# Presto 36 Munroe/Parker design, Seaworthy??



## benesailor (Dec 27, 2012)

How far off-shore would you go in this boat?











> Presto 36


Just curious. So far it's a good coastal cruiser. Just looking for some input from the diehards that can do the math. It belongs to a buddy of mine. Possibly planning a long coastal trip. 
By the way, the boat in question is cold-molded and extremely stout. It hit a concrete sill head on at 5 knots and received a dent. Would have destroyed my boat.


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## peterchech (Sep 2, 2011)

Seems to have a relatively low 33% ballast to displacement ratio, and the lead isn't very far down, so I would watch the forecast


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## mad_machine (Dec 16, 2012)

Sharpies regularly sailed from Florida to the Caribbean.. the only trouble with them is that in rough weather they tend to pound as their bow is only barely in the water and is mostly flat bottomed.


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## peterchech (Sep 2, 2011)

mad_machine said:


> Sharpies regularly sailed from Florida to the Caribbean..


To the Bahamas in calm conditions (a daysail basically), but not much further than that.

They lack righting moment, that's the problem. Not quite self-righting from a broach.


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## manatee (Feb 27, 2013)

peterchech said:


> To the Bahamas in calm conditions (a daysail basically), but not much further than that.
> 
> They lack righting moment, that's the problem. Not quite self-righting from a broach.


 Presto was a modified 'round bilge' sharpie:
"I was lead to make a try for still greater stability...adding a little deadrise, and increasing the depth of hull and bilges to give ample displacement and righting moment. Thus, with slightly rounded bilges, and clean entrance and clearance we arrived at 'Presto'."

"...she never heeled enough to take water over the cockpit rail in the six years that I sailed her from Cape Cod to the Gulf of Mexico, in all kinds of sea and weather. ...She was one of the most wholesome and satisfactory boats I ever owned."
--excerpted from "The 'Presto' Type of Centerboarder",
Ralph Munroe

In addition to being built light and very strong, Reuel Parker's boat has an arc bottom, and the bow stays in the water, as seen  here . Since the original Presto traveled between New York and Biscayne Bay on her own bottom, assuming competent handling by the crew, you should have no problems going anywhere you want in this boat.


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## benesailor (Dec 27, 2012)

thanks for the input guys. The comments seem to reaffirm my thoughts.


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

The original Presto desighn was known as a great sea boat. It remains one of my all time favorite designs. It was light years ahead of it's time.


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## benesailor (Dec 27, 2012)

Thanks Bob, while I'm not necessarily sold on the design compared to modern boats; It is a great boat and has some distinct advantages. (shallow draft, Easy handling). I guess i'll hold out on my reservations until i see how this boat handles in a blow.


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## manatee (Feb 27, 2013)

Read "The Commodore's Story", by Ralph Munroe & Vince Gilpin, for first-hand accounts of Presto's abilities. Never mind the used copies at scalper's prices, buy it brand-new for $19.95 at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, *here*.

Eye candy:
Presto(nee Exuma 36)'s slightly bigger sister, Teresa (Exuma 44) in the Bahamas.

Nassau 
Parked


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## benesailor (Dec 27, 2012)

> ead "The Commodore's Story", by Ralph Munroe & Vince Gilpin, for first-hand accounts of Presto's abilities. Never mind the used copies at scalper's prices, buy it brand-new for $19.95 at the Historical Museum of Southern Florida, *here*.


Another book to my collection


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## manatee (Feb 27, 2013)

benesailor said:


> Another book to my collection


Some great storytelling in it. Hint: don't read it where laughing out loud will get you carted off to the loony bin. A beautiful collection of his photos was published a while back (he was a fine photographer, and the first to photograph much of South Florida): "The Forgotten Frontier"


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## bobperry (Apr 29, 2011)

Julkes:
I called Al. He has no clue who I am. He was really confused as to why I would call. He didn't know who Jules was either.

You need some new friends.


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## benesailor (Dec 27, 2012)

> I called Al. He has no clue who I am. He was really confused as to why I would call. He didn't know who Jules was either


He most be further i out of touch than i thought! 

Jules


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## seabeau (Oct 5, 2014)

peterchech said:


> To the Bahamas in calm conditions (a daysail basically), but not much further than that.
> 
> They lack righting moment, that's the problem. Not quite self-righting from a broach.


 I just saw this old thread. The vast majority of broaches are caused by breaking waves, not high winds. If a breaking waves strikes a centerboarder with it's board retracted, the boat simply slides sideways. Simple physics. Real life, I have a Munroe Presto 36 and I've had this happen to me on several occasions. Very disconcerting the first time. Now just very neat.


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