The Moody 47 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Moody 47, a moderate displacement cruising sloop, was designed by Bill Dixon and built in the UK by A. H. Moody & Son Ltd.

This Moody 47 is cutter rigged but most were masthead sloops

Published Specification for the Moody 47

Underwater Profile: Fin keel & skeg-hung rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 46'6" (14.2m)

Waterline Length: 38'9" (11.8m)

Beam: 14'8" (4.5m)

Draft: 6'9" (2.1m)

Rig Type: Masthead sloop

Displacement: 27,500lb (12,474kg)

Ballast: 11,000lb (4,990kg)

Designer: Bill Dixon

Builder: A. H. Moody & Son Ltd (UK)

Year First Built: 1982

Year Last Built: 1989

Published Design Ratios for the Moody 47

Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 16.5

Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 40.0

Displacement/Length Ratio: 211

Comfort Ratio: 28.9

Capsize Screening Formula: 1.9

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Moody 47

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 16.5 suggests that the Moody 47 will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 40.0 means that the Moody 47 will initially stand up reasonably well to her canvas in a moderate breeze, but she's likely to benefit from a reef in the main to avoid heeling uncomfortably in a gust.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 211 tells us the Moody 47 is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 28.9 suggests that crew comfort of a Moody 47 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.9 indicates that a Moody 47 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.

Moody 47 Sailboat: A Spacious and Comfortable Cruiser

If you are looking for a sailboat that can offer you a lot of space, comfort and performance, you might want to check out the Moody 47 sailboat. This is a 14.2-meter (46.5-foot) monohull sloop that was designed by Bill Dixon and built by Moody Yachts between 1982 and 1989. The Moody 47 is a versatile and well-built boat that can handle different sailing conditions and accommodate different sailing needs. Here are some of the features and characteristics of this boat that make it a great choice for recreational sailors.

Overview
The Moody 47 is a center cockpit sailboat that has a sleek and elegant profile. It has a fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder that provide good stability and maneuverability. It has a masthead sloop rig with a deck-stepped mast and swept-back spreaders. The sail area is 86.7 square meters (933 square feet), which gives the boat a good sail area to displacement ratio of 16.4. This means that the boat is moderately fast and responsive, especially in light to moderate winds.

The Moody 47 has a spacious and comfortable interior that can sleep up to eight people in four separate cabins. The boat has two heads, one of which is en-suite to the aft cabin. The boat also has a large saloon, a well-equipped galley, and a navigation station. The boat has ample storage space and ventilation throughout.
The Moody 47 is a well-built boat that uses quality materials and craftsmanship. The hull and deck are made of fiberglass with balsa core for strength and insulation. The boat has stainless steel fittings, teak woodwork, and leather upholstery.

Accommodation

One of the main attractions of the Moody 47 is its generous accommodation layout that can suit different sailing needs and preferences. The boat can be configured as an owner's version or a charter version, depending on the number and location of the cabins.

The owner's version has three cabins: a large aft cabin with a centerline double bed, an en-suite head with shower, and plenty of storage space; a forward cabin with a V-berth, a hanging locker, and access to the forward head; and a smaller cabin on the starboard side with two bunk beds, ideal for children or guests.

The charter version has four cabins: two identical aft cabins with double beds, hanging lockers, and access to the aft head; a forward cabin with a V-berth, a hanging locker, and access to the forward head; and another smaller cabin on the starboard side with two bunk beds.

The saloon is located amidships and has a U-shaped settee on the port side that can seat up to eight people around a large folding table. There is also another settee on the starboard side that can be used as an extra berth or as a lounge area. The saloon has plenty of natural light and ventilation from the large windows and hatches.

The galley is located on the port side of the companionway and has everything you need to prepare meals on board. It has a three-burner stove with oven, a double sink, a top-loading refrigerator, a front-loading freezer, and plenty of storage space for food and utensils.

The navigation station is located on the starboard side of the companionway and has a large chart table, an instrument panel, and a swivel seat. It also has easy access to the electrical panel and the engine compartment.

Hull and Deck
The hull of the Moody 47 is made of fiberglass with balsa core for strength and insulation. It has a white gelcoat finish with blue stripes along the waterline and the sheerline. The hull shape is designed to provide good performance and seakeeping qualities in different sailing conditions.

The deck of the Moody 47 is also made of fiberglass with balsa core for stiffness and lightness. It has an anti-slip surface for safety and comfort. The deck layout is designed to provide easy access to all parts of the boat, as well as ample space for relaxing and entertaining.

The centre-cockpit has an ergonomic design that offers good visibility and protection from the elements. It has a single wheel steering system that is connected to the rudder by cables. It also has an instrument console, an engine control panel, and a compass at the helm station. The cockpit seats are covered with teak slats and have cushions for comfort. There is also a large cockpit table that can be folded away when not in use.

The cockpit is surrounded by a high coaming that provides safety and shelter from spray and wind. There are also two large lockers on either side of the cockpit that can store sails, fenders, lines, and other equipment. There is also a gas locker on the port side that can hold two propane bottles.

The deck has a wide and uncluttered walkway that leads from the cockpit to the bow. There are stainless steel handrails and stanchions along the sides, as well as lifelines and gates for safety. There are also six mooring cleats, four fairleads, and two bow rollers for anchoring and docking.

The foredeck has a large anchor locker that can store the anchor chain and rode, as well as a windlass for easy handling of the anchor. There is also a hatch that provides access to the forward cabin and head.

The aft deck has a large lazarette that can store more equipment, such as a dinghy, an outboard motor, or a generator. There is also a hatch that provides access to the aft cabin and head.

The transom has a folding swim ladder that can be lowered into the water for easy boarding and swimming. There is also a shower with hot and cold water for rinsing off after a swim.

Mast and Rigging
The mast of the Moody 47 is made of aluminum and is deck-stepped on a stainless steel compression post. It has two sets of swept-back spreaders and a single set of lower shrouds. The mast is supported by stainless steel wire rigging that includes a forestay, a backstay, two upper shrouds, and two intermediate shrouds.

The sail plan of the Moody 47 consists of a mainsail and a genoa that are hoisted on roller furling systems. The mainsail has in-mast reefing that allows for easy adjustment of the sail area according to the wind conditions. The genoa has a furling drum that is mounted on the bow roller and can be controlled from the cockpit.

The sails are made of Dacron and have UV protection strips along the leeches. The sails are also equipped with telltales, battens, reef points, and leech lines for optimal performance and shape.

The sail handling of the Moody 47 is facilitated by a number of winches, blocks, clutches, tracks, and travelers that are located on the mast, the boom, and the deck. The boat has two self-tailing primary winches on either side of the cockpit that are used for sheeting the genoa. There are also two self-tailing secondary winches on either side of the companionway that are used for halyards, reefing lines, and outhauls. There are also two self-tailing winches on the mast that are used for raising and lowering the sails.

The boat has a boom vang that controls the boom angle and prevents it from lifting in light winds. It also has a mainsheet traveler that runs across the cockpit arch and allows for fine tuning of the mainsail trim. The boat also has a genoa track that runs along the side deck and allows for adjusting the genoa sheet lead according to the wind angle.

Keel and Rudder
The keel of the Moody 47 is a fin keel that is made of cast iron and is bolted to the hull with stainless steel bolts. The keel has a bulb at the bottom that lowers the center of gravity and increases the righting moment of the boat. The keel has a draft of 2.1 meters (6 feet 11 inches) that provides good stability and performance upwind.

The rudder of the Moody 47 is a skeg-hung rudder that is made of fiberglass with a stainless steel stock. The rudder is attached to the skeg by two pintles and gudgeons. The rudder has a balanced design that reduces the helm pressure and improves the steering response.

Conclusion
The Moody 47 sailboat is a spacious and comfortable cruiser that can offer you a lot of enjoyment on the water. Whether you want to sail with your family, friends, or charter guests, this boat can accommodate your needs and preferences. The boat has a sleek and elegant design, a moderate weight construction, and a versatile sail plan that make it suitable for different sailing conditions. The boat also has a generous accommodation layout, a well-equipped galley, and ample storage space that make it ideal for living aboard or cruising long distances.

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.