Down East Cruiser 25 Long Cockpit Version by Bateau.com

The DE25 is the enlarged and stretched, long cockpit version of our DE23. She combines traditional styling with an efficient, easy to build planing hull. She is not a true lobster boat of the double wedge type or a pure fast planing hull. The hull type is similar to what is now frequently called a picnic boat; a seaworthy planing boat but the topsides are more in the Down East cruising boat style. We kept the deep forefoot of the modern fast lobster boat hull but the underbody is a true monohedron. This means that the transition to planing speeds will be smooth without any excessive change of trim and without the wasteful suction of warped bottoms running at an S/L higher than 2. (S/L ratio is speed in knots divided by square root of WL in feet. Displacement boats are the ones with an S/L<1.3, planing boats have S/L>2)

The Down East 25 will perform well at displacement speeds in bad weather and run efficiently at moderate planing speeds with relatively small engines.

The Down East 25 has an enormous capacity: she can be loaded with up to 2,000 lbs. of passengers, engine and gear.

The DE25 has maximum 6' 2" (185 cm) of standing headroom in the pilot house. The cockpit floor is well above the waterline and self-bailing.

Performance

The calculated top speeds at WOT with a new engine, correct prop, are as follow:

Displ. 2800 lbs

• 90 HP: 25 mph
• 115 HP: 29 mph
• 150 HP: 33 mph

Displ. 3600 lbs

• 90 HP: 22 mph
• 115 HP: 26 mph
• 150 HP: 29 mph

Those are conservative figures, with proper tuning many of our builders attain more than our calculated speeds. Note the influence of weight on speed.

The DE25 is not designed to cruise above 30 mph.

Compared to traditional lobster boat types, the Down East 25 hard-chine vee bottom hull will not only be faster than the typical round bilge type but also deflects spray more efficiently. The reduced deadrise aft increases stability at slow speed or rest. She differs from our faster planing hulls through her deeper forefoot and generous skeg for stability and tracking.

The transom is designed for a standard 20" shaft but can easily be modified to accept other shaft lengths like 25'.

The plans include drawings for a full transom with bracket single or twin (bracket kits available) and for a traditional motorwell.

Layout

The DE25 long cockpit looks very much like a slightly wider and 30" longer DE23: same accomodations inside but much longer cockpit. The safe self-bailing cockpit is deep and wide: 7'-11"' long (2,41 m), 8' wide (2,40 m) and 28" deep (71 cm). The full height motor well bulkhead provides excellent protection from following seas. The cockpit is self-bailing but the cabin sole is lower than the cockpit. To keep the inside floor dry, there is small step between pilot house and cabin, see the options paragraph. The pilothouse offers standing headroom: 6' 2" in the middle (185 cm), the forward cabin with two bunks has sitting headroom.

There is room for a portable head under the vee berth. The dinette can be lowered to make a 27" (69 cm) wide berth.

A sturdy samson post is welded to the forward bulkhead.

Options

There are many possible options and we can not list them all.

• The DE25 exist in two versions: long cockpit or long cabin.
• The outboard can be mounted in a motor well or on a transom bracket.
• We show an open cockpit but the builder can easily add benches, seats and other boxes.
• The pilothouse door can be modified to use a high drop down board and shorter doors. This will allow to safely leave the doors open offshore in bad weather.
• There is room for a small emergency outboard (kicker) on the transom or on the bracket.
• The plans show wide scuppers in the sides but through transom scupper are an option.
• The pilothouse rear bulkhead can be left open and fitted with a roll up canvas curtain.
• The windshield can be hinged to lift open.
• Hatches and portholes are optional.
• Access to the chain locker is shown from inside through a cut in the forward bulkhead but the builder can also cut a deck hatch if he prefers.
• Fuel capacity is ample with 46 gallons in two tanks.
• The DE25 can be made unsinkable with expandable buoyancy foam under the sole and foam sheets glued under the gunwales for upright flotation.