BoatsNicholson 55

Nicholson 55

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · First built 1971

A Raymond Wall-designed masthead sloop with a skeg-hung rudder, famously commissioned by the Ministry of Defence

Designed by Raymond Wall, built by Camper.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a narrow beam gives 39 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 39
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.70
LightHeavy

283 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 283
EasygoingPowered-up

16.2 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 16.2
TenderStiff

47% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 47%

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

  • Heavier than ~81% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~86% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1259 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
47.1%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.2
Displacement / length
283.1
Comfort ratio
39.1
Capsize screening
1.70
Hull speed
8.4 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
2000
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
FG/Aluminum
Production
Years built
First built 1971
Units built
26
Designer
Raymond Wall
Builder
Camper, Nicholson, Nicholsons

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.

Mason 5316.31 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA versatile cutter with a fin keel and shoal draft option, designed for high-comfort offshore passages
Amel Super Maramu16.00 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA 16-metre masthead ketch replacing the Mango 52, featuring a wing keel and a versatile engine range for blue-water travel
Passport Yachts Inc. (Taiwan) Vista 54516.61 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 16.6-metre masthead sloop with a 19.52 SA/displacement ratio, designed for a balance of offshore speed and comfort
Pearson Yachts 53016.15 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterThe largest yacht ever built by Pearson, this William Shaw-designed staysail ketch balances heavy-displacement comfort
Tayana 5516.76 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA Peter Beeldsnijder-designed cutter with a skeg-hung rudder, built for heavy-displacement offshore cruising
Hylas 5616.48 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 2011 masthead sloop with a 21.51 sail area to displacement ratio, engineered for spirited offshore performance

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.

The newsletter

New boats, new stories, from everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analyzed. No noise.

Report an issue