Design and Construction
Holland’s path to the Eygthene began at the 1972 Quarter Ton Cup regatta in La Rochelle. He then designed and built the boat to contest the 1973 USA Quarter Ton Cup series, which she won at Weymouth, England, that same year.
The hull was a deliberate break from the contemporary fleet. Holland combined very wide beam on deck with normal beam at the waterline. This flared shape was intended to let the crew use their weight to optimum effect while the submerged lines passed through the water with minimal resistance.
Yachting Monthly describes the result as a narrow waterline beam with aggressively flared topsides, rather like a Merlin-Rocket dinghy. Fine ends and a narrow stern make her less sensitive to heel angle than fat-sterned rivals. She is a fairly heavy quarter-tonner, however, and the shallow hull, pinched ends, and narrow waterline beam that give her such a distinctive profile also limit stowage below.
Rig and Handling
On the wind, the Eygthene is a satisfying boat. Her flared topsides allow crew sitting on the windward rail to exert a large righting moment, while her fine ends give her a very comfortable motion upwind.
The same geometry makes her tender on an even keel, so she likes to be sailed upright and rewards an active crew. Her narrow stern keeps her from becoming twitchy as she heels, but the trade-off appears downwind: she is relatively slow on a run and rather rolly in a breeze.
Within the quarter-ton world, those characteristics make her a far better sea boat than most. She remains a good entry-level club racer as well as a sprightly, entertaining pocket cruiser.
Accommodation
The wide-beam concept that defined the deck plan also gave the series-production Kiwi 24 cruiser-racer a very good interior for its size. The saloon benefits particularly from the hull shape, with plenty of space, ample seating around a table, a separate heads, and a basic galley.
There are four or five berths, including two quarterberths and a V-berth in the forecabin. The fit-out is light and simple throughout. That keeps weight down, but the accommodation is modest by modern standards.
Verdict
The Eygthene 24 is a historically significant Holland design that punches above her length as a light-air club racer and pocket cruiser. Her flared hull and fine ends provide a comfortable upwind motion and a sea-kindly feel that is rare in the quarter-ton class. However, the same narrow waterline and shallow hull that produce those qualities also limit stowage and make her tender and rolly downwind.
Pros
- World-champion 1973 quarter-tonner lineage and Ron Holland’s first major design success
- Flared topsides and fine ends provide a comfortable upwind motion and a strong crew righting moment
- Roomy saloon and four or five berths in a 24-foot cruiser-racer
- A better sea boat than most quarter-tonners
Cons
- Tender on an even keel and rolly downwind in a breeze
- Limited stowage because of the pinched ends and shallow hull
- Basic galley and a light, simple fit-out
