BoatsNorth Star 22

North Star 22

Masthead Sloop · Keel/centreboard · First built 1972

A Howard Hughes-designed masthead sloop with a keel-centerboard configuration and an optional fin keel variant

Designed by Howard Hughes, built by Hughes Boat Works Ltd.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Keel/Cbrd.

Is it for you?

Character

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

TrailerableBeam 2.31 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 998 kg of hull, so roughly 1,600 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 998 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 0.51 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 moderate beam gives 11 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 11
CoastalBluewater

At 2.33 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.33
LightHeavy

132 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 132
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 19.9
TenderStiff

38% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 38%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

  • Draws more than ~91% of boats her size on file

Compared with 613 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
37.5%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
19.9
Displacement / length
132.5
Comfort ratio
11.3
Capsize screening
2.33
Hull speed
5.9 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
528
Hull
Hull type
Keel/Cbrd.
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1972
Designer
Howard Hughes
Builder
Hughes Boat Works Ltd

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.

Catalina Yachts 227.26 mSame hull family0.6 m longerA swing-keel masthead sloop with 15,000 units sold, offering a highly versatile and trailerable coastal cruiser
These Are The WRONG Sails For This Boat (+ Fiberglass Progress)!!4:07from BoatworksToday
Marshall Marine Corporation Sanderling5.54 mSame hull family1.2 m shorterA gaff-rigged catboat based on a 1941 design, featuring a shallow-draft keel-centerboard hull for versatile day sailing
EP#370 Buying and Selling Boats with Chelle25:14from Sailing Into Oblivion
RS 216.40 mSame hull family0.3 m shorter
Training Sea Cadet Instructors | RS21 Keelboat Sailing – Welsh Harp1:37from City Sailing
Dufour Yachts T66.15 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterA lightweight 800kg fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited performance in light air
Who I am and why the sea is part of my life0:56from NAUTICPIOLI
Macgregor 26X7.87 mSame hull family1.2 m longerA water-ballasted sail-power hybrid designed for versatile coastal cruising and easy trailering
Buying My Dream Boat (2001 MacGregor 26X)0:53from Adventureman Dan
Cal Boats 247.43 mSame hull family0.7 m longerThe inaugural Jensen Marine Cal model, this fractional keel-centerboard sloop was built for shoal-water versatility
Aladino Sails The Pacific Alone.2:08from Sailing Magic Carpet

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.

Hughes 22A versatile masthead sloop marketed under several names, including North Star 22 and Hullmaster 22North Star 600A trunk cabin variant of the North Star 500, this 7.9-metre masthead sloop was also marketed as the Hughes 26North Star 1000A Sparkman & Stephens IOR half-tonner featuring a taller coach roof and deck configuration distinct from her sister ships

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

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

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the North Star 22

The newsletter

New boats, new stories, from everywhere.

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

Report an issue