A 1967 Lyle C. Hess design featuring a swing keel and a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for nimble coastal sailing
Designed by Lyle C. Hess & Richard Arthur, built by Arthur Marine.
LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Swing Keel
Is it for you?
Character
Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.
TrailerableBeam 2.16 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 771 kg of hull, so roughly 1,350 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 771 kg of hull, with a keel that raises or a draft shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.Shoal draftDraws 0.48 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly
Her light displacement on a beamy beam gives 11 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.
Comfort ratio 11
CoastalBluewater
At 2.38 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.
Capsize screening 2.38
LightHeavy
142 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.
Displacement / length 142
EasygoingPowered-up
20.5 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.
Sail area / displacement 20.5
TenderStiff
26% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.
Ballast 26%
Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.
The record
Full specifications
The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.
Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
26.5%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
20.5
Displacement / length
141.6
Comfort ratio
10.6
Capsize screening
2.38
Hull speed
5.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
443
Hull
Hull type
Swing Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1967
Designer
Lyle C. Hess, Richard Arthur
Builder
Arthur Marine, Coastal Recreation, Inc
Boats like this, on the water
Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.
Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.
Dufour Yachts T66.15 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA lightweight 800kg fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited performance in light air
O'day 226.61 mSame hull family0.5 m longerA prolific production success with over 3,000 hulls built, offering a nimble fractional rig for coastal daysailing
Catalina Yachts 227.26 mSame hull family1.2 m longerA swing-keel masthead sloop with 15,000 units sold, offering a highly versatile and trailerable coastal cruiser
Marshall Marine Corporation Sanderling5.54 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterA gaff-rigged catboat based on a 1941 design, featuring a shallow-draft keel-centerboard hull for versatile day sailing
Microtonner 195.50 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterA high-performance fractional sloop designed by Nestor Volker to the International Micro Class rule for competitive racing
