Design and Construction
The Moody 64 carries about 66,000 pounds of displacement to cushion the ride, with 22,000 pounds of ballast concentrated in a bulb at the foot of her standard 8-foot-6-inch fin keel. That ballast-to-displacement relationship, at.33, sits with a displacement-length ratio around 185 and a sail-area-displacement ratio of 17.05, figures that describe a heavy, steady hull with enough canvas plan to keep her moving in modest air. The hull is hand-laid fiberglass cored with inch-thick end-grain balsa set in polyester bonding paste, while solid laminate is reserved for every through-hull penetration and for the stem, keel, and skeg. The deck is both bonded and mechanically fastened to an inward-turning hull flange, with Monel rivets driven through an aluminum backing plate as the mechanical hold, and a laminated teak caprail dresses the deck-edge bulwark above a full-length rubrail. A partially exposed skeg-hung rudder and a propeller offset slightly to starboard round out the underbody, and the hull was offered in blue, white, or burgundy gelcoat.
Rig and Handling
Above the deck, the Moody 64 wears a high-aspect masthead cutter rig on an 88-foot mast, with triple aft-swept spreaders carrying cap shrouds, upper and lower intermediates, and aft lower shrouds. A fine bow and minimal wetted surface keep her lean forward, and she carries most of her 17-foot beam from midships straight back to the transom, giving great stability of form without a bloated entry. Twin 42-inch wheels each carry a bench seat and padded hip rest, served by a Whitlock steering system and a half-horsepower Whitlock Mamba autopilot drive, while a standard 15-horsepower Sleipner bow thruster eases tight-quarters control. A huge 36-inch-diagonal hatch just aft of the inner forestay opens the foredeck, and a Lewmar 3000 vertical anchor winch handles ground tackle.
Performance Record
The design's credentials are not theoretical. Writing in Cruising World, the reviewers noted that in the 2002 Atlantic Rally for Cruisers, hull number one won Class A and placed fourth overall against a fleet of longer Oysters and Swans, covering the 2,680-mile Gran Canaria-to-St.-Lucia route in just under 13 and a half days, a sustained 200 miles per day anchor. That result, from the first hull off the line, speaks to the crossover concept's teeth rather than its marketing.
Accommodations
Inside, the cabin sole is simulated teak-and-holly veneer, and the interior was drawn by Roel De Groot working with Dixon. The beam carried aft yields generous living space on a single level, and the helm and nav station are equipped from the factory with a Raymarine instrument package, Furuno radar, and chart plotters, while a Lewmar power windlass is operable by remote from the helm. Stainless-steel dinghy davits are standard, supporting the tender without cluttering the stern.
Equipment and Power
A 230-horsepower turbocharged Yanmar diesel provides propulsion, paired with the standard bow thruster and the autopilot drive already noted. Tankage is substantial: roughly 528 gallons of diesel and 360 gallons of water support long independent voyages, and the deck and hull structure are detailed above for the serious inspector.
The Verdict
The Moody 64 is a thoughtfully engineered crossover cruiser that proves a heavy, beamy hull need not be slow, and that two sailors can manage a 63-foot yacht with the right rig and systems. Her construction is detailed and purposeful, and her ARC result is a genuine credential.
Pros
- Dixon's crossover concept delivered real transatlantic speed, winning ARC Class A in 2002 anchor
- Balsa-cored hull with solid laminate at all penetrations and keel structures
- Deep, beamy, stable platform with 22,000 lb bulb ballast on a fin keel
- Serious standard equipment: bow thruster, autopilot drive, Furuno and Raymarine electronics
Cons
- Requires two very capable sailors; not a casual shorthanded boat
- Deep 8-foot-6-inch draft limits some cruising grounds unless the 6-foot-6-inch keel was specified
