Design and Hull Form
The Hutton 24 shows a distinctive profile with generous bow and stern overhangs, a well-raked bow, and lots of tumblehome in the topsides flowing into full aft sections and a neat, wide reverse transom. Those wide, buoyant aft sections let the boat slide along very quickly and without fuss, while the low-slung hull buoyancy is matched by a fairly high ballast-to-displacement ratio that helps explain why she doesn't need reefing as early as many other small yachts. With a maximum beam of 2.7m and a lifting keel, the form trades some side-deck width — the side decks are a bit narrow — for interior volume and offshore composure.
Construction
The hull bottom is laid up to 30 oz, and the builders pay particular attention to fibreglass bonding the hull-to-deck joint from the inside, supplementing that with an alloy toe rail to mechanically bond the joint. All deck areas are reinforced with Airex foam, and the keel is a lead-filled cast metal unit that bolts onto the hull. The rudder is a hefty stainless steel spade made up together with the rudder stock. Interior bunk units are modular rather than part of one big internal moulding, and a half-width bulkhead fills the port area between hull and the timber compression post that takes the weight of the deck-stepped mast.
Rig and Cockpit
The rig is made up by the builders, who are also spar manufacturers. Stock sails are by Hood, and the cockpit sheet winches are by Barlow, with headsails beefed up on a small winch on the mast. The cockpit has a bridgedeck with the mainsheet traveller mounted where the helmsman can work both the mainsheet and headsail sheets; on the test boat the main halyard was led aft to the cockpit. The large, deep self-draining cockpit takes four or five adults, though there are no cockpit lockers for stowage, and the boat does not come with hand rails on the cabin top.
Accommodations
Inside, the Hutton wins in being about as big as many 26-footers, with six berths and a saloon table that can accept six adults when raised. The reviewed boat contained a single aft berth to port, a pair of settee berths in the saloon, and a roomy double forward, while later boats could be had with two quarter berths. Headroom is 1.53m, and many owners ordered the optional poptop which springs headroom around the galley from 1.53m to 1.89m. The galley unit has a sink and stove, an enclosed WC is fitted, and rather than a built-in icebox the space is left to stow a portable Esky under the companionway steps.
Auxiliary and Variants
The builders recommend around six to eight hp outboards for auxiliary power, with an optional outboard bracket mounting on the transom. At the time Seacraft tested the 24, a swing-keel version and a motor sailer model were being planned.
The Verdict
The Hutton 24 is a thoughtfully packaged small yacht that punches above its length: quarter-ton racing ancestry, a buoyant aft-bodied hull, and a high ballast ratio give it composure offshore and a late reefing point, while the cabin rivals a 26-footer for space. Construction is serious for the size, though the narrow side decks and lack of cabin-top handrails ask for careful movement on deck.
Pros
- Capable of offshore coastal passages and good in heavy weather
- Interior volume close to many 26-foot designs with six berths
- Strong hull-to-deck joint and Airex-reinforced decks
- Late reefing and quick, fuss-free motion from wide aft sections
Cons
- Narrow side decks and no cabin-top handrails
- No cockpit lockers for stowage
- No built-in icebox; portable Esky only
