Design and Construction
Every structural element above and below the waterline is aluminum. The hull, deck, and pilothouse — the latter described as a "command module" — share the same metal, and the canoe body is sculpted through multiple chines rather than a single rounded form. Below the waterline the hull is sandblasted and given an epoxy barrier coat within eight hours to head off oxidation anchor, while custom-made plastic and anodized bushings isolate dissimilar metals throughout the boat. Three sacrificial anodes — one at the rudder, one at the centerboard, and a large 5-kilogram unit near the engine and stainless shaft — back up a hull-potential meter at the pilothouse that lets the operator watch for galvanic corrosion before it does damage.
The keel arrangement is the heart of the ground-takeable concept. A centerboard drops to 8 feet 1 inch and is a NACA foil meant for lateral stability only, not ballast; the lead ballast lives in a keel embryo that reaches deeper than the rudder's lowest point. The builder claims the boat sits on its own bottom with no poles or crutches when the tide runs out, and will not flip over when beached, returning upright if heeled to 14 degrees before slowly laying onto its first chine. A somewhat stubby rudder and the centerboard partially enclosed in a thick skeg let the hull take the ground readily.
Rig and Handling
The Boreal 47 carries a double-spreader masthead rig on a Sparcraft aluminum mast and boom with stainless wire rigging and a pair of headsails on Profurl furlers; an inner forestay flies a true staysail for dirty weather. A sturdy aluminum sprit serves as anchor roller and Code 0 tack point, and that offwind sail is cited as invaluable when sailing downwind. A pair of shallow daggerboards mounted aft athwart the single midship rudder is the steering secret: raising the windward board and dropping the leeward lets her track as sweet as you please anchor, and test sailors credited those boards with keeping the rudder from breaking loose hard on the wind in 20 knots against tide. Delvoye distrusts twin rudders, and the single spade is paired with the aft boards instead.
Under sail, the numbers from trials are consistent. Close-reaching in high-teen breeze clicked off 7-plus knots with ease; a Chesapeake trial in 16 to 22 knots and 2- to 3-foot seas posted 7.2 knots closehauled and 8.5 reaching. When wind built into the low 20s the helm loaded up until a reef went in, after which she was back on rails. Her motion through swells was easy and forgiving with no slamming — a seakindly boat that takes care of its crew. Under the 55hp Volvo Penta D2, max throttle gave 2,800 rpm and 8.3 knots; delivery pace was about 7 knots at 1,800 rpm.
Accommodations
The deck plan centers on a pilothouse entered through a massive watertight door from a hard dodger that shelters two at the cockpit's forward end. Inside, a portside nav station sits at cockpit level in the heated cabin, with a padded inside helm seat and a magnificently large navigation surface for all the electronics desired; a lip along the trailing edge acts as handhold and vent. From there a companionway steps down into the saloon, where a large table raised to port has settees on three sides, and an in-line galley to starboard is divided from the saloon by a substantial box housing the centerboard trunk and offering brace-and-stow space. Ash joinery with many hatches and ports kept the saloon light and airy on the test boat; mahogany is an option.
Forward, the owner's cabin was large and comfy with the same ash finish. Aft cabins can take full-size double berths as an option. The cockpit itself is compact and refreshingly deep, with strong tether points and big drains for boarding seas; the pilothouse trailing edge extends a foot over the benches to make snug nooks. Forward of a large uncluttered foredeck sits a suitably large sail locker, while a massive lazarette lives under a mini lounging deck just forward of an optional aluminum arch.
Deck and Equipment
On deck the boat is built for secure work in high latitudes. Safety railings flank the mast, aggressive antislip covers the surfaces, and sturdy welded-on mooring cleats and double stanchions are paired with a teak toerail stem to stern. A single large wheel lets the helmsman get outboard to see around the house — though the house itself remains a bit of an obstruction, and testers often stood to see where they were going anchor. A bow thruster is available as an option.
The Verdict
The Boreal 47 is a purpose-built aluminum world cruiser whose ground-takeable centerboard-and-keel-embryo scheme, aft daggerboards, and expedition-grade corrosion management make her a serious high-latitude tool. The pilothouse command module and protected deep cockpit suit long passages, and the saloon is both light and practical. The main caveat is the pilothouse's blind spot from the seated helm, easily managed by standing.
Pros
- Aluminum hull, deck, and pilothouse built to expedition standard with proactive anti-corrosion systems
- Ground-takeable keel embryo and centerboard; builder claims stable when beached to 14 degrees
- Aft daggerboards deliver balanced, tracked steering and rudder holding hard on the wind
- Protected pilothouse with nav station at cockpit level and deep draining cockpit
- Strong, secure deck layout with safety railings, antislip, and welded cleats
Cons
- Pilothouse obstructs forward visibility from the seated helm
- Centerboard is lateral-stability foil only, not ballast-bearing
