Design and Construction
At just over 44 feet overall, the RM 1350 has a waterline length of 42 feet 1 inch, a beam of 14 feet 9 inches, and a displacement of 20,282 pounds. Marc Lombard’s hull is a composite epoxy-plywood shell.
The published twin-keel configuration allows the boat to take to a beach at low water. That’s a practical advantage for owners cruising shallow estuaries or seeking maintenance access without a slip. The builder also offered single-fin and lifting-keel alternatives.
Her length overall of 13.7 meters and beam of 4.5 meters produce a length-to-beam ratio of 3.04, making her roomier below than the large majority of comparable sailboat designs. A displacement-to-length ratio of 122 puts her among the light racers. As a result, she needs less sail area to reach her 8.7-knot hull speed than a heavier hull would.
Rig and Handling
The cutter rig provides versatility in sail handling, especially in heavy weather, when the ability to change down to a solent or reefed headsail matters more than raw sail area.
The sail plan includes:
- A 569-square-foot mainsail
- A 634-square-foot genoa
- A 333-square-foot solent
- A 1,616-square-foot spinnaker
The rig has an I measurement of 54 feet 2 inches and a J measurement of 16 feet 9 inches. Sheet estimates call for a 112-foot mainsheet and 45-foot genoa sheets at 5/8-inch diameter, sizing that reflects the generous rig.
Her sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 12.4 leaves her somewhat underpowered compared with a true racing yacht. The light displacement, however, gives her a balanced profile for coastal sailing with moderate performance rather than all-out speed.
Accommodations and Tankage
Below, the RM 1350 has seven berths, enough for either a large cruising family or a charter program. Her 600-liter fresh-water capacity—about 158 US gallons—is generous for a boat of this length. It underlines her coastal-cruising intent, where tankage rather than offshore range sets the rhythm of passage planning.
The hull has a wetted surface of roughly 667 square feet and an immersion rate near 386 kg per centimeter. These figures describe a boat that sits lightly and responds to loading without dramatic changes in trim.
Performance Profile
A comfort ratio of about 20.3 places the RM 1350 in the range of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability. Her capsize screening figure of 2.2 suggests that she’s better suited to sailing along shorelines than making bluewater passages; that value would exclude her from ocean races.
Her beam and displacement also leave her more vulnerable to capsizing in extreme conditions than designs with a lower screening number. She is therefore best viewed as a well-balanced cruiser for temperate coasts rather than a globe-circling expedition boat.
Verdict
The RM 1350 is a thoughtfully engineered light-displacement cruiser that trades offshore severity for coastal ease, beachable twin keels, and a roomy interior shaped by her broad beam. Lombard’s cutter rig and composite epoxy-plywood hull distinguish her from heavier production boats, but the capsize screening figure and moderate sail plan confirm her role as a coastline boat rather than a passage-maker.
Pros
- Beachable twin-keel arrangement, with fin- and lifting-keel alternatives
- Roomier than most similar designs by length-to-beam ratio
- Light displacement allows her to reach hull speed with modest sail area
- Seven berths and 158-gallon water capacity suit coastal cruising
Cons
- Capsize screening figure above 2.0 limits bluewater suitability
- Sail-area-to-displacement ratio leaves her underpowered compared with racers
- No published ballast figure, limiting load comparisons
