There are lots of good new designs, as good as traditional ones. But there is no reason to reject traditional forms merely because they are from the past. A 1914 car is not much use for road transportation today, but boats designed in 1914 are still being manufactured today, and are sought after, for good reason. Not every traditional design is ideal for every possible use. But there are some very good traditional designs for every use.
Many people seem to think that boats are priced by the foot.
Nothing could be further from the truth. RED HEAD is a L.F. Herreshoff Rozinante canoe yawl, and Hylan's boat is an example of the best in fine boatbuilding. RED HEAD is about 28 feet long and 6 feet beam. That's about right for some custom boats. The hull is the cheap part, comparatively.