Design and Construction
The hull is solid fiberglass with outer vinylester layers for blister resistance, while the deck is balsa-cored with plywood at hardware mounts. The deck-hull joint uses 3M 5200 and stainless thru-bolts. An L/B ratio of 3.34 keeps her moderately narrow by modern standards, and the foam-filled stringers with PVC-foam-cored floors give the solid hull its backbone below the waterline.
Rig and Handling
The cutter rig carries 1,100 square feet of sail for a 15.05 SA/D ratio. The DL-ratio of 242 marks her among "moderate racers," with theoretical hull speed of 8.7 knots and a motion comfort ratio of 37.5 over 688 square feet of wetted surface. The capsize screening value of 1.75 meets the ocean-race threshold anchor. Sheets are 16 mm: jib and genoa 15.3 m, mainsheet 38.1 m, spinnaker 33.6 m. Draft is 6.75 feet loaded, restricting her to major marinas.
Accommodations
Ta Shing offered center-cockpit and raised-salon "All Season" with interior helm. Immersion is 2,191 pounds per inch, relevant when loading the raised salon's extra glazing and station. The 140-gallon water and 113-gallon fuel support extended cruising for the period.
The Verdict
A mature Dixon-Ta Shing bluewater cutter with serious Lloyd's-spec construction and offshore-capable numbers; the trade-offs are draft and deliberate acceleration in exchange for composure and load-carrying steadiness.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull with vinylester outer layers
- Lead ballast at 29% with fin keel and skeg rudder
- Cutter rig SA/D 15.05, capsize screen 1.75
- 140-gallon water and 113-gallon fuel
Cons
- 6.75-foot draft limits marina access
- 242 DL-ratio yields deliberate acceleration
- 1999–2002 run limits used availability
