Since time immemorial, the bow shape of ships has had a very special significance. The widely projecting and concavely curved clipper stem, which often merges into a long jib boom and is decorated with bow figures, was and still is an eye-catcher and landmark of large sailing ships.
But the designers of motorboats also favoured wide bow shapes, at least since GRP was used as a hull material and difficult bow shapes no longer posed any manufacturing problems.
The front overhangs are particularly long if the sporty character of fast yachts is to be emphasised, whereas in the past the bow shape was determined by the usual building materials. The vertical stem of steel motorboats usually consisted of a flat bar to which the outer skin was riveted or, in later years, welded.
In contrast, wooden motorboats were often fitted with a slightly positively curved spoon bow with a slight overhang. In this way, keel and stem wood formed a harmonious transition.
In the following, we will clarify the advantages and disadvantages of the different bow shapes currently on offer, or whether only fashion aspects are decisive for their design.
