Traditional boats are usually work boats, built and used by men who had little money or time to waste. They are usually attractive, honest, seaworthy, and durable. They add style, grace, and variety to the boating scene. The eternal tests of boatbuilding are weather, wind and wave. They are powerful and they never change.
Traditional designs offer proven solutions for dealing with the sea, using traditional materials.
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.