The Newport 16 is an American trailerable

sailboat A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails and is smaller than a sailing ship. Distinctions in what constitutes a sailing boat and ship vary by region and maritime culture. Types Although sailboat terminology ...

that was designed by Bill Lapworth as a

daysailer A daysailer, day sailer, or dayboat is a small sailboat with or without sleeping accommodations but which is larger than a dinghy. Dayboats can be mono hull or multihull, and are typically trailer-able. Many dayboats have a small cabin or "cu ...

and a

pocket cruiser A pocket cruiser is a sailboat designed for recreational cruising and club racing, under in length. Like the similar and usually smaller trailer sailer they have design features to make it possible to tow them with passenger vehicles, such as ...

and first built in 1965.Henkel, Steve: ''The Sailor's Book of Small Cruising Sailboats'', page 33 and 47.

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, 2010. The design is a development of the Columbia 15 open boat and was also sold as the Gloucester 16 and in modified form, as the Neptune 15.

Production

The design was built by

Newport Boats Lockley Newport Boats was an American boat builder based in Newport Beach, California. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of fiberglass sailboats.Henkel, Steve: ''The Sailor's Book of Small Cruising Sailboats'', pages 172 & 2 ...

, Lockley Newport Boats, Gloucester Yachts and Capital Yachts in the

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, but it is now out of production.

Design

The Newport 16 is a recreational

keelboat A keelboat is a riverine cargo-capable working boat, or a small- to mid-sized recreational sailing yacht. The boats in the first category have shallow structural keels, and are nearly flat-bottomed and often used leeboards if forced in open wat ...

, built predominantly of

fiberglass Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth ...

, with wood trim. It has a fractional

sloop A sloop is a sailboat with a single mast typically having only one headsail in front of the mast and one mainsail aft of (behind) the mast. Such an arrangement is called a fore-and-aft rig, and can be rigged as a Bermuda rig with triangular sa ...

masthead sloop A masthead rig on a sailing vessel consists of a forestay and backstay both attached at the top of the mast. The Bermuda rig can be split into two groups: the masthead rig and the fractional rig. The masthead rig has larger and more headsails, a ...

rig, a

raked stem The stem is the most forward part of a boat or ship's bow and is an extension of the keel itself. It is often found on wooden boats or ships, but not exclusively. Description The stem is the curved edge stretching from the keel below, up to ...

, a slightly angled

transom Transom may refer to: * Transom (architecture), a bar of wood or stone across the top of a door or window, or the window above such a bar * Transom (nautical), that part of the stern of a vessel where the two sides of its hull meet * Operation Tran ...

, a transom-hung

rudder A rudder is a primary control surface used to steer a ship, boat, submarine, hovercraft, aircraft, or other vehicle that moves through a fluid medium (generally aircraft, air or watercraft, water). On an aircraft the rudder is used primarily to ...

controlled by a

tiller A tiller or till is a lever used to steer a vehicle. The mechanism is primarily used in watercraft, where it is attached to an outboard motor, rudder post or stock to provide leverage in the form of torque for the helmsman to turn the rudder. ...

and a fixed fin

keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element on a vessel. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in the construction of a ship, in Br ...

swing keel The keel is the bottom-most longitudinal structural element on a vessel. On some sailboats, it may have a hydrodynamic and counterbalancing purpose, as well. As the laying down of the keel is the initial step in the construction of a ship, in Br ...

. The boat is normally fitted with a small

outboard motor An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom. They are the most common motorised method ...

for docking and maneuvering. The design has sleeping accommodation for two adults and two children, with a small double

"V"-berth A berth is a bed or sleeping accommodation on vehicles. Space accommodations have contributed to certain common design elements of berths. Beds in boats or ships While beds on large ships are little different from those on shore, the lack ...

in the bow cabin and two straight settee

quarter berth A berth is a bed or sleeping accommodation on vehicles. Space accommodations have contributed to certain common design elements of berths. Beds in boats or ships While beds on large ships are little different from those on shore, the lack ...

s in the main cabin. There are no provisions for a

galley A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be used ...

. The

head A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may ...

is located under the bow "V"-berth. Cabin headroom is . The design has a

hull speed Hull speed or displacement speed is the speed at which the wavelength of a vessel's bow wave is equal to the waterline length of the vessel. As boat speed increases from rest, the wavelength of the bow wave increases, and usually its crest-to-tro ...

of .

Variants

;Newport 16 and Lockley Newport 16 :This model was produced by Newport Boats, later called Lockley Newport Boats and introduced in 1965. It has a length overall of , a waterline length of , displaces and carries of ballast. The fin keel-equipped version of the boat has a draft of , while the swing keel-equipped version has a draft of with the keel extended and with it retracted, allowing operation in shallow water, beaching or ground transportation on a trailer. Neptune 16 sailboat Freebird

;Neptune 16 :This model was produced Capital Yachts by and introduced in 1981. It has a revised "two step" coach house roof shape. The boat has a length overall of , a waterline length of , displaces and carries of ballast in the swing keel version. The fin keel version carries of ballast. The swing keel-equipped version has a draft of with the keel extended and with it retracted, while the fin keel-equipped version of the boat has a draft of . ;Gloucester 16 :This model was produced by Gloucester Yachts, introduced in 1986 and produced until 1989, with 1,300 boats completed. It has a length overall of , a waterline length of , displaces and carries of iron ballast. The fin keel-equipped version of the boat has a draft of , while the swing keel-equipped version has a draft of with the keel extended and with it retracted.

Operational history

In a 2010 review Steve Henkel wrote of the Gloucester 16, "at various times, this boat was built by different companies and given different names. She was called the Newport 16, the Lockley Newport 16, and the Gloucester 16—and maybe additional names as well. Depending on manufacturer of the moment, she was available a swing keel (200-lb. board) or a fixed keel (2' 6" draft), or at times, a choice of either. She has a relatively cockpit and small cabin, with two quarter berths, a small footwell, and storage space forward, with a central notch molded in for a portable toilet. The Neptune ... is so similar in appearance, weight, and dimensions, despite her two-step raised cabintop, as to indicate a virtually identical hull and rig, Best features: Big cockpit and fair-sized sailplan make her a sprightly daysailer. Long waterline and relatively heavy ballast give her good stability. Worst features: The fixed-keel model would be relatively difficult to launch and retrieve on a trailer ...." Henkel also wrote a review of the Neptune 16, indicating that its "dimensions and appearance are only slightly different from the Gloucester 16/Newport 16's; the cabintop is slightly raised in the Neptune to provide more headroom, but performance can be expected to be about the same. However, the boat came in a choice of swing-keel or fixed-keel underbody ... the swing keel, being deeper with keel down, will probably give better windward performance. Best features: This boat is low cost and easy to trailer (in the swing-keel version). Her extra-shallow draft (on the swing-keel model only) is especially good for ramp launching and retrieving. Her big cockpit is good for daysailing, and the fixed-keel model (though less handy on the launch ramp) is relatively stable. Worst features: Construction was focused on economy (e.g., iron rather than lead ballast), so maintenance on used models must be carried out diligently to prevent disastrous deterioration. Space below is relatively cramped. Raised forward deck makes foredeck footing precarious."

References

External links