Design and Character
Cannell's hull choices show a deliberate balancing act. The displacement-length ratio of 295 places her among the "heavy cruisers," with only 18% of comparable designs heavier anchor. Yet the length-beam ratio of 3.06 means she is slimmer than 66% of similar boats, and the review reads that the designer chose a slightly more speedy hull form within that narrow parameter. The combination of heavy displacement with a smaller waterplane area gives lower acceleration and a more comfortable motion than a lighter, broader boat would show. Her Motion Comfort Ratio of 28.1 is higher than 98% of similar sailboat designs, a striking figure for a 24-footer and one that explains her reputation as a steady small yacht rather than a lively racer.
Performance and Seakeeping
The theoretical hull speed is 6.2 knots, and the capsize screening value of 1.70 is high enough that, by that formula alone, she could be accepted to participate in ocean races anchor. That is not a claim of offshore pedigree so much as a statement that her stability index clears a conservative bar. The immersion rate of about 578 pounds per inch means she sits deeply and changes trim slowly under load, reinforcing the comfort-oriented character. With a sail-area-displacement ratio of 17.05, she is moderately powered for her weight — enough to drive the hull in a breeze, but not a lightweight that leaps onto a plane.
Rig and Sail Handling
The Tamarisk 24 carries a gaff-headed sloop rig, a period choice that pairs a modest sail plan with workable lead lengths. The jib and genoa sheets are specified at 24 feet with a 3/8-inch diameter, the mainsheet at 60 feet, and the spinnaker sheet at just under 53 feet, all in 3/8-inch line anchor. Those dimensions tell a buyer what to carry as spares and hint at a simple, traditional control layout where long mainsheet travel was expected for trimming the gaff main.
Construction
The hull is solid fiberglass with a solid fiberglass deck, and the keel is a long fixed type with lead ballast of 2,500 pounds. The transom-hung rudder is a straightforward external fitting. No cored panels are indicated in the structure. The builder named in the record is North Sea Craft/Cutriss Boats.
The Verdict
The Tamarisk 24 is a small, solidly built cruiser with an unusually high comfort rating for her size and a stability index that clears oceanic screening formulas. She is narrow and heavy rather than flashy, a boat for the sailor who values a steady motion and simple systems over speed or sparkle. The gaff rig and long keel place her firmly in a traditionalist niche.
Pros
- Comfort ratio exceeds 98% of similar designs
- Capsize screening value of 1.70 meets ocean-race formula threshold
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck, lead-ballasted long keel
- Slim, moderately speedy hull form for a heavy-displacement boat
Cons
- Modest sail-area-displacement ratio of 17.05 limits light-air performance
- Gaff rig and long keel favor tradition over modern handling ease
