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Waterwitch

Brief details

Builder

various - some professionally built, many more home built

The Waterwitch is a bigger version of the famous Maurice Griffith designed Eventide. A solid cruising boat with shallow draught and the ability to take the ground, she is designed for construction in marine ply on solid timber frames. Many were Cascover sheathed when built, this giving considerable extra protection to the ply

LOA

30' 0" on deck

Sail area

350 sq ft

LWL

26' 0"

Rig

Sloop

Beam

8' 10"

Cabins

2

Draught

3' 6"

Berths

4

Displacement

9,500 lbs

Engine

various

Ballast

3,300 lbs

BHP

20 - 40

Keel type

Long iron keel plus twin bilge plates

The Waterwitch was designed in 1963 specifically as a larger version of the very popular 24 foot 'Eventide' design dating from 1958, one of the series of yacht plans sponsored by and sold by the magazine "Yachting Monthly". Although intended to be suitable for amateur construction, quite a few, including the example illustated here, were yard-built. As with most of Maurice Griffiths' designs, the Waterwitch is shallow draught, with a long shallow iron ballast keel. A pair of steel bilge keels to allow the boat to ground upright were an optional feature, and most boats built were, as this one, fitted with these bilge keels, and are thus 'triple keel'. Around 1,000 at least have been built, and many have cruised extensively. Although originally intended for ply construction, some have also been built in steel.

The saloon, looking forward. Table and settees are on the starboard side, with the large galley running along the port side

The aft part of the saloon has two long quarter berths separated by the engine box, which forms part of the steps down into the cabin.