Morgan Out Island 41 My reaction to the introduction of the Morgan Out Island 41 in 1972
was, to say the least, disappointment. At the time, I was working as an apprentice marine surveyor and although I had no formal
training yet I was a serious student of yacht design. Much of my spare time was spent studying the work of my favorite designers.
I was a traditionalist, fond of the sweet sheer lines, near perfect balance, and classic elegance evident in the designs of
Philip Rhodes, Bill Tripp and Charlie Morgan. In much the same way that I felt Bob Dylan had sold out to pop culture by going
electric, I felt Morgan had betrayed his traditional roots and sacrificed elegance and balance for volume and headroom with
his design of the Morgan Out Island 41. Well, times they are a changing. More than 25 years later, I have a whole different
perspective on this design. Dylan did some pretty good stuff too.
Pure traditionalists and lovers of all out sailing performance will still
not be drawn to the pudgy appearance and less than stellar sailing performance of the Morgan Out Island 41, but time has proven
this boat to be the most popular boat over 40' ever built. More than 1,000 still sail the seven seas. No comparable boat even
comes close to this success. Conservative estimates suggest that 30 to 35 percent of the Out Island 41's built went into the
charter trade and I think it's safe to say more sailors have had an opportunity to sail this venerable cruising classic than
any other boat over 40'.
The basic center cockpit design of the Out Island 41 offers three cabins
one forward, one mid-ship and one aft. Over the years the basic design never changed, however the accommodations within the
three-cabin layout changed any number of times. The original design offered no below deck passageway between the main saloon
and the after stateroom however, in 1974, a walk-through area was incorporated into the design. As for cabin layout, a shopper
can have almost anything they wish provided they're willing to take enough time to shop around. At one time or another, the
galley was to port, to starboard, forward and aft in the main saloon area and several different configurations of dinette
seating were offered. The forward cabin offered upper and lower berths or large double V-berth. The aft cabin was offered
with several sleeping arrangements ranging from an athwart ship double berth to king size fore and aft berth.
Over the years the engine compartment remained virtually unchanged and
was located under the center cockpit deck. Several auxiliary engines were used although the vast majority of boats came with
Perkins Marine diesel engines. Early models were powered by Perkins model 4-108 engines or Westerbeke model 4-107 marine diesel
engines, Morgan switched to Perkins 4-154 model engines later in production which provided a little more reserve horsepower
for this heavy displacement boat. Following Catalina Yacht's purchase of Morgan, the Out Island 41 Classic was produced for
several years using a Yanmar diesel engine. The 41 Classic offered the same general layout and appearance as the original
Out Island 41, however, the underwater profile was changed to incorporate a more modern long fin keel and a skeg hung rudder.
Structurally, the Out Island 41 is a very sound boat and even at its advanced
age, it is very rare to find any significant structural problems with these boats. Older Out Island 41's had the hull to deck
joint well down on the top sides of the vessel where it was vulnerable to dockside damage as well as damage from travel lift
slings. In 1975, the hull to deck joint was repositioned at the sheer deck edge, a more traditional and stronger method of
construction. Polyethylene waste tanks and water tanks used aboard these vessels were subject to failure. Replacements were
complicated by the fact that the tanks were set in place before the deck was put on and replacement of comparably sized tanks
is nearly impossible without major structural renovation. The solution, in many cases, has been to replace larger single tanks
with several smaller tanks.
From early on, the Out Island 41 has had a reputation for mediocre sailing
performance which is likely justified. When introduced in 1972, the design specifications of this boat indicated displacement
of 24,000 pounds and sail area of 683 square feet. This represents a sail area displacement ratio of 13.1. This is on the
optimistic side. More than likely the full load cruising displacement of the boat was in the range of 27,000 pounds rather
than the designed displacement of 24,000. By 1981, Morgan literature reflects a more realistic displacement of 27,000 pounds.
The sail area of the vessel had increased to 775 sq. ft. with the addition of a higher aspect sail plan. The Out Island 41
was also available with an optional ketch rig and a few boats were built with optional centerboards. Generally I find the
performance of the Out Island 41 acceptable from close to broad reaching but disappointing sailing to windward or going dead
down wind in light to moderate winds.
For boat buyers looking for an ideal of coastal cruiser, live aboard,
or island cruiser, on a limited budget, the Out Island 41 is a boat worth serious consideration. There are numerous variations
on accommodations and sound simple construction makes this boat an ideal candidate for customizing to your own particular
cruising needs. |