The Radford 15.2m Fast Cruising Yacht was designed for a client living in Malaysia who wanted a very unusual yacht! He developed the concept of the "helicopter" rig and needed an easily driven hull design which would be compatible with the rig.
The end result is a very easily driven yacht with a very long waterline, narrow beam and light displacement. The different rig meant that the yacht did not require the same stability as that needed for a conventional rig so a reduction in form stability because of the very narrow beam was not a disadvantage. The lifting bulb keel with a low centre of gravity helps compensate for this reduced form stability and gives a reasonably high point of vanishing stability. It should be possible to safely sail the yacht with the keel in the half raised position and access shallow waters when fully raised.
The construction drawings are for a cedar strip hull and an FRP / foam sandwich deck. The yacht was built at Peter Milner's yard in Perth, Western Australia. The R15.2 has an aft boarding platform, tiller steering and long trench cockpit. It is noticeably clear of the usual deck hardware with a simple bridge containing the rig and engine controls. The 38HP sail drive engine is located aft of the accommodation watertight bulkhead with access from the cockpit. Under power it will achieve a speed of 9.4 knots. The companionway is recessed into the house and has an overhanging sliding hatch.
The accommodation is very simple with two double quarter berths forward of the engine, galley and chart table in way of the keel compartment; settees adjacent to the companionway; galley and chart table in way of the keel case and a head / shower and stowage area forward of the mast. The sail stowage area is quite small! There is an anchor locker forward of the collision bulkhead.
Overall the R15.2m has been a very interesting project!
The rig as since been converted to a conventional rig.