Specification
LOA (deck)	7.075 m	23.21 ft
LWL	5.935 m	19.47 ft
Beam	2.365 m	7.76 ft
Draught	1.065 m	3.49 ft
Headroom	1.700 m	5.58 ft
Displacement	3.500 t	3.44 tons (7716 lbs)
Ballast	1.200 t	1.18 tons (2645 lbs)
Mainsail	19.578 sq m	210.74 sq ft
Staysail	5.560 sq m	59.85 sq ft
Jib	6.244 sq m	67.00 sq ft
Main Topsail	4.517 sq m	48.62 sq ft
Jib Topsail	3.904 sq m	42.02 sq ft
Engine	6.710 kw	9.00 bhp
EU Category B - Offshore

This boat is a long-keeled traditional cruising sailboat, based on the Deben 4 and 6 tonners, originally designed for Whisstocks by William Blake in the late 1930’s. More than 40 of these robust little sail boats were built by the yard over a period of twenty years.

Benefiting from computer design programs and modern wood-epoxy building systems, we can improve upon traditional designs in several ways, including:

– We get to know much so more about the characteristics of the vessel at the design stage.

– We can obtain the accurate dimensions of nearly everything, so the builder can confidently manufacture parts and components directly from the dimensioned drawings.

– We can make better, stronger, lighter and more long-lasting structures and finishes.

The Deben 5-Tonner is designed in the same spirit as the original Deben 4-Tonner to provide robust “little-ship” performance, combined with simplicity and traditional good looks, brought up to date with the best of modern wood-epoxy structures and construction methods.

The accommodation comprises a traditional vee-berth fo’c’sle, with good lockers. An infill piece can be added to make a double for harbour and estuary use. The saloon has two comfortable settee berths, one of which extends aft as a quarterberth – perfect for off-watch sleeping on passage. There is a nice self-contained WC compartment opposite the galley. An oilskin locker is located behind the companionway steps. There is plenty of locker space.

She has a full-length cast iron ballast keel bolted to the backbone structure. Her rig is a modern style gaff topsail cutter, but she could be plain gaff rigged (no topsail) as well. The full size cockpit is watertight and self-draining, well protected and comfortable.

Two versions are offered: A traditional carvel construction version on steam bent timbers; and a cold-moulded wood/epoxy version on laminated frames.

In memory of my father, who commissioned the original Deben 4-Tonner, and whose skill and integrity made these boats what they are, this design is available as Freeware. That is you can download the design for free and build from it. And provided you acknowledge the source and design copyright, you can freely distribute the design. Plans for both versions are provided as they become available, together with abbreviated construction notes.

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More details of the portrait are available here.