Design and Construction
The 790 has a waterline of just under 22 feet and a beam of just over nine. She displaces 4,000 pounds, including 1,750 pounds of iron ballast. That gives her a ballast-to-displacement ratio of nearly 44 percent and places her firmly in the cruiser camp rather than the racer’s.
Dubois gave the boat a length-to-beam ratio of 2.84, making her comparatively narrow for her era. Combined with a displacement-to-length ratio of 173.55, this earns her a “heavy cruiser” classification in standard design metrics.
The hull and deck are solid fiberglass of straightforward molded construction. A fin keel and spade rudder follow conventional British practice of the period. Wetted surface is about 226 square feet, while an immersion rate of 694 pounds per inch results in a loaded draft between 4.76 and 5.06 feet, depending on crew and stores. That draft allows access to shallow marinas while still giving the fin enough bite to stand up to the sail plan.
Rig, Handling, and Performance
The Verl 790 carries a masthead sloop rig with 350 square feet of sail. Her sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 15.90 indicates modest power under canvas—enough to drive the heavy little hull at a civilized pace, but not to ghost along in light air.
A capsize screening value of 1.95 and motion comfort ratio of 23.1 both sit in territory that favors steadiness over sparkle, in keeping with the boat’s cruising purpose. Under the Yanmar diesel with saildrive, she makes 5.0 knots; theoretical displacement hull speed is 6.2 knots.
The standing and running rigging use period dimensions. Jib and genoa sheets are 26 feet long and 3/8 inch in diameter. The mainsheet is 65 feet at 3/8 inch, and the spinnaker sheet is 57.2 feet at the same diameter.
Accommodations
Below, the 790 has four berths, a galley, and a toilet facility. It’s a compact but functional arrangement for a 26-footer, giving a small crew the basics for cruising without having to camp on the cabin sole.
No elaborate interior details survive in the record beyond those three fixed provisions. Even so, the berth count points to a boat intended for short-handed coastal passages rather than dockside entertaining.
The Verdict
The Verl 790 is a small, honestly built Dubois cruiser with the numbers of a steady coastal boat. She isn’t quick off the wind, nor does she pretend to be. Her strengths are ballast stability, manageable draft, and a simple four-berth layout from a reputable British yard.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck built by Verlvale Ltd.
- Iron ballast equal to nearly 44 percent of displacement, contributing to stiff behavior
- Draft shallow enough for modest marinas
- Four berths, a galley, and a head in a 26-foot hull
Cons
- Modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio limits light-air performance
- Small size constrains comfort for living aboard or extended cruising
