BoatsNorthwest 21

Northwest 21

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · First built 1975

A Gary Lundy-designed masthead sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio built for spirited light-air performance

Designed by Gary Lundy.

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.

TrailerableBeam 2.41 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 975 kg of hull, so roughly 1,600 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.
LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a beamy beam gives 12 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 12
CoastalBluewater

At 2.46 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.46
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 204
EasygoingPowered-up

22.3 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 22.3
TenderStiff

33% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 33%

Powered-up and quick to accelerate — this one likes to sail.

  • Lighter than ~76% of boats her size on file

Compared with 768 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
32.6%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
22.3
Displacement / length
204.2
Comfort ratio
11.7
Capsize screening
2.46
Hull speed
5.5 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
474
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
First built 1975
Units built
140
Designer
Gary Lundy
Builder
Northwest Yacht Constructors 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.

Bavaria Yachts 6066.50 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA lightweight 6.5-meter fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited coastal sailing
Captain's Log Day 3: Things That Go Bump in the Night (3/10)4:19from Be The Captain
Halcyon 236.93 mSame hull family0.5 m longerA triple-keeled masthead sloop by Alan H. Buchanan, offering shallow-draft versatility based on the earlier Crystal 23
Zero Dollar Cruising Dream | Halcyon 23from Practical Sailor
J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/247.32 mSame hull family0.9 m longerThe world's most popular one-design keelboat, featuring a light 1406kg displacement for responsive, agile handling
The Scariest Dangers at Sea (And How to Survive Them)31:46from The Sailing Doodles Podcast
J J/77.04 mSame hull family0.6 m longerA 2024 fractional sloop with a shallow 1.16m draft and a high 23.55 sail-area-to-displacement ratio for responsive daysailing
J7: Finally an affordable sailboat0:49from SEILmagasinet
Cal 257.62 mSame hull family1.2 m longerA flush-deck masthead sloop featuring a pop-top companionway that became one of the most popular models in the fleet
Rough Entry into Indonesia WHSE1680:12from Wind Hippie Sailing
Borge Bringsvaerd Bb116.18 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Norwegian-built classic with an active class association that has raced continuously since the 1960s
Join us inside the Dragon's Lair: 11 Dragons and a handful of fast cars13:53from SEILmagasinet

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

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Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Northwest 21

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