The Bluewater 60 is crafted with a hull that prioritizes comfort and stability for offshore cruising. Unlike designs with a plumb bow, which tend to slice through water too sharply and lack the hull flare necessary for deflecting waves, this model incorporates a slight overhang. This feature improves comfort in rougher seas by allowing more hull flare. Additionally, the deep bilge design enhances both interior volume and reduces the impact of pounding often experienced in flatter-bottomed hulls found on some modern models. While other contemporary hull shapes may achieve slightly higher speeds downwind, they typically don’t match the Bluewater 60’s comfort and performance when navigating upwind or in heavy seas. For keel options, owners can select between a standard lead fixed keel or a centerboard configuration. The lifting keel system employs a hydraulic ram and Dyneema lines, ensuring sleekness and easy maintenance. The righting moments between the fixed keel and centerboard designs are quite similar, mainly due to added hull weight and the lateral resistance provided by the centerboard, which also enhances upwind performance. The centerboard offers versatility, with its ability to increase draft for better pointing ability and reduce drag by lifting when sailing off the wind.