An offshore hull must be designed for both speed and a comfortable motion.

The forward sections of the hull beneath the waterline must be "vee'd" with a fine entry to avoid pounding in a seaway. Flat forward sections, influenced by inshore rating rules, punish and fatigue the crew during extended passages. The mid sections must be full enough to allow the placement of tanks near the centerline and below the waterline. Tanks placed in the ends of a boat affect the trim as fluids are consumed and weights change. The aft sections must have enough buoyancy to overcome the constantly changing weights of crew in the cockpit and gear in the lockers. The hull design must be able to accommodate the necessary weight that is required for tankage, gear, equipment, machinery, etc. In the 21st century it is not difficult to design a light racing boat that will go fast, but an offshore cruising yacht must be able to carry the necessary tonnage and still provide fast passages on all points of sail and in all wind speeds. The keel must be strong enough to go aground without undue concern about unseen, collateral damage from keel bolt sheering. The base of the keel should be flat and parallel with the waterline so the boat will stand on its bottom to "dry out" against a pier. The rudder should be mounted on a rugged skeg for protection. The propeller should be mounted in an aperture to avoid having an exposed propeller and shaft. A bent propeller blade can be field-repaired if necessary, but a badly bent propeller shaft requires hauling the boat and professional help and machinery is not readily available in many parts of the world. Finally, the hull design must incorporate low center of gravity along with form stiffness to be able to carry sail in heavy weather.