Cruising Designs

This is the fourth edition of the designs of the group created by Jay Benford. It is often said that there has never been a designer who can design the interior as well as the exterior of a yacht. Obviously a statement that would be hotly disputed by the designers, however when one meets such an original and gifted man as Jay Benford, anyone interested in a cruising yacht will be fascinated in his ideas. Of course one way around the above statement is to have a team working on each design. He has.

Cruising Designs covers a vast number of different yachts, sail and power, from 17ft to 90ft divided into many groups, the names of which will not be familiar to every Englishman. The designs are certainly of the true comfortable cruiser rather than the more sporty types often popular for short distance cruising nowadays but the different ways that each problem is solved will be fascinating to all.

A little more care with the book’s presentation could impress more but the reference to the "previous sixteen pages" on the seventh page of type doesn't really detract from the examples of over 300 different plans.

One feels that every individual design is a really tried out functional craft that has been imaginatively created for a discerning yachtsman who knows what he wants and has enough experience of the sea to enjoy the individuality of his craft. It will give those who study the designs many hours of fascination. - RPY