XPM 78

LONG

• Length; maximum LWL for hull efficiency & speed
• Days, high mileage per 24hr day, averaging 240-260 nm days in typical passage conditions
• Range, minimum 6000nm @ 10kts range in typical open ocean conditions
• Anchorage times, measured in weeks and months not days.
• Forepeak for storage only
• Engine room with workshop, all aft

LEAN

• Beam with wave piercing style bow for maximum “silent and slippery” wave piercing and minimal wave/wake making.
• Green energy wise in all regards, propulsion, electrical, maintenance
• Remember the 99% Rule:  Designed for just the 2 of us 99% of the time

LOW

• Physical appearance being long and low in the water with low house and superstructure above decks.
• Air draft for as many options of canals, locks, lower bridges
• Maintenance Unpainted exterior, minimum stainless
• Costs to maintain and operate
• Dependencies ashore, maximize self sufficiency
• D/L ratio, low displacement to find the “Goldilocks” just right balance of having enough displacement for maximum sea kindliness and yet minimum mass to drive through the water
• Height, no double stacked living spaces
• Shoal draft less than 1.5m (5 feet) for exploring the shallows
• Fly bridge “lite” on roof of cabin with full upper helm station

LIGHT & LITE:

• Visual appearance on the water, long, low, lean and mean.
• Displacement by saving weight where possible and spending where wise.
• Bright everywhere inside, 360-degree light & views in SuperSalon
• Open plan galley & salon

LONGEVITY:

• Value
• Service intervals
• Equipment, engine, propulsion, systems
• Max fuel capacity for longest range and time between fills

LOOKS:

• Matching her/our purpose and mission.
• The UN Yacht: unpainted aluminium, no stainless, no wood, no extras.
• Blend in at a local working port or commercial fishing harbor and not fit so well in marinas
• Strong Industrial/commercial quasi-military “vibe” partly by a design that is long, low, lean and mean” and partly through the use of very high functionality very low maintenance exterior items such as all unpainted aluminum hull and superstructure, beefy aluminum rub rails and booms and other functional “all business” meant to be used features reminiscent of modern pilot boats, tug boats and commercial fish boats than a “yacht”.
• Starkly contrasting the “lean & mean” exterior, the interior will have an extremely high craftsman level fit and finish of all cabinetry and interior surfaces

ECONOMICAL

• Economic to build: Maximized use of 3D CAD modeling, CAM and CNC for all construction, exterior and interior materials (aluminum, wood, fabrics, etc.
• Economic to maintain; Careful selection of materials, equipment and installation to minimize maintenance and failures.
• Economic to operate: Maximum efficiency throughout.
• Minimize size of interior with maximum comfort for 2/4/6/8; Live 2, sleep 4, eat six, entertain 8
• 2 cabins, 2 heads
• Down Up Down design; Raised center house with 360 degrees of glass and cabins down below deck level on each end
• Maximum solar output

EFFICIENT

• in all regards; hull, engine, propulsion, electrical as well efficiency in use.
• Maximum solar panel re‐charge ability, sufficient to eliminate need for genset
• Low rpm ultra-efficient and robust diesel main engine,
• No generator
• Battery based boat, maximum size 24v house bank, all loads 240v AC off battery/inverters

SAFE

• On passage first and anchor second.
• Integral tanks below WL for maximum fuel and counterbalancing water.
• Self-righting; Maximum positive stability to “survive and thrive” a capsize.  All our past boats were sailboats which are inherently self-righting, and we were not willing to give this up with this transition to voyaging under power.
• Unappealing and menacing to others on the outside
• Inviting and alluring on the inside

STRONG

• Like the Timex watch commercial “take a licking and keep on ticking” self-righting and able to have an inevitable grounding and keep going, no haul out required
• Strategically “over built and over engineered” in the just right places with high redundancy of all critical systems
• Thrive not just survive
• Watertight “crash” bow compartment at front of forepeak

COMFORTABLE

• At sea first and foremost, in all weather conditions. Passive stabilization with active designed into hull but not installed at launch.
• At anchor, great ventilation in all conditions, flopper stoppers, great seating, lots of light, spacious outdoor areas
• “Thermos” hull; Cool in hot climates, warm in cold climates.
• QUIET: weather, mechanical systems, humans, insulation, vibration.

XPM78 Blog: www.mobius.world

XPM78 Blog: www.mobius.world

“The just right boat for exploring extreme locations in equally extreme safety and comfort.”

STARTING AT THE TOP:

To design and build an exceptional long range Passagemaker that is strong, safe, fast, fun and efficient, serving as our full time home along with the infrequent guests who join us on expeditions exploring the most remote locations of the world in exceptional safety and comfort.

As anyone who knows me will tell you I am “brevity challenged” to a severe degree but if I were to boil it all down even further we are setting out to design and build

“The just right boat for exploring extreme locations with equally extreme safety and comfort.”

GO FAR:

We love being at sea and answering the call of long distant destinations so long passages are the norm for us.  Creating a boat that inspires confidence to GO anytime whenever the sea or other locations call and to be snug and safe on long passages getting there is a primary requirement.  We were both single handed sailors for many years and have come to appreciate the high value of having a boat that can be single handed safely in all conditions if the need should arise.

GO EVERYWHERE:

We have had the most previous experience in tropical settings and love this climate.  We often talk about our “20/20 Rule” of staying within 20 degrees of the equator.  We like heat and we can tolerate humidity up to a relatively high point and intend to explore explore new tropical areas as well as going back to some many that we have enjoyed previously.  However high latitude areas have been calling our name more and more, areas that are predominantly cold and would involve motoring through high winds, rough seas, freezing temperatures and ice invested waters.  We are equally drawn to slightly less extreme locations a bit closer to the equator but still cold to us such as going up the inside passage of Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii islands in my native British Columbia, and Greenland, Iceland and Norway.  We want the new boat, and us, to thrive in all the above locations, climates and conditions.

GO NOWHERE:

Anytime we are not on a passage we are on anchor and often for extended times of weeks or months with no desire to be in marinas.  We put extremely high value on our privacy in this context and like to either be “the only boat in the bay” or otherwise off by ourselves.  This necessitates super comfy living spaces, independent self-sufficiency and SWAN ground tackle enabling us to anchor out in deeper waters and Sleep Well At Night.

GO ASHORE:

Given our remote, deep and isolated anchorages and our love of exploring ashore we will need a tender that enables us to think nothing of heading to long distant shores without a worry for weather changes to get back, adventuring out for even overnight trips on the tender up rivers and inlets in to suit, and staying safe and dry throughout.

GO ALONE:

Our passion for remote locations puts a premium on being extremely self-sufficient and self-reliant.  We prefer small or no populations ashore, so we set our shore side expectations and dependencies as close to zero as possible.  We assume zero availability to shore transportation, shipping, shopping or services.  This prioritizes great food preservation, water and electrical independence, plentiful spare parts, ultra-reliable systems, lots of storage, repair capabilities and communications.

STAY ALONE

No uninvited guests! Our remoteness, both at anchor and underway sometimes puts us near potential danger from others who would like to “board and borrow” anything from items on the boat to the whole boat and ourselves. We therefore like to have deterrents built into the boat’s design such that we do not look like an inviting nor easy target for those who might be sizing us up.

LOCK N LEAVE:

There will be times when we want to leave the boat unattended for anything from extended multi day trips on the Tender to month or more trips back to see grandchildren and family when they can’t come to us.  So, we need a boat which we can easily and quickly (several hours) lock up and safely leave knowing she will be fine and require no assistance.  This includes leaving the boat at anchor as well as leaving her ashore on the hard or in the water.  A lean/mean military “don’t mess with me” look will help with this.

XPM78 Blog: www.mobius.world