. For this reason, nav stations on cruising 36-footers in the early 1970s were rudimentary, when they existed at all.

The nav station of the Islander 36 is no exception. It is tucked away under the sidedeck, and the cabin sole in front of it slopes awkwardly upward. There are no drawers beneath the chart table, no good place for chart stowage. Theres no place to sit, and if you use the shelf above the table for electronics, theres no space for books. On late model I36s, there are drawers just forward of the chart table behind the port settee, but by modern standards, the boats nav station is nothing to brag about.

The shortfalls have given owners reason to use their sailorly ingenuity and a little creativity to come up with ways to add GPS, chartplotter, AIS, SSB, and radar instruments to the cozy nav station area. Youll find as many different solutions as there are I36s on the used boat market, and the I36 Owners Association website (www.islander36.org) offers some good examples.

The original I36 galley also is a relic from the days when a lot of people considered cruising in a sailboat just one step above camping out in a tent. The sloping cabin sole in the galley makes it difficult to work at the sink or reach the bottom of the icebox. There is relatively little counter space or storage space. There is no provision for galley ventilation except the main companionway, and without a dodger, the companionway cannot be left open in the rain because of the forward-sloping aft bulkhead.

A large number of Islanders were built with alcohol stoves, many of which have been replaced with propane or natural gas. Microwaves also have been added to current I36 galleys. Some I36s were produced with refrigeration systems, and many others have been added along the way. Pressure water systems are also common in todays Islander 36s, though not universal.

Aft of the nav station on the port side, there is a quarterberth tucked completely beneath the cockpit. The lack of ventilation in the quarterberth is a problem in warm climates, and its location is not one for the claustrophobic.

The main saloon itself is quite comfortable. The settees on either side are long enough to be comfortable berths. The starboard settee folds out into a double berth, but it is not the most convenient to set up or use. Above and behind each settee, there is a fair amount of storage space. Late model boats have lockers and drawers outboard of the port settee, while earlier boats have only a shelf. It would be fairly easy to build storage lockers in this area on an older boat, and many owners have.

Most boats of this size have fixed cabin tables, but the Islander 36s folds up against the bulkhead at the forward end of the main cabin. It is just possible to squeeze by the table along the starboard side when it is in use.

Ventilation is a weak point in the Islander 36, as it is with a lot of boats. Late model I36s have a ventilation hatch overhead in the middle of the main cabin; theres no reason you couldnt add one to an older boat. A hatch in the cabin trunk over the forward cabin provides fair-weather ventilation, but theres no provision for air?ow in bad weather. You can add cowl vents in dorade boxes, but the installation is tricky due to the vinyl headliner. The original foam and vinyl headliners had zippers to access the backs of fittings, but they tend to corrode shut. Many owners have opted to replace the headliners.

The head compartment is to port at the forward end of the main cabin, with lockers opposite on the starboard side. Headroom of over 6 feet is carried all the way forward. Drawers under the V-berth and a narrow hanging locker to starboard offer reasonable storage. A door at the aft end of the forward cabin can be secured in the open position to provide privacy for the forward cabin.

Conclusions

Unlike a lot of boats with long production histories, there are relatively few differences between the first and last Islander 36s. This means that youll likely be able to find a well-kept boat at a pretty good price. Most have seen systems upgrades and creative interior makeovers that make this modern classic a competitor for newer used production boats. The I36 also boasts a very active and large owners association, an invaluable resource for those buying-or thinking about buying-an older used boat. Since so many Islander 36s were built, theres a well-established used boat market, and you should not have trouble reselling one in the future, particularly if youre West Coast based.

Because of the cockpit design and relatively light construction, this is not the type of boat that we would choose for extended offshore voyaging, but there have been several I36s that have successfully raced from California to Hawaii, and a number have made circumnavigations. In our opinion, the I36 is best suited for coastal cruising, club racing, or even daysailing and weekend getaways.

As with any older boat, a careful survey is mandatory. Pay particular attention to the chainplates, gelcoat condition, rig, and the mast step. We would also look hard at the engine installation, fuel system, and the hull structure near the mast. Try working in the galley and at the chart table to see if you can live with them.

All in all, the Islander 36 is a well-mannered, fast-sailing boat, at its best in a breeze. With proper, modern sail-handling equipment, it can easily be handled by a couple for shorthanded cruising. With good sails and a smooth bottom, it is also can be a competitive PHRF club racer.

Owners Comments

The boat is easy to sail single-handed, especially with an autopilot. It has great speed and points well into the wind. It offers plenty of space for a single person or a couple for full-time cruising. I upgraded the galleywitha three-burner stove and oven, and replaced the holding tanks. Im still working with the original Pathfinder 42-horsepower diesel engine. It has plenty of power, butit isn’t always easy to find parts or someone to work on it. – Len Diegel; Katana, 1980 Islander 36; Lake Grapevine, Texas

The I36 is a fun and fast boat in most wind conditions, and it does respectable in its class in local races. Improvements that would make the I36 even better would be the addition of well-placed cabin handholds to aid in moving about the cabin in bad weather, and a better-designed navigation station, which is too small and offers no place to sit. – Jack and Anneke Wolf; Trillium, 1976 I36; Muskegon, Mich.

We purchased our I36 in 2012, from the second owner who had maintained it in like new condition. This boat must represent the very best value in a coastal cruising boat for the San Francisco Bay area. Having been a racer for 40 years, my wife didnt appreciate sailing with me until we bought this boat and settled into pleasure sailing. Comfortable, stable, quick, and roomy all describe our experiences. It has put the pleasure into sailing for us. – Gene Novak; Fantasy, 1980 Islander 36, hull #581; San Francisco, Calif.

We have sailed the boat in 80-mile-per-hour winds with no problem. The Islander 36 is the perfect daysailer-coastal cruiser. My only criticism is with the galley, which is poorly designed and not very functional. – 1972 model, Texas

This is an excellent boat for cruising. It can be singlehanded with the help of self-tailing winches. Our aluminum holding tank failed. – l977 model, California

We bought the boat for its appearance, reputation, and size. Its a great boat for San Francisco Bay and the Pacific coast. Weve sailed it south to the Channel Islands and north to Canada. – l978 model, California

Very fast for a comfortable cruising boat. The boat seems to be a good compromise between being light enough to sail well and heavy enough to be safe and solid. Gelcoat has crazed in spots. – 1979 model, Michigan

The intermediate and lower shroud chainplate is pulling out of the bulkhead. – l980 model, California

The only real problem with the boat is lack of ventilation. It is an excellent blend of sailing performance for the cruising couple or club racer. I suggest looking for an older model since they are often exceptional buys and are essentially the same boat that was produced until 1984. – 1973 model, Florida

The cockpit sole is flush with the companionway sill, which is not a seaworthy setup for going offshore. The aft bulkhead is too slanted to leave the companionway dropboards out when its raining unless you have a dodger. – l980 model, Maryland

• Age Calls for Close Inspection

• I36 Owners Association

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Log in to leave a comment

Latest Videos

Safety At Sea For You & Your Family – The Joe...

What’s The Best Vinyl Window Cleaner for Your Boat?

40-Footer Boat Tours – With Some Big Surprises! | Boat Tour

Electrical Do’s and Don’ts

• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell My Personal Information
• Online Account Activation
• Privacy Manager

Jim Taylor Yacht Designs was formed in November of 1978. For 35 years, the office was located in historic Marblehead, Massachusetts at the foot of State Street, overlooking the scenic harbor that once laid claim to be the ‘yachting capitol of the world.’   During the covid pandemic, the business went full circle, and returned to a home office across town in what is still an active and prominent East Coast yachting center.

The firm’s first project was Blackjack , a lightweight 23-foot daggerboarder that was drawn, built, and very successfully campaigned by the designer, winning 12 of 16 races sailed. Its first outside design commission was from Peter Rosenberg for Sabra , a 34-foot IOR racer/cruiser that is still going strong (as Chaika ) to this day. A string of successful IOR racers and production cruisers followed in the 1980′s. Taylor began to concentrate on the IMS rule in the late 1980′s, and the Taylor 40 pioneered ‘grand prix’ IMS racing with a flood of wins, including two Corinthian 200′s, the Manhasset Bay Fall series, the Corum Cup (Japan), Chicago ‘Boat of the Year’, and the Marblehead-Halifax Race (1st & 2nd).  In 1991 the T-42 Drumbeat started a successful string of IMS racer winners that continued for almost 15 years, highlighted by the T-49 Numbers , that topped the IMS 50 field at Key West, Block Island, the Admiral’s Cup.  Blair Brown’s T-44 Sforzando carried a remarkable 10 year run of victories in IMS, PHRF and IRC well into the new millenium.  Most recently, the T-49c’s Dreadnought, Blackfish and Rascal have dominated the Spirit of Tradition division in east coast Classic racing.

Through the years, Taylor designs have won:

• 11 of 12 Mass Bay Season championships
• Four straight Block Island class wins
• Two NYYC Herreshoff Trophies
• Six straight PHRF N.E. championships, (9 in 11 years).

They have earned class wins in:

• Six Block Island Race Weeks in 9 years
• Two Key West Race Weeks
• the Commodore’s Cup
• the Chicago-Mackinac
• the Bermuda Race
• an Onion Patch overall team trophy

America’s Cup

Taylor joined Bill Koch’s America³ design team in 1990. The team’s breakthrough USA 23 design convincingly beat Italy’s Il Mor o 4-1 to win the 1992 America’s Cup. Taylor returned with the core of that team for the 1995 Cup. Hampered by a lack of development time, Koch’s Women’s Team narrowly missed winning the defender series in the team’s Mighty Mary .

Taylor designs have won recognition off the race course as well:

• Sabre ‘Spirit’ – Cruising World ‘Boat of the Year’
• Sabre 362 – Cruising World ‘Boat of the Year,’ Best Mid-Sized Cruiser
• Sabre 402 – Cruising World Overall ‘Boat of the Year’
• Colgate 26 – Cruising World ‘Boat of the Year,’ Best Small Cruiser
• Sabre 452 – Cruising World ‘Boat of the Year,’ Best Full-Sized Cruiser
• Sabre 426 – Sail ‘Top Ten New Boats’
• Precision 185 – Sailing World ‘Boat of the Year’ Best Value/Performance Dinghy
• Sabre 386 – Cruising World Overall Domestic ‘Boat of the Year’

Career Highlights

• Five years (’74-’78) with Ted Hood, designing offshore racers and production cruisers.
• 1977 America’s Cup; Responsible for Hood’s upgrade to Cup winner COURAGEOUS.
• Started JIM TAYLOR YACHT DESIGNS in November, 1978
• Designed, built and successfully campaigned Mini-IOR/MORC/PHRF racer, 1978-1981
• String of successes in both IOR racing and production cruising markets, 1981- 1987
• Began focus on IMS racing in 1987; TAYLOR 40 pioneered “grand prix” IMS racing
• Joined America³ America’s Cup design team in 1990; A³ beat Italy’s IL MORO 4-1 in ’92 final
• Designed SABRE 362 and SABRE 402 , both Boats of the Year, with Sabre Yachts design team
• Designed COLGATE 26 , Cruising World Boat of the Year, selected by Naval Acadamy sailing program
• Racing designs continue to win in top level competition from New England, to “Olde” England, to Japan.
• Member of ’95 America³ design team, this time for The Women’s Team (MIGHTY MARY)
• IMS 50 NUMBERS a winner at Key West & SORC, helmed by Russell Coutts at Admiral’s Cup
• Designed SABRE 452 , yet another Boat of the Year with Sabre Yachts
• Asked to join the Offshore Racing Council’s International Technical Committee
• IMS racer SFORZANDO a 2-time winner of the New York Yacht Club’s prestigious ‘ Herreshoff Award ’
• SABRE 426 , chosen by Sail Magazine as one of their ‘Top Ten’ new boats for 2002
• Precision 185 selected as Sailing World Boat of the Year
• International 8-meter class sloop PLEIONE featured in Wooden Boat and Sailing World magazines
• Designed SABRE 386 , still another Boat of the Year in collaboration with Sabre Yachts
• Designed SABRE ‘Spirit’ , yet another Boat of the Year as a successful daysailor.

Racing Highlights

• NYYC Annual; T-44 yet another class win.  Six wins   (and one 2 nd ) in 9 Annuals
• EYC Annual; RIVAL (T-39c) 1 st in class
• Youngstown Level Regatta; Sabre 386 2 nd in class
• Buzzards Bay Regatta;  Taylor 40 and Sabre 402 1 st and 2 nd in class
• Paneria Classics; RIVAL wins ‘Classic Plastic’ in Marblehead, PLEIONE wins series in class
• Stamford-Vineyard ;  Sabre 362 1 st in class
• EYC Annual; T-44 AFRICA (SFZ) and T-39c RIVAL both 1 st in respective classes
• Castine-Camden Wooden Boats; PLEIONE beats W-76’s and W-37 boat-for-boat
• BYC Evening; REMAIN SILENT wins 5 th in a row
• Korea Cup; T-47 ‘DIVA’ (ne NUMBERS) takes first in all four races
• Bermuda Race; T-44 TEMPTATION (ne SFORZANDO) 1 st in Class 7, 4 th Overall
• EYC Annual; 8m PLEIONE 1 st in class
• Buzzards Bay Regatta; Sabre 402 WILDFLOWER 1 st in class (yet again!), 4 wins in 6 races
• PHRF N.E. Championships; Sabre Spirit REMAIN SILENT 2 nd in class over Alerion Exp 38
• Sabre Spirit wins Boston YC season series for 4 th straight year
• Boston YC; a ‘three-peat for Sabre Spirit, spring, summer, fall & season
• PHRF N.E. Championships; T-41 repeats in Class 2
• Maine Wooden Boats; PLEIONE takes 1 st OA, des;pite ‘winning too often’ rating penalties
• NYYC Regatta; SFORZANDO repeats, 4-1-1-1, winning incredible 12 of last 16 Annual Regatta races sailed
• Bermuda Race; T-42 wins Class 4, 3rd OA; Sabre 402 and 452 go 1-2 in Class 13. Sabre 386 5th doublehanded
• NYYC Summer RW; SFORZANDO wins by 14 pts over Farr 395 and touted IRC Mills/King/Summit 40
• Maine Wooden Boats; PLEIONE takes yet another Castine-Camden Classic
• BYC Season; Sabre Spirit repeats season championship
• PHRF N.E. Championships; T-41 wins Class 2, PLEIONE returns to podium in Class 3
• American YC Fall Series; T-42 CABADY (ex-NUMBERS) wins class.
• NYYC Herreshoff Medal; SFORZANDO wins unusual 2nd time, for exceptional performance
• NYYC Annual; SFORZANDO goes 3-1-1-1 over Ker 11.3 and Melges 32
• Block Island Race Week; T-42 wins class for remarkable 5th time.
• Maine Wooden Boats; PLEIONE takes two 2nd’s in spite of huge rating penalties for previous wins
• BYC Season; Sabre Spirit REMAIN SILENT wins overall in first season
• PHRF N.E. Championships; Sabre Spirit takes 4th over J-100 and E-33 in competitive Class 4
• NYYC Annual Regatta; SFZ opens with DNF, then returns to form, 1,1
• Bermuda Race; New Taylor keel and rudder lift IMX 45 CYBELE to big win in Class 7
• NYYC Summer Race Week; SFORZANDO 2nd
• Maine Wooden Boats; PLEIONE takes clean sweep of Castine-Camden, Camden-Brooklin, & Eggemoggin Races
• PHRF N.E. Championships; PLEIONE takes competitive Class 3 with straight bullets in 7 races
• NYYC Annual Regatta; SFORZANDO dominates 1,1,2,1,1
• Chicago-Mackinac; Sabre 402 1st in Section, 4th in fleet
• 8m NA’s & Worlds; PLEIONE 3rd and 5th, respectively in first international 8m competition
• Chesapeake Screwpile Regatta; T-401 MERIDIAN and Colgate 26 BOB win classes
• NYYC Annual Regatta; SFORZANDO 2nd in IMS C/R
• Bermuda Race; ORION 1st of 15 in Class 4, 10th in fleet
• Maine Wooden Boats; Pleione goes 1-2 in first season
• PHRF N.E. Championships; Taylor designs sweep 3 of top 4 places in Class 3
• Mass Bay Champion: K-2 takes 5th straight. Taylor designs have won at least 20 of last 24 seasons
• NYYC Annual Regatta; SFORZANDO 2nd in IMS C/R to IMX 45 TEMPTRESS
• NYYC Summer Race Week; SFZ 2nd by 0.25 pt
• Sabre 402 2nd in Class, Chicago-Mackinac classic
• PHRF N.E. Championships; NUMBERS and TEMDEH both repeat, Taylor designs win class 6 years in a row
• Mass Bay Season Champion: Taylor 40-3 KATABATIC (K-2)takes yet another
• New York Yacht Club; SFORZANDO wins prestigious Herreshoff Medal for overall excellence
• Bermuda Race; T-41 ORION 2nd in Class 4, Onion Patch trophy winner
• Chesapeake Screwpile Regatta; Colgate 26 BOB wins class
• PHRF N.E. Championships; NUMBERS, ALLANAH and TEMDEH all class winners
• Mass Bay Season Champion: Taylor 40-3 KATABATIC takes 3rd straight
• PHRF N.E. Championships; ‘DZ’ repeats (T-47 2nd) in Class 1; Taylor design wins class 4th year in a row
• Mass Bay Season Champion: Taylor 40-3 KATABATIC repeats
• New York Yacht Club Regatta; TAYLOR 44 SFORZANDO wins, 1-2
• Block Island Race Week; Taylor 40 SCHERHERAZADE a close 2nd in B Class
• IMS Worlds; SFORZANDO 3rd in grand prix international fleet
• PHRF N.E. Championships; DANGER ZONE wins (T-40 2nd) in Class 1, TEMDEH wins Cruising Class 1
• PHRF N.E. Championships; SFORZANDO repeats, Taylor designs take 4 of top 5 in Class I
• Mass Bay Season Champion: T-401 SCHERHAZADE
• NYYC Regatta; NUMBERS bests N/M 48, Farr 46, Farr 47
• Eastern July 4th Regatta; radical T-32 DANGER ZONE wins
• PHRF New England Championship; Taylor 44 1st, Taylor designs take 3 of top 4 places in Class 1
• American YC Fall Series; Taylor 42 wins easily in class.
• Key West Race Week NUMBERS wins debut regatta over SWING, SEAGOON, INFINITY, VIRAGO & IDLER
• SORC; NUMBERS 1st over top Farr and N/M IMS boats
• NYYC Regatta; NUMBERS 1st with straight bullets over new Farr designs FLASH GORDON & NOON
• Block Island: NUMBERS 2nd
• Admiral’s Cup: NUMBERS dominates inshore races, but suffers in drifting matches.
• Block Island Race Week; T-42 wins class for 4th time
• Edgartown Regatta; SHERHERAZADE wins in gear buster
• Eastern Yacht Club Season Champion: NUMBERS 94
• YRA-LIS IMS Championships; AVANTI finishes 2nd
• PHRF N.E. Championships: NUMBERS repeats class win, Taylor designs win class third year in a row.
• Mass Bay Season Champion:
• Doyle-Saucony “40 Something” Regatta: SCHERHERAZADE and COALITION 1st & 2nd in IMS
• Pilot’s Point Regatta: Newly launched TAYLOR 47’s top Farr 44, N/M 43 and N/M 45 IDLER
• Block Island Race Week: T-47’s NUMBERS & DRUMBEAT 1st & 2nd in Round Island race
• EYC July 4th Regatta: TAYLOR 41 ORION 1st OA, topping J-44’s and N/M 40 boat-for-boat
• Lymington (England) Berthon IMS Regatta: NUMBERS tops new Farr ILC 40, plus Tripp, Dubois & Farr 50’s
• NYYC Sesquicentenial: T-47 DRUMBEAT 2nd in Queen’s Cup, 9 seconds behind INFINITY
• LTYC Harbor Springs: V-MAX first overall, beats R/P 70 WINDQUEST
• Commodore’s Cup (England): NUMBERS wins Class 1 in “IMS Admiral’s Cup,” over FALCON & Farr 50
• Chicago YC Offshore Championship; TAYLOR 40 V-MAX is untouchable, 1-1-1-2-2
• PHRF N.E. Championships: NUMBERS takes Class 1, 2-1-1, TAYLOR 41’s 2nd & 3rd in Class 2
• Chicago Boat of the Year: V-MAX wins convincingly, counting remarkable eight 1st’s and two 2nd’s in ten scored
• Mass Bay Season Champion: SCHERHERAZADE closes in on 11th TAYLOR design win in 12 years.
• Key West: TAYLOR 42′s 3rd & 5th racing under ’92 IMS rule. TAYLOR 40′s 2nd & 3rd in class
• Pilot’s Point Regatta: T-42 NUMBERS gets 6 straight bullets over Farr 44 and Farr 40
• Chicago N.O.O.D. Regatta: Evergreen TAYLOR 40 V-MAX repeats ’92 win, takes 3rd NOOD in 4 years
• Block Island: TAYLOR 42 1-1-4-1-3-1-1 in “threepeat”; Taylor design wins IMS class 4th straight year
• Marblehead-Halifax: TAYLOR 40′s ARBELLA and AVANTI 1st and 2nd OA in IMS fleet in offshore classic
• Edgartown: DRUMBEAT beats new INFINITY in IMS 3-1-2-2-1, COALITION wins 1-4-2-1-1 in PHRF
• Hyannis: New design TAYLOR 41 SHEERNESS runs away 1-1-1-1 shortly after launch
• NYYC Cruise: DRUMBEAT wins week over INFINITY and new Farr 39; wins coveted Herreshoff Medal
• Golden Week Big Boat Champ: (Japan) BE-ONE (TAYLOR 43) 1st, downs Tripp 43 and Farr 44
• PHRF N.E. Championships: TAYLOR 42 and week-old TAYLOR 41 take 1st & 2nd over N/M 40
• Manchester Fall Series; Taylor designs 1st, 2nd and 3rd
• Mass Bay Season Champion: TAYLOR 40 wins 5th in 6 years, TAYLOR design wins 10th in 11 years
• Key West: NUMBERS blows chute in finale, TAYLOR 42 drops to 2nd overall by scant 7 seconds
• Block Island: TAYLOR 42 repeats IMS class win, TAYLOR design wins 3rd B.I. Week in a row.
• Chicago N.O.O.D. Regatta: TAYLOR 40 V-MAX takes 40′s class 1-1-2 for 2nd win in 3 years
• Commodore’s Cup (England): NUMBERS top scoring boat in fleet over last 3 races, beats Farr 40 OA
• Kenwood Cup (Hawaii): TAYLOR 43 2nd in class despite broken main halyard, bests Farr 44 OA
• NYYC Cruise: TAYLOR 42 DRUMBEAT dazzles fleet,
• NYYC IMS Championships: TAYLOR design wins class 4th year in a row (NUMBERS 1-1-1)
• Mass Bay Season Champion: TAYLOR 40 wins 4th in 5 years, TAYLOR design wins 9th in 10 years!
• Corum Cup (JAPAN): T-40 MkIII sweeps IMS class 1-1-1-1-1-1, remains undefeated!
• STC Block Island: TAYLOR 42 debuts with IMS win, TAYLOR design wins second straight B.I. Week
• Chapman Bowl; Taylor 40’s 1st and 2nd
• Edgartown Race Week; T-42 DRUMBEAT follows Block Island with another win in debut season
• NYYC Cruise: TAYLOR 42 wins every race she sails, besting everything from Tripp 36′s to N/M 50
• Newport N.O.O.D. Regatta: DRUMBEAT domninates 40’s Class, 1-1-2
• Boat of the Year (Chicago IMS): V-MAX takes well-earned season IMS championship
• Chicago NOOD; Taylor 40 MkII V-MAX cruises, 1-1-3
• Block Island Race Week (Yachting); Taylor 40’s 1st and 2nd
• Corinthian 200; COALITION repeats in this biennial offshore challenge
• Annapolis-Hampton (VA); Taylor 40 1st in IMS class and fleet
• Buzzards Bay Regatta; Taylor 40 repeats, 2-1-2-1
• PHRF New England Championship; SCHERHERAZADE wins Class 2
• Chesapeake Bay IMS Championship; Taylor 37 WAHOO (ex-SPIRIT) dominates class
• Mass Bay Season Championship; SHERHERAZADE repeats
• Chicago Queens Cup; V-MAX starts her run in IMS
• Eastern Yacht Club Regatta; TAYLOR 40’s 1st, 2nd and 5th
• Buzzards Bay Regatta; T-40 MkII SHERHERAZADE wins 1-2-1
• Monhegan Island Race; ARBELLA (T-40 MkI) wins offshore in IMS
• Seawanhaka IMS Regatta; T-38 CALIENTE sweeps, 1-1-1
• NYYC IMS Championship; TAYLOR 38 wins Class III, 1-1-3
• Mass Bay Season Championship; SHERHERAZADE wins this time
• Corinthian 200; COALITION wins class and IMS fleet in distance race
• Manhasset Bay Fall Series; Taylor 40 dominates a hot IMS class 1-3-1-5
• Mass Bay Season Championship; COALITION picks up for SPIRIT
• IOR 50 NA’s; PIONEER wins with a lift from a Taylor keel
• Block Island Race Week; SPIRIT wins in IMS 1-1-5-1-1
• Mass Bay Season Championship; SPIRIT, this time in PHRF
• SPIRIT wins in Mass Bay for the fourth year running
• SPIRIT wins Mass Bay Season Championship third year in a row
• Mass Bay Season Championship; SPIRIT repeats
• SPIRIT wins Mass Bay Season Championship in IOR
• BLACKJACK wins 12 races of 16 sailed
• SABRA wins Mass Bay Season Championship

CONGRATULATIONS AND THANKS TO ALL THE OWNERS AND CREWS!!

Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. Sign in to save them permanently, access them on any device, and receive relevant alerts.

• Sailboat Guide

Sparkman & Stephens

Olin Stephens II (1908-2008), was one of the most influential and prolific designers of the 20th century. After a short apprenticeship working on six meters, he joined forces with Drake Sparkman in 1930 to form the legendary S&S firm. (From the beginning, the importance and influence of his brother, Rod Stephens, can not be overstated.) The success of ‘Dorade’, commissioned by his father in the same year, helped put the company on the map.Many other designs were to follow including Baruna, Vim, Brilliant, Stormy Weather, Northern Light, and Nyala. In 1937, in collaboration with Starling Burgess, Stephens designed ‘Ranger’, the last and fastest of the J Class boats, which was selected to defend the Cup after only seven races. During the war, Sparkman & Stephens was heavily involved with the design of craft for the military. When racing for the Americas cup resumed 26 years later, his pre-war 12 meter ‘Vim’ was barely eliminated in the defender trials of 1958. The S&S designed ‘Freedom’ (1980) was the last 12-Meter to successfully defend the Cup. Olin Stephens was one of the primary figures in the development of rating rules from the CCA, to IOR, to IMS. (Boats listed here are some of series built sailing yachts from the firm Sparkman & Stephens).

251 Sailboats designed by Sparkman & Stephens

Designers Choice

Tartan 34 C

Tartan 37 (S&S)

Catalina 38

Columbia 29 MKII

New Horizons 26

Yankee 30 MKI

Hinckley Pilot 35

Swan 38 s&s (1 ton).

Swan 38 S&S

Tartan 34-2.

Chris-Craft Caribbean 35

Tartan 3000

Chris-Craft Capri 26-1

Chris-Craft Apache 37

Swan 44 (S&S)

New York Yacht Club 48

Swan 47 S&S

Swan 43 (S&S)

Tartan 27-2

Chris-Craft Sail Yacht 35

Weekender 24

Swan 40 (S&S)

Swan 57 S&S CB

Swan 57 s&s ketch.

Swan 57 S&S

Swan 48-S&S

Swan 65-S&S

Swan 65-S&S Ketch

Chris-Craft Pawnee 26

Chris-Craft Cherokee 32

Week-Ender (S&S)

Dolphin 24 (S&S)

Zuanelli 40.

Falcon 24 (S&S)

Grampian Classic 37

Seawanhaka Sea Bird

Tartan 40 offshore, grampian walton 37.

Tartan Tock 40

Hinckley 38

Chris-Craft Comanche 42

Dark Harbor 20

Islander 30 (Hinckley-1938)

S&S 40 (1964)

Knickerbocker one-design.

New York Yacht Club 32

Swan 55-S&S-1970 Yawl

Swan 55-S&S-1970

Fleet-O-Wing

Tartan 33 R

Loki 38 (S&S)

Swarbrick s&s 30.

Dufour 42 (S&S)

New york yacht club 48 (s&s).

Swan 47-2 S&S CB (Nyyc 48)

North Wind 43 DS

Contessa 38 (s&s).

Luke S&S 50

Freya 44 (S&S)

Aquarius 40 (S&S)

Finisterre (S&S)

Sailmaster 45

Gulfstream 42 (S&S)

Walstead 42

North Wind 58

North wind 68, swan 50-s&s.

Biscayne 27

Stevens 50 PH

Maple Leaf One-Design

She 9.5 Traveller

Aquafibre PJ-30

Aquafibre S&S 30

Columbia 29 Defender

Columbia 29

Sparkman & Stephens 30 (2012)

Arrow (S&S)

Pacific Dolphin 24

North star 26.

Lotus 28 (S&S)

S&S 6.6

S&S One Ton - 1966

Prestige 36

Sound One Design

Tartan 41 Passagemaker

Tartan 27 Yawl

Tartan 33 (hull 1-20).

Fisher Pilot 33

Indian Harbor Arrow (S&S)

Manhasset Bay One-Design

Gulfstream 30 (S&S)

Gulfstream 36 (S&S)

Islander 30 (Hinckley-1940)

Avance 40 dh.

Whitney System/30

Allied XL-2 42

Pj-36 (s&s), pj-40 (s&s).

Sailmaster 22

Nauticat 43, nauticat 52.

Nauticat 40

North Star 600

North Star 1500/35

Hughes 38-2

North star 48.

Hughes 38-3

North Star 1000

North Star 80/20

Hughes 38-1

North Star 500

Hughes North Star 38

Comanche 42 MH (Chris-Craft)

Chris-Craft Capitan 26

Chris-Craft Capri 30

Chris-craft capri 26-2.

Knockabout 24 (S&S)

Zuanelli 401

Zuanelli 34

Flamingo 32

Seguin 44 TM DK

Seguin 44 cb tm.

Pipedream 37

Ocean cruising 48.

Cape Cod Mercury 15 FK

Cape Cod Mercury 15 CB

Yankee Dolphin 24

Yankee 30 MKIII (3/4 Ton)

Yankee 30-morc, yankee 30 mkii 98+.

Interclub (Usa)

Seawanhaka One-Design (S&S)

Northern 29

Alc 40 (LE Comte)

Sigma 36 (S&S)

Sigma 38 (S&S)

Impala 35 (S&S)

Riviera 32 (S&S)

Seafarer 23 Kestrel (Cruise)

Seafarer 23 kestrel (daysailor), seafarer 46.

Seafarer 45

Seafarer 48.

Seafarer 45 Yawl

Swarbrick S&S 34

Pj-30 1/2 ton.

• About Sailboat Guide

©2024 Sea Time Tech, LLC

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

• Search forums
• Sailing Anarchy

abracadabra IOR 50

• Thread starter palacz
• Start date Oct 31, 2005

More options

• Oct 31, 2005

A friend of mine is seriously interested in buying an IOR 50 yacht, former "abracadabra". Does any of You know the boat, its owners and history, has any pictures of it, especially made recently? If so, please give me some info, here or on priv [email protected] . Thanks in advance.  

Super Anarchist

Michal (palacz) Palasz said: A friend of mine is seriously interested in buying an IOR 50 yacht, former "abracadabra". Does any of You know the boat, its owners and history, has any pictures of it, especially made recently? If so, please give me some info, here or on priv [email protected] . Thanks in advance. I think you would be better off with a J105..... . Click to expand...

Don't know about that 50 but I do know about this one for sale http://www.pridemarine.com/PMGYS%20JN50.htm Rick  

I think you would be better off with a J105..... Click to expand...

02BORATDI said: Don't know about that 50 but I do know about this one for sale http://www.pridemarine.com/PMGYS%20JN50.htm Rick Click to expand...

I thought it looked familiar, thanks LZ.  

What did they do to the interior? She looks like hell below.  

Anonymous Guest said: LZ wasn't she owned by Bobby LaBlanca for a while and kept in LIS? Boat wasn't well cared for as I recall. Click to expand...

Interior? Look at the sails! Those are the same ones we had up in a 50 knot gale on the way to Key West one year. I never knew sticky back came on a carpet roll before that. Good boat, good times (in 1994 at least.)  

looks like the ower's really butchered up her insides............. no pride!!! or gay pride!!! cg  

The head reminds me of the toilet scene in "Trainspotting".  

Cannon Ball!........................Canon Ball coming!  

• Nov 1, 2005
• Thread starter

I think the one in that photo is a Reichel Pugh.  

musicman said: I think the one in that photo is a Reichel Pugh. Click to expand...

spankoka said: What did they do to the interior? She looks like hell below. Click to expand...

I love it when brokers post pictures of boats w/o covers full of snow.... where do i send my check?  

Jerk said: I love it when brokers post pictures of boats w/o covers full of snow.... where do i send my check? Click to expand...

Latest posts

• Latest: Lark
• A moment ago

• Latest: kent_island_sailor
• 1 minute ago

• Latest: badlatitude
• 2 minutes ago

Sailing Anarchy Podcast with Scot Tempesta

A site dedicated to documenting some famous IOR raceboats and events. Contact: [email protected]

• Quarter Tonners
• Half Tonners
• Three-Quarter Tonners
• One Tonners
• Two Tonners +
• 50-Foot Class
• IOR Regatta Galleries
• Racing News
• IOR film archive

29 August 2019

The end of the ior.

2 comments:

Thanks for sharing.This is nice and helpful post. Yacht

This comment has been removed by the author.

Log in or Sign up

You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly. You should upgrade or use an alternative browser .

IOR sailboats as ocean cruisers

Discussion in ' Sailboats ' started by DennisRB , Aug 3, 2010 .

DennisRB Senior Member

A lot of the sailboats I can afford are older IOR designs. I like the look of many of them. But apparently they are a bit of a handful downwind but outperform many modern wide *** cruisers specially up wind? Do you think these designs will make good cruisers if you are a performance orientated cruiser and don't mind a bit of lean when sailing? Also why are the IOR designs the way they are with small mains large jibs and a pinched ends? Why do some designs come with odd humps and bumps in the hull? This obviously has something to do with the rule, but I would like to hear some discussion regarding this from anyone who knows more on the IOR rule. Thanks. Dennis.  

Paul B Previous Member

DennisRB said: ↑ A lot of the sailboats I can afford are older IOR designs. I like the look of many of them. Click to expand...

gonzo Senior Member

I have cruised and ocean raced extensively on IOR boats. Some of the later ones were a bit extreme and too fine at the bow.  

Weather Helm on IOR Ranger 37 - Rudder Modifications?

Where is she now: Pendragon III one-tonner (IOR=30.5) designed by Laurie Davidson

Project Icarus - Flying Junior Restoration

Can I make an IOR boat fast?

Forstay sizing without prior model

Junior Holiday 25

Interior Pics, 84 Hobie 18 Coleman Hull

IOR designs w/o mainsail for Ocean Crossing

Improving IOR Stability?

Seeking some IOR history

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

The New Flagship

View image gallery

The First by Jeppesen & Pons

Introducing the Arcona 50, the first model designed by Jeppesen & Pons, and the new flagship of the Arcona fleet. This captivating 50ft performance cruiser marks a step change for Arcona Yachts with a new design collaboration and many new design features.

With over 6000 yachts on the water and a ¾ ton cup winning race pedigree, Principal Designer, Niels Jeppesen, and Yacht Designer & Naval Architect, Ariadna Pons, bring a wealth of experience to Arcona Yachts.

The brief for Jeppesen & Pons’ first Arcona was to design a 50-foot performance cruiser that can be easily handled by two people, while simultaneously delivering in terms of cruising comfort and sailing performance, in true Arcona style. Created to go further, this yacht forges ahead in all design aspects, setting a new standard to meet the high demands of our customers, whether it’s their ambition to go cruising the Stockholm Archipelago or to cross an ocean.

GO FURTHER WITH THE ARCONA 50

The Arcona 50 is ideal for safe and comfortable long distance performance cruising. In a first for Arcona, this new flagship has twin rudders providing more control in the water. Another first for Arcona is the addition of a dinghy garage. Watertight composite bulkheads separate the accommodation from both the bow sail locker and the dinghy garage.

Also new to Arcona are the L-shaped cockpit benches and the two cockpit tables, which improve functionality and enable guests and crew to move around the cockpit more easily under sail. Liferaft locker recessed into the cockpit floor, halyard and sheet lockers under the side decks in front of the helmsman. Aft coaming lockers to hide the yacht’s gas bottles and shorepower socket.

REAL SAILING – YOUR WAY

The Arcona 50 has twin wheels as standard, and the cockpit layout and the sail handling systems are set up for shorthanded sailing and ease of use.

She has a three-spreader mast with discontinuous rod rigging plus double hydraulic backstay cylinders with a central pumpstation. A carbon mast and furling carbon boom is available as an upgrade. There is an optional inner forestay to attach a furling heavy weather jib for ocean passages. There is also the option for a bowsprit for easily controllable use of asymmetric sails.

The central single mainsheet block is recessed below the cockpit floor. The yacht is available with an electrically operated mainsheet traveller track, also recessed below the cockpit floor, as an upgrade.

Next to the winches, there are dedicated lockers for halyards and sheets enabling the cockpit to be ‘clean’.

Under power, an standard 80hp or optional 100Hp common rail engine propels a folding propeller, keeping vibrations and noise to a minimum. Optional retractable thrusters will secure maximum manoeuvrability in narrow marinas.

SCANDINAVIAN ELEGANCE BELOW DECK

Below deck minimalist Scandinavian elegance permeates every detail. The interior is made in Khaya Mahogany and can be upgraded to Scandinavian Light Oak. As seen in superyachts, but new to Arcona, the woodwork is cored to maximise weight-saving without compromising on the aesthetics.

The galley has lots of practical stowage, a gimballed cooker with oven and a generously-sized sink and fridge. The galley layout enables easy access to the L-shaped saloon seating. There is the option to choose an alternative layout with U-shaped seating and an additional worktop space.

The saloon table has an additional seat to starboard that can be moved and locked into position.

The owners’ cabin features a Kingsize bed, lots of storage and an en-suite with a separate shower. For guests, there is an additional heads with a separate shower area. The two aft cabins have double berths as standard and can be upgraded to a convertible twin berth configuration.

Lots of natural light flows from the large hull windows and flush hatches which creates the feeling of more space. Arcona offers a broad range of cushion fabrics and colour options for you to choose from to personalise your Arcona.

SWEDISH BUILD QUALITY

Like all boats in the Arcona fleet, the Arcona 50 reflects the quality expected from Swedish boatbuilders, using the best materials, techniques and trusted handpicked suppliers. Hull, deck and internal structure will be made of vacuum infused Divinycell cored GRP with strategic important areas reinforced with carbon. This carbon reinforcements are useful for both strength and weight-saving. As with all Arcona yachts, the Arcona 50 also features a galvanised steel keel frame.

Blending Scandinavian yacht design expertise with Swedish boatbuilding craftsmanship is an exciting combination for this new Arcona flagship.

Please note: The images featured may show optional features and equipment that are not included in the standard specification.

Download brochure

" * " indicates required fields

View full image gallery

Magazine Tests

She is praised by journalists and sailors, won European Yacht of the Year 2024 in the luxury cruiser category and was highly commended in the British Yachting Awards – Performance Yacht 2023. Check out what the journalists say about her.

Yachting World

Minbaad.dk (DEN) Yacht.de – First Look (DE)

Nautica y Yates Page 126 – Test (ES) Voiles et Voiliers – Test (FR)

Vene – Test (FI) Vela E Motore March 2024 – Test (IT) Giornale della Vela – First Look (IT) Seilmagasinet (NOR) Praktiskt Batågände (SE) Search Magazine (SE)

Specifications

Sails & rig dimensions.

Contact us about Arcona 50

Interested in learning more about a specific Arcona yacht model? You can ask us any questions or book a visit for a test sail. Please fill in the form to the right and we will get back to you.

Prefer contacting us by phone? Please contact Arcona Yachts on +46 (0)8 519 410 40

Sign up for our magazine

Please subscribe to the Arcona Magazine newsletter to get the latest news and updates. The Magazine is filled with articles on new yachts, cruising and racing sailing, event information and seasonal tips.

Winner of European Yacht of the Year 2023. The Oyster 495 is a new breed of 50 foot sailing yacht

Introducing the award-winning Oyster 495.

A luxury, bluewater cruiser with half a century of Oyster experience and innovation running through her every inch.

Effortless handling

The new Oyster 495 is a 50 foot yacht designed for ease of use and shorthanded sailing.

LOCAL EXPERTISE

For new yacht sales and our service operation in the Americas, visit our offices in the heart of the US East coast sailing scene, Newport, Rhode Island. We would be delighted to help.

Distinctly Oyster

She embodies all the learning, insights and innovative features from Oyster’s larger models, intelligently integrated into this benchmark 50 foot sailboat.

Equipped for adventure

A true liveaboard bluewater cruiser, equipped to take you anywhere in luxury, comfort and safety.

Join us at our London Private View at St Katharine Docks, 24-28 April 2024, to see the Oyster 495, 565 and 595

Displaying all the hallmarks of Oyster’s exquisite craftsmanship and meticulous attention to detail, the exceptional build quality of the Oyster 495 means she is built to last a lifetime.

BUILDING THE 495

Join double Olympic gold medallist, sailor and respected journalist, Shirley Robertson, as we build and sail the first Oyster 495.

Every inch an Oyster, the new Oyster 495 features instantly recognisable design cues – deck saloon, seascape windows and flush decks, combined with exceptional sailing performance.

Unmistakably Oyster

The latest collaboration between humphreys yacht design and our in-house design studio, the new 495 50 foot sailing yacht is an evolution of five decades of iconic oyster design cues..

Her clean hull lines and wide beam aft are the foundation for the outstanding space and capabilities of the Oyster 495. She incorporates many of our big yacht features in a compact 50 foot yacht. Instantly recognisable as an Oyster, the Oyster 495 features our pioneering deck saloon, protected cockpit and helm stations, wraparound and forward-opening saloon windows. Flush decks, signature triple vertical seascape windows, foredeck skyscape windows, a powerful plumb bow and extended bowsprit complete the look.

We were the first boat builder to create a truly ergonomically designed cockpit and helm positions, with sprayhood and optional bimini for additional protection. Details like the cockpit table, with optional built-in refrigerated drinks locker, that comfortably seats up to eight people, is just one of the many triumphs of Oyster design thinking.

The Oyster 495 consistently delivers powerful, responsive and rewarding performance in safety and comfort.

Nine knots is her happy place and her well-balanced, stable wide-beamed hull form gives you confidence to keep the sails up in almost any conditions. Twin rudders make her light and agile on the helm, offering fingertip control even in the most boisterous seas. Her low centre of gravity keel offers substantial displacement for enhanced stability and handling, and she moves easily in cruising trim. Carrying significant sail power, you are guaranteed consistently fast cruising speeds and the optional sprayhood and bimini provide excellent protection from the sun, whilst improving all-round comfort.

This 50 foot sailboat for sale offers the range of innovative automated sailing technology. This includes in-mast furling with push-button controls and B&G instruments, all operated from the helm positions, making her the perfect choice for couples or young families.

The Oyster 495 features lots of space to relax and share good times with friends and family.

Her wide beam offers unexpected returns in space, both above and below decks – something you will not find on any other 50 foot sailboat for sale. The beautifully styled centre cockpit is perfect for entertaining up to eight people for alfresco dining. The aft pushpit seats are a great place to see all the action under sail. The wide teak deck at the stern and flush foredeck offer generous entertaining and sunbathing spaces.

The transom houses an innovative, push-button operated, cassette boarding/bathing platform. A choice of subtle mood lighting and integrated audio speakers let you set the tone for entertaining guests under the stars.

New generation interiors feature modern styling, integrated technology and equipment for truly luxurious entertaining and living spaces.

Contemporary luxury and comfort

The oyster 495 benefits from our new generation luxury, contemporary interiors that elevates her above the best 50 foot yachts..

With four interior designed themes, 495’s interiors set a new standard in her class. The well-equipped, seaworthy, u-shaped galley, saloon and cabins are well-proportioned, comfortable and luxurious. Her wide beam aft offers unexpected space compared to any other 50 foot yacht for sale.

She is eminently practical, making her perfect for liveaboard adventures. Intelligent interior space planning, combining insights and the acclaimed craftsmanship from our larger yachts, makes use of every inch of hull volume. The tasteful choice of materials, fabrics and integrated technology throughout, along with modern styling, creates truly luxurious entertaining and living spaces. The impressive owner’s cabin, with its deep luxury mattress, has excellent headroom and signature triple seascape windows, creating an amazing feeling of space and light throughout the new Oyster 495. Our new mood lighting system creates a perfect interior environment.

Like all our yachts, the new Oyster 495 is handcrafted by master craftspeople with a meticulous attention to detail, and a deep sense of pride and passion.

The learnings of half a century of designing and building bluewater cruisers feed into every detail, and the insights of our owners, skippers and crew, sailors and our own team help fine-tune every aspect of the design and build. The result is a unique combination of design, technology, engineering and hand-crafted build quality. Beautiful hardwoods run throughout every inch of this exquisite 50 foot sailboat, in everything from hand-built furniture to intuitively placed grab rails. This focus on detail reveals itself in the beautiful, hand-crafted cabinetry and the easily accessible, carefully labelled cables and pipework that run behind the scenes to make maintenance tasks simple.

The Oyster 495 is a truly connected 50 foot yacht with all the latest technology you need to stay in touch, however remote your location.

Not only does it make her an ideal liveaboard yacht, but it also makes her a work-aboard yacht. Every system is chosen for its ruggedness and fitness for purpose. The chart table is a technology hub, featuring an optional, innovative, foldout, integrated PC; lift-top desk; plotter; VHF and SSB radios; power management; generator control; switchboard; and plenty of power sockets. Oyster’s proprietary digital switching system – Oyster Command™ – lets you monitor and control various systems over a digital network and touchscreen. Optional WIFI can be accessed through the latest satellite technology, or 4G/5G cellular antenna when close to onshore radio masts. Entertainment systems are seamlessly integrated, with a concealed saloon TV and audio running throughout the boat.

The joy of Oyster ownership

There is more than just pride on offer when it comes to owning an Oyster 495. Every new Oyster comes with a comprehensive warranty, personalised care, access to our global service network, unrivalled support, life-changing experiences and so much more.

On an Oyster the world is yours.

OYSTER OWNERSHIP

Ownership benefits rarely experienced in marine

Discover the 495 in detail.

QUICK LINKS

More information

TECHNICAL DETAILS

Specifications & features

Electric in-mast furling system.

The in-mast furling system takes automation and effortless shorthanded sailing to another level.

Electric winches

Push-button control with electric Lewmar winches in sleek, black anodised finish.

Bathing platform

The innovative, automated cassette bathing platform is ideal to access ocean swimming, boarding a dinghy or stern access when berthed. It features a sturdy boarding ladder and integrated freshwater shower on the transom steps.

B&G Navigation package

The standard B&G navigation system displays boat speed, wind and depth information.

Master cabin with Seascape windows

An impressive full width owner’s cabin is completed by Oyster’s signature triple Seascape windows. These create a feeling of light and space, with exceptional ocean views.

Touch screen controls

Oyster Command™ digital switching system controls everything from on board entertainment and lighting to all your main systems, utilities and security, through touchscreens at the helm and chart table.

Wood options

Choose from a selection of wood themed interiors, including shades of sustainable sourced oak and walnut.

Extensive on deck stowage

A full width lazarette and separate sail locker provide ample storage for all your bluewater adventure kit, sails, rigging and mooring gear.

Flush Flexiteak decks

With a beautiful fine grain teak finish, the sustainable synthetic Flexiteak deck is 30% lighter than traditional teak, extremely hard wearing and retains it look with minimal maintenance.

Opening saloon windows

Oyster’s unique, deck saloon forward opening windows provide excellent ventilation, allowing fresh air to circulate freely through the yacht while at anchor or under sail.

DNV GL hull certification

DNV GL carry out stringent quality checks throughout the build of the Oyster 495 hull to certify the materials and construction reach the highest standards of extreme strength and durability.

Take advantage of shallow-draft cruising grounds and remote anchorages, with a draft of 1.83m / 6’0”.

Retractable bow and stern thrusters

Sleipner Side-Power retractable bow and stern  thrusters make it simple and safe to manoeuvre in and out of tight marina berths.

Entertainment package

Choose from an optional range of integrated electronic and AV systems to suit your personal preferences.

Saloon day bed

The multifunction saloon table can be raised and lowered to create a comfortable day bed, perfect to relax on and enjoy the integrated widescreen TV.

Hull colours

Personalise your Oyster 495 with alternative coloured hull, mast and sails. See our colour picker for inspiration.

Air conditioning

Keep the interior at the perfect temperature with air conditioning (and generator) that cools and heats. Controls in each cabin allow guests to adjust the temperature based on their personal requirements.

B&G upgrade package

Upgrade the standard B&G navigation package with the additional instrumentation, communication equipment and autopilot package.

Flush teak decks

Extensive sustainably sourced, quarter-sawn, full-depth teak ensures maximum longevity and lifespan of our hand-laid teak decks. Smooth and natural underfoot, they look stunning.

Pushpit seats

For the best seats aboard, the optional pushpit seats provide great views and the perfect spot for sundowners after a memorable day’s cruising.

Enjoy 100 litres of fresh, homemade water per hour with a reliable Dessalator Duo watermaker with automatic controls and manual override.

Add davits to the stern deck for a practical dingy stowage solution when cruising and fast, efficient access when exploring at your destination.

Plans and interior layouts

Colour inspiration

Entries open for the Oyster World Rally 2028-29. Embark on the sailing adventure of a lifetime

EXPERT OPINION

Independent reviews of the Oyster 495. Find out what the experts have to say.

AWARD WINNING

Oyster 495 wins European Yacht of the Year 2023

The Oyster 495

Expert opinion

495 on test with Toby Hodges

Configure your 495

Create your dream Oyster 495 using our yacht configurator

Building the 495

Follow the build with double Olympic gold medallist Shirley Robertson

The Oyster Fleet

Explore other models

An award winning sub 60 foot bluewater sailing yacht for all oceans.

The new Oyster 595, a 60 foot sailing yacht capable of great things.

A versatile sub 70 foot sailboat designed for the adventurous at heart.

Sign up to our newsletter

Be the first to hear about new launches, exclusive events and all things Oyster

© 2024 OYSTER YACHTS

OYSTER WORLD RALLY

The Oyster World Rally 2028-29. Embark on the sailing adventure of a lifetime. Entries open 18 June 2024

The new 565 Series II

The pursuit of perfection continues

Explore the benefits that come with taking ownership of a new Oyster, and becoming part of the family

GRAND TOURING

The new oyster 885gt revealed. watch her in action.

LUXURY CHARTER

Experience exhilarating sailing, luxury and style on an oyster charter. personal, exclusive and uniquely oyster.

Join Oyster Brokerage at the Palma International Boat Show, 25-28 April 2024. Book your tour today

Oyster world rally.

Follow the Oyster World Rally 2024-25 fleet live

Winner of European Yacht of the Year 2023. She sets a new 50 foot bluewater benchmark, offering a stunning combination of sailing performance, comfort, safety and luxurious living space.

Heralding a new generation of Oysters, this 60 foot bluewater cruiser is a sailing yacht for all oceans. Practical and well-provisioned for long distance sailing or cruising in coastal waters.

The much-anticipated Oyster 595 is well-proportioned and extremely versatile. Offering exciting, customised build options with no compromise, she is capable of great things.

A versatile sub-70 foot sailboat offering the perfect balance of size and practicality. She can be sailed shorthanded effortlessly or take a full crew and up to eight friends and family.

This long range 75 foot cruising yacht is designed for very big adventures. A joy to sail yourself, she also boasts dedicated crew quarters.

Oyster 885SII

An exhilarating 90 foot sailing yacht, delivering comfort and safety with uncompromising performance. She is capable of taking you anywhere in the world effortlessly, in luxury and style.

Download brochure

First name *

Last name *

Phone number *

Country/Region *

Attach CV *

Attach covering letter

Current occupation

LinkedIn profile

Morning Rundown: Aid group pauses Gaza operations after workers killed, flood watch as storms head east, lawmakers allude to 'chemtrails' conspiracy

Video captures terrifying moment Francis Scott Key Bridge collapses after ship collision in Baltimore

Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge , which had stood strong for nearly 50 years, collapsed into pieces in mere seconds early Tuesday after a cargo ship collided into one of its support pillars. 

Dramatic video shows the moment the 948-foot, Singapore-flagged container ship, named the Dali, hit the bridge, which carries Interstate 695 over the Patapsco River. The Coast Guard received a report at 1:27 a.m. that the vessel had made impact with the structure, triggering a response team. 

The disaster unfolded in seconds. 

At 1:24 a.m. the ship’s lights appeared to turn off and flicked back on a second later; dark black smoke appeared to billow from its chimney. At 1:26 a.m. the ship appeared to turn and its lights shut off and on again.

At 1:28 a.m. the ship made impact and, seconds later, the portion of the bridge above it crumbled and plummeted toward the Patapsco River.  

Follow live updates here.

It took about seven seconds for the ripple effects to carry across the 1.6-mile length of the bridge. Some parts of the massive structure were sent underwater.

An expansive search and rescue effort is underway for at least seven people in the river. Two have been rescued so far. 

Daylight photos of the wreckage show wrangled pieces of the bridge on the head of the cargo ship. Not all parts of the bridge are underwater, some pieces of the continuous through truss bridge remain above water, some parts laying sideways.

All 22 crew members on board the ship, including two pilots, have been accounted for and no injures were reported, Synergy Marine Group, the managing company of the ship told NBC News. The Dali container ship was bound for Sri Lanka. 

The company said the exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined. 

The loss of the bridge is emotional for locals. 

Chantel DeBord, who lives in Baltimore, told NBC News correspondent George Solis on Tuesday morning: “That was one of the proud things — that we built that and it’s still standing and just being able to say that our port is one of the reasons why the East Coast over here gets a lot of their product.”

“The amount of money that we’re going to lose in our crabbing, our fishing industry, our taxes are going to go up, the commute is going to get really bad … the amount of devastation,” she added.

“It makes me sad to know people lost their lives and now people are going to lose their livelihoods," DeBord said.

No fatalities have been confirmed thus far. As of Tuesday morning, there's heavy Coast Guard presence around the wreckage site as search and rescue efforts continue.

Breaking News Reporter

Bridge collapse: Temporary channel opens for boats working on response

A cargo ship crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge early Tuesday morning, causing a near-total collapse of the span and halting vessel traffic into and out of the Port of Baltimore.

Six construction workers are believed to have fallen from the collapsing bridge into the frigid waters of the Patapsco River below. The bodies of two of the victims have been recovered so far, while four remain missing and are presumed dead, officials said.

Latest Developments

Legal team for ship argues for 'limited liability' in bridge crash.

Lawyers for the Singaporean company that operates the ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore say the company should have "limited liability" in the aftermath of the crash, according to court documents filed in federal court on Monday.

"The casualty was not due to any fault, neglect, or want of care on the part of Petitioners, the Vessel, or persons or entities for whose petitioners may be responsible," court documents filed in Maryland federal court say. "Alternatively, if any such faults caused or contributed to the Casualty, or to any loss or damage arising out of the casualty, which is denied, such faults were occasioned and occurred without petitioners’ privity or knowledge."

The filing seeks to minimize the financial exposure Grace Ocean Private Limited has over the crash.

It also goes into detail about how much damage the vessel sustained.

Court documents say that the vessel sustained $28 million worth of damage and had $1.7 million worth of cargo on the ship.

-ABC News' Luke Barr

Channel needs to be cleared more in order to recover 4 remaining victims

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Monday gave an update on his four directives in the wake of the bridge collapse.

In order to achieve his first goal -- recovering the four victims who remain missing -- Moore said there needs to be more work done to clear the channel in order to move forward.

A portion of the bridge under the water was described as "chaotic wreckage," Moore said, and the water is "so murky and so filled with debris that divers cannot see any more than a foot or two in front of them."

Every time a diver goes in the water to search for a victim, "they are taking a risk," Moore said.

The governor said he wants the recovery mission to be completed with no casualties. Six people have been killed in the bridge collapse, Moore said, adding, "I refuse to lose any more."

As for another goal -- reopening channel traffic -- the governor described the scale of the project as "enormous."

"Unified Command has scheduled another lift for later today, pending conditions -- specifically pending lightning. And they will be lifting an estimated 350-ton piece from the bridge," Moore said.

A temporary channel opened Monday to help get more vessels in the water around the site of the collapse, he said.

"The temporary channel will be marked with government lights to aid navigation and will have a controlling depth of 11 feet," Moore said.

Crews are also working on creating a second temporary channel that will measure about 15 feet deep, he said. That's expected to open "in the coming days," he said.

After more debris is cleared, crews will also work to open a third alternate channel with a depth expected around 20 to 25 feet, said Rear Adm. Shannon Gilreath, commander of the Fifth Coast Guard District. No timeline for this channel is known.

Biden to visit bridge on Friday

President Joe Biden will visit the Baltimore bridge site on Friday, April 5, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.

Biden will be joined by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore.

Jean-Pierre did not have any updates on the cost of rebuilding the bridge, repeatedly pointing back to the $60 million in emergency relief funds approved by the Biden administration to begin the recovery efforts.

"We're going to have continued conversation with the state of Maryland to get a sense of how much this is going to cost, and we have said, we are going to certainly continue to talk to Congress to get some assistance here," she said.

-ABC News' Karen Travers

Temporary channel opens

A temporary channel has opened in the vicinity of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, but the channel is limited only to vessels working on the bridge response, the Unified Command said.

The temporary channel is a very small opening, only accessible for small boats, the Unified Command said.

The Unified Command is made up of agencies including the Coast Guard, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Maryland State Police.

Video: Temporary channel opens for limited access in Baltimore bridge collapse

-ABC News’ Sam Sweeney

Mayor warns of heavy rain on Monday

Baltimore was expecting heavy rain on Monday morning, adding to potential delays for commuters already "expecting delays" because of the bridge collapse, the mayor said.

"Baltimore — we know we're already expecting delays due to the ongoing situation with the Key Bridge Collapse," Mayor Brandon M. Scott said on social media.

He added, "With the added complication of this expected weather, please allow for extra time during your commutes and be patient for your fellow Baltimoreans!"

The National Weather Service, which is publishing hour-by-hour forecasts for the area near the Key Bridge response, said Monday morning will bring winds gusts up to 15 mph and an about 92% chance of precipitation, which may taper off after about 9 a.m.

Capt. of the Port of Baltimore is preparing to open a 'temporary alternate channel' in the vicinity of the Key Bridge

The Captain of the Port of Baltimore (COTP) is preparing to establish a temporary alternate channel on the northeast side of the main channel in the vicinity of the Francis Scott Key Bridge for commercially essential vessels.

"This will mark an important first step along the road to reopening the port of Baltimore," said Capt. David O’Connell, federal on-scene coordinator, Key Bridge Response 2024. "By opening this alternate route, we will support the flow of marine traffic into Baltimore."

This action is part of a phased approach to opening the main channel. The temporary channel will be marked with government lighted aids to navigate and will have a controlling depth of 11 feet, a 264-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 96 feet.

The current 2,000-yard safety zone around the Francis Scott Key Bridge remains in effect and is intended to protect personnel, vessels and the marine environment. No vessel or person will be permitted to enter the safety zone without obtaining permission from the COTP or a designated representative.

The COTP will issue a Broadcast Notice to Mariners (BNM) via VHF-FM marine channel 16. Mariners are requested to monitor VHF channel 16 for the latest information.

Members of the public may not enter the safety zone unless authorized by the COTP or a designated representative. Those in the safety zone must comply with all lawful orders or directions given to them by the COTP or a designated representative.

2,600 Carnival cruise passengers rerouted from Baltimore arrive in Virginia

The first of multiple Carnival cruise ships rerouted from Baltimore due to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge arrived at a port in Norfolk, Virginia, on Sunday

About 2,600 guests aboard the Carnival Legend returned from a cruise to the Bahamas, getting off the ship in Norfolk. The passengers boarded 70 buses and were driven four hours back to Baltimore, where many left their cars parked.

"When we left Baltimore, we had to go under that bridge," passenger Viktoriia Aldred told ABC affiliate station WVEC in Norfolk. "The bridge looked amazing and you go under the bridge and you're like 'wow.'"

Baltimore native Michael Lukoski told WVEC he heard the news of the bridge collapse while on the cruise to the Bahamas.

"When I got the news Tuesday morning … you couldn’t believe it," said Lukoski. adding that when he first heard of the bridge collapse "it was like, 'no way.'"

200-ton piece of collapsed Key Bridge removed

A 200-ton piece of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was removed Sunday from the vast debris field of twisted metal and concrete clogging entry to the Port of Baltimore, officials said.

Tons more wreckage as well as the crippled container ship Dali that crashed into the span and collapsed it still needs to be cleared, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore told ABC News Sunday.

"We're talking about huge pieces," Moore said of the debris crews are cutting up and preparing to remove from the waterway. "I mean, just sitting on the Dali, you're looking at 3,000 or 4,000 tons of steel sitting on top of the ship."

The operation to clean up the disaster site and reopen the channel began on Saturday and continued throughout Sunday, officials said.

Moore told ABC News a timeline hasn't been set on when the channel will be reopened, echoing a statement from Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Additionally, crews conducted a “grounding survey” on Sunday to “determine how hard the ground around the Dali is to inform the strategy for pulling it off," officials told ABC News.

Still no timeline on when Baltimore port will reopen: Buttigieg

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Sunday there is still no timeline for when the wreckage of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge and the crippled container ship Dali will be removed so the Port of Baltimore can reopen.

In an interview with ABC's "Good Morning America," Buttigieg said the Army Corps of Engineers and the Navy are bringing in a 1,000-ton crane and a 600-ton crane to clear the twisted debris from the channel.

Video: Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Key Bridge recovery

"They have not wanted to speculate yet on a timeline because the operation is so complex," Buttigieg said. "It's not that you just have to remove the wreckage, it's that you have to do it in a way that doesn't cause portions of the bridge that are there across the water to shift. They've been under a lot of compression, tension; they could behave almost like a spring if they are not expertly managed."

In addition to removing the debris, Buttigieg said the 248 million-pound shipping vessel still poses a problem, saying, "Measures are being taken to stop the ship from swinging into the channel."

The secretary said part of the $60 million in federal funding released for the cleanup and recovery efforts will also go to the "acquisition, procurement and preparation for the new bridge."

He said that while other East Coast ports have been absorbing container traffic, the Port of Baltimore is uniquely designed to handle the bulk of automobiles shipped to the United States.

"So as soon as it can safely be reopened, that, of course, is a major priority that really affects our entire national supply system," Buttigieg said.

Highly trained crews on site to begin removal of collapsed bridge

Highly trained demolition crews will begin cutting the top portion of the north side of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge into smaller sections for safe removal by crane. One crane barge and one working barge are staged at the incident to support Saturday’s operations.

Salvage teams will use gas-powered cutters to systematically separate sections of the steel bridge, which will be taken to a disposal site. At the same time, salvage divers continue to conduct underwater assessments of the work site to support further operations. Every lifting operation requires engineering analysis to inform salvage operation plans.

The Unified Command is working in partnership with Baltimore Gas and Electric to reduce pressure of an underwater pipeline that spans the width of the channel and runs under the incident site. Unified Command is coordinating to inert the pipeline to free it from hazards and risk. Pipeline operations will continue through the weekend.

The Unified Command continues to maintain a 2000-yard maritime Safety Zone for the recovery efforts and a Temporary Flight Restriction with a radius of three nautical miles from the surface -- up to and including 1,500 feet above ground level -- also remains in effect.

The Safety Zone is enforced for the protection of personnel, vessels, and the marine environment from the potential hazards associated with salvage work. The vessel remains stable with crew aboard.

-ABC News' Sam Sweeney