Design and Construction
Fora Marine built the RM 1050 as a robust boat around a triple-chine hull of epoxy-impregnated Okoumé plywood, while the deck and short deckhouse are polyester-fiberglass structures. The very wide hull designed by Marc Lombard clears a huge foredeck because the deckhouse is kept deliberately short, a layout choice that also feeds the panoramic visibility the yard marketed. Twin keels are mounted on an internal metal frame to distribute grounding loads, a solution the builder likened to the well-known Danish X-Yachts approach, and those keels were explicitly designed to withstand daily groundings. The epoxy plywood shell is not very resistant to small shocks, a trade-off against the light weight and stiffness the material allows.
Rig and Handling
The slotted rigging of the RM 1050 makes it possible to adopt a genoa with overlap and at the same time facilitates circulation on the side decks, a practical benefit for short-handed sail changes. Underway, the very wide hull is excellent for downwind sailing and in the breeze, and she can exceed 10 knots if not overloaded. The same breadth that gives her downwind pace leaves her a little stuck in the water in light weather, and in light, choppy upwind conditions the performance will disappoint those used to lively racing yachts. One reviewer noted she is missing a hull with a little less wetted surface and two rudders, an observation on the limits of the twin-keel form rather than a defect in execution.
Accommodations
Below, the RM 1050 uses her width without apology. A U-shaped kitchen and a chart table facing the companionway anchor the saloon, which seats six and adds two sea berths along the sides beyond the settee benches. Forward there is a Breton bed, and under the cockpit a double cabin extends private sleeping space. Storage is generous thanks to a large hold behind the toilet area and a multitude of lockers, and the particularly wide cockpit above carries four lockers for deck gear. The panoramic deckhouse gives the interior a light, open character rare in a 34-footer of the era.
Known Issues
A few operational cautions attach to the design. The low deckhouse structure creates a barrotage — a head-strike beam — that bruises the skulls of the most distracted, so crew movement forward demands awareness. Owners should keep a close eye on water infiltration, and portholes need protection in hot weather to avoid heat damage. The CP epoxy hull's limited resistance to small shocks means routine contact with docks and debris warrants inspection.
The Verdict
The RM 1050 is a purpose-built cruising yacht that trades racing sparkle in light air for downwind capability, grounding tolerance, and remarkable interior volume. Lombard's wide triple-chine hull and Fora Marine's plywood-epoxy method produced a robust, ocean-capable boat with a practical deck layout and a cabin that punches well above its length. The caveats are minor and mostly about crew awareness and routine moisture vigilance.
Pros
- Excellent downwind and breezy-weather performance, capable of 10+ knots unloaded
- Twin keels on a metal frame built to survive daily groundings
- Exceptional beam-driven interior volume with six-saloon, Breton bed, and double aft cabin
- Short deckhouse yields a huge foredeck and panoramic visibility
Cons
- Sluggish and disappointing upwind in light, choppy conditions
- Epoxy plywood hull vulnerable to small impacts
- Head-strike beam (barrotage) a real crew hazard
- Requires vigilance on water infiltration and porthole heat protection
