BoatsCal Boats 43

Cal Boats 43

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1971–1972

A rare, short-lived production model from 1971 featuring a masthead rig and a performance-oriented fin keel

Designed by C. William Lapworth, built by Jensen Marine.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 34 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 34
CoastalBluewater

1.70 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.70
LightHeavy

260 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 260
EasygoingPowered-up

18.1 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 18.1
TenderStiff

40% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 40%

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
40.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.1
Displacement / length
260.1
Comfort ratio
33.6
Capsize screening
1.70
Hull speed
7.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1335
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1971–1972
Units built
14
Designer
C. William Lapworth
Builder
Jensen Marine, Cal Boats

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.

Pearson Yachts 424 Ketch12.90 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead ketch featuring an aft cockpit layout and a 1.6-metre draft for versatile coastal and offshore cruising
Swan 43 (S&S)13.04 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthDrawn for the RORC rule, this masthead sloop features a high ballast-to-displacement ratio for a stiff, stable ride
Baltic Yachts 4212.93 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1970s masthead sloop featuring a fin keel and spade rudder, sharing its hull design with the C&C 42 Custom
Grand Soleil 40 (Polli)12.90 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Matteo Polli-designed fractional sloop optimized for ORC competition with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio
Sirius 40 DS12.90 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 12.9-metre fractional sloop built since 2015, offering a deep 2.3-metre draft for performance and stability
Beneteau Oceanis 43012.96 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Philippe Briand-designed cruiser with a high comfort ratio, also produced as the Moorings 432 charter variant

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

Two ways to keep looking — both search what the fleet has actually recorded.

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