Designed by Wendell H. Calkins and first launched in 1960, this substantial 50-footer represents classic American cruising yacht design from the golden age of offshore sailing. Built with traditional strip-planked mahogany construction by American Marine in Hong Kong and Stoll Shipyards in the USA, the Calkins 50 showcases the quality craftsmanship that defined serious cruising boats of the era. With her generous 43-foot waterline and moderate displacement of 27,500 pounds, this masthead sloop delivers impressive performance for extended offshore passages. The fin keel with rudder-on-skeg configuration provides excellent directional stability while maintaining manageable handling characteristics. Her substantial 7,000-pound ballast ratio ensures solid sailing performance in challenging conditions, making her well-suited for serious coastal and offshore cruising. The boat's impressive sail area of 1,038 square feet gives her respectable performance in light to moderate winds, while her hull speed of nearly 9 knots makes for efficient passage-making. The conservative comfort ratio of 34.43 and favorable capsize screening value of 1.59 underscore her seaworthiness and motion characteristics that prioritize crew comfort during extended voyages. This design appeals to sailors seeking a traditional, well-built cruising yacht capable of handling serious offshore work.
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What is the Calkins 50's sail area to displacement ratio?
The Calkins 50 has a Sail Area to Displacement ratio (SA/D) of 18.3. Values between 14–18 are typical cruising sailboats; 18–22 is cruiser/racer; over 22 is performance racing.
What is the Calkins 50's comfort ratio?
The Calkins 50 has a Ted Brewer Comfort Ratio of 34.43. A ratio over 30 indicates good offshore comfort; over 40 is very comfortable offshore.
Is the Calkins 50 safe for offshore sailing?
The Calkins 50 has a Capsize Screening Formula value of 1.59. Values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing; under 1.8 is ideal.
What is the hull speed of the Calkins 50?
The theoretical hull speed of the Calkins 50 is 8.79 kn knots, calculated from its waterline length.
How much does a Calkins 50 weigh?
The Calkins 50 has a displacement of 27,500.00 lb and a length overall (LOA) of 50.00 ft.
Who designed the Calkins 50?
The Calkins 50 was designed by Wendell H. Calkins, first built in 1960.