How big is it? It’s a question I hear all the time regarding boats. When I answer giving it’s displacement people tend to look at me as if I’m speaking a foreign language.
Most people, when confronted with the task of choosing a boat think in terms of length, Which, considering that a lot of a boats costs are measured in length, makes a certain amount of sense. If you stop in a marina, haul out, or pay your yearly boat tax you’re charged by the foot. So, length is an important number in the grand scheme of things but it is not the best number to focus on when you’re choosing a VolksCruiser.
If anything, beam is a bigger factor but hardly ever brought up. Throw in waterline length and displacement you’ll have a much better idea of what sort of boat you’re talking about. For instance, a 30-foot boat with a beam of ten-feet is going to have a lot more volume than a 30-foot boat with eight-feet of beam.
Given the choice between a 30-foot boat and a 28-foot boat with the same displacement and waterline length I’d choose the 28-footer every time.