The San Juan 24 is well-powered with enough sail area to move in light air, with a quick, snappy motion best suited to day sailing.
Hull Speed
The theoretical displacement-mode speed limit — determined by waterline length, not engine or sail power.
A displacement hull pushes a bow wave whose speed is limited by the waterline length.
With a waterline of 19.5′, the San Juan 24 tops out around 5.9 knots in displacement mode — after that, the bow wave outruns the hull and resistance climbs steeply.
1.34 × √19.5′ LWL = 5.9 kts
Performance Ratios
Racing handicap, sail-carrying power, stability and comfort — and what each one actually tells you about a day on the water.
PHRF Rating
222s/nm
Heavy or slow cruiser — all about the journey, not the elapsed time.
SA / Displacement
18.2
Powerful cruiser/racer — quick in light air, reef early when it pipes up.
Ballast / Displacement
51.6%
Race-oriented ballast ratio — very stiff and powerful.
Displacement / Length
193
Moderate — a good balance of speed and load-carrying ability.
Comfort Ratio
14.9
Quick, snappy motion — better for day sails and racing than long passages.
Capsize Screening
2.17
Above the 2.0 offshore threshold — best suited for coastal and protected waters.
Pounds/Inch Immersion
557lbs
Weight needed to sink the hull one inch — loading sensitivity.
Motion & Offshore Suitability
Two ratios that matter most when you're planning passages — how the boat feels in a seaway, and whether the hull geometry is suitable for open ocean.
Comfort Ratio
14.9
Quick, snappy motion — better for day sails and racing than long passages.
Under 20 — Snappy, racing motion
20–30 — Acceptable coastal
30–40 — Good offshore comfort
Over 40 — Very comfortable offshore
Capsize Screening Formula
2.17
Above the 2.0 offshore threshold — best suited for coastal and protected waters.
Under 2.0 — Acceptable for offshore
Over 2.0 — Coastal / protected waters
PHRF Fleet Position
Where the San Juan 24 sits on the PHRF handicap spectrum — lower numbers mean faster boats.
Cruiser/Racer 90–150
Cruiser 150–210
Heavy Cruiser 210–300
Wavelength 24
162s/nm
J/24
168s/nm
San Juan 24
222s/nm
Heavy or slow cruiser — all about the journey, not the elapsed time.
Windrose 24
254s/nm
Estimated Speed by Wind
Rough boat speed estimates at different true wind speeds and points of sail — derived from hull speed, SA/D, and displacement, not measured polars.
| Point of Sail |
6 kts TWS |
10 kts TWS |
15 kts TWS |
20 kts TWS |
| Close-hauled40–50° |
2.4 |
3.1 |
3.4 |
3.6 |
| Close Reach60° |
2.9 |
3.7 |
4.2 |
4.3 |
| Beam Reach90° |
3.6 |
4.6 |
5.1 |
5.5 |
| Broad Reach120–135° |
3.3 |
4.2 |
4.7 |
5.1 |
| Run150–180° |
2.7 |
3.4 |
3.8 |
3.9 |
These are simplified estimates based on hull speed (5.9 kts),
SA/D (18.2), and empirical efficiency curves — not instrument-measured
polars. Real-world speed varies with sea state, bottom condition, sail trim, and current.
Speeds in gold approach hull speed;
bold gold means near or at hull speed.
Wind Range & Comfort Envelope
Estimated wind ranges for comfortable sailing on the San Juan 24 — based on sail area, ballast, and displacement characteristics.
Ghost
Sweet Spot
Reef
Heavy
0–6 kts
6–20 kts
20–30 kts
30+ kts
Ghosting
0–6 kts
Light air, motor-sailing likely. Need patience and a light genoa.
Sweet Spot
6–20 kts
Comfortable under full sail. Best speed-to-comfort ratio.
Time to Reef
20–30 kts
Time to shorten sail. Reef the main, swap to a working jib.
Heavy Weather
30+ kts
Storm conditions. Storm jib or bare poles. Seek shelter if coastal.
How It Compares
Side-by-side with the boats most often cross-shopped against the San Juan 24.
|
San Juan 24 |
Cal 2 24 |
J/24 |
Neptune 24 Cb |
Wavelength 24 |
Windrose 24 |
| Dimensions |
| LOA |
24.0 |
24.0 |
24.0 |
24.0 |
24.0 |
24.0 |
| LWL |
19.5 |
19.2 |
20.0 |
21.0 |
20.3 |
21.4 |
| Beam |
8.0 |
7.8 |
8.9 |
8.0 |
9.0 |
7.8 |
| Displacement |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
| Ballast |
1 |
1 |
950 |
1 |
1 |
700 |
| Sail Area |
246 |
271 |
261 |
250 |
288 |
222 |
| Performance |
| PHRF |
222 |
— |
168 |
— |
162 |
254 |
| SA/Disp |
18.2 |
18.2 |
23.0 |
18.5 |
25.1 |
19.9 |
| Bal/Disp |
51.6 |
37.8 |
30.7 |
37.5 |
— |
— |
| Comfort |
14.9 |
18.1 |
17.9 |
14.2 |
9.7 |
10.8 |
| Capsize |
2.17 |
2.01 |
1.79 |
2.17 |
2.66 |
2.34 |
| Hull Speed |
5.9 |
5.9 |
6.4 |
6.1 |
6.0 |
6.2 |