BoatsSea Pearl 21

Sea Pearl 21

Cat Ketch (unstayed) · Centerboard (Trunk) · First built 1982

A lightweight, unstayed cat ketch based on the Herreshoff Carpenter class, designed for shallow water and lively sailing

Designed by L. F. Herreshoff & Ron Johnson, built by Marine Concepts.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Centerboard (Trunk)

Is it for you?

Character

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

TrailerableBeam 1.68 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 272 kg of hull, so roughly 850 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 272 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 0.15 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 narrow beam gives 5 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 5
CoastalBluewater

At 2.61 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.61
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 39
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 30.6

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

  • Lighter than ~97% of boats her size on file
  • Draws less than ~98% of boats her size on file
  • Narrower than ~100% of boats her size on file

Compared with 603 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
Rig & sail area
Rig
Cat Ketch (unstayed)
Ratios
SA / displacement
30.6
Displacement / length
39.0
Comfort ratio
4.9
Capsize screening
2.61
Hull speed
5.8 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
373
Hull
Hull type
Centerboard (Trunk)
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1982
Units built
415
Designer
L. F. Herreshoff, Ron Johnson
Builder
Marine Concepts

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.

Open 5.005.00 mSame hull family1.4 m shorterA high-performance sport boat from Jean Marie Finot featuring a rotating spar and an ultra-light displacement
Phobos 196.30 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA lightweight, high-performance fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited daysailing
Melges 247.32 mSame hull family0.9 m longerA 7.32-meter sportboat with a lifting keel and a 32.09 sail-area-to-displacement ratio built for rapid planing
Farr 50005.08 mSame hull family1.3 m shorterA Bruce Farr-designed fractional sloop featuring a swing keel and a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for lively 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

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