BoatsShark Catamaran

Shark Catamaran

Catamaran, twin centreboards · Frac. Sloop (Rotating Spar) · First built 1963

A high-performance 6.1-meter catamaran with a rotating spar, designed for speed and the 1963 One-of-a-kind regatta winner

Designed by Dick Gibbs & J. R. MacAlpine-Downie, built by Gibbs Boat Co.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Catamaran Twin Cbrd.

Is it for you?

Character

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

Ramp-launchableAbout 136 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 0.13 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 27
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 84.0
  • Lighter than ~75% of boats her size on file

Compared with 137 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
Frac. Sloop (Rotating Spar)
Ratios
SA / displacement
84.0
Displacement / length
27.3
Hull
Hull type
Catamaran Twin Cbrd.
Construction
Wood
Production
Years built
First built 1963
Units built
500
Designer
Dick Gibbs, J.R. MacAlpine-Downie
Builder
Gibbs Boat Co, Alleman Enterprises

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.

Supercat 154.65 mSame hull family1.5 m shorterA high-performance beach catamaran with a rotating spar and an exceptional sail-area-to-displacement ratio
Why St. John Feels Nothing Like St. Thomas E38116:38from Wildly Intrepid Sailing
Hobie 165.05 mSame hull family1.1 m shorterThe most popular sailing catamaran ever built, featuring a rotating spar and boardless hull for high-speed beach sailing
EASY YouTube HOW TO MAKE SAILING VIDEOS - Ep 339 - Lady K Sailing3:05from Lady K Sailing
Hobie FX One5.18 mSame hull family0.9 m shorterA 5.18-meter single-handed catamaran featuring a rotating fractional rig and an exceptional 56.56 sail area-to-displacement ratio
Hobie Cat, 15 days & 1200km2:47from Igor Stropnik
Hobie Tiger 185.51 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterDesigned to the Formula 18 rule, this 5.5-meter catamaran features twin daggerboards and a high power-to-weight ratio
4 day solo passage to the Greek town of Vasiliki 🇬🇷 & sailing cats with ​⁠@JOYRIDER TV26:10from Sam Holmes Sailing
Hobie 21 SE6.48 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA high-performance catamaran with a rotating spar, originally developed as a one-design for professional racing
A 5,500 km Journey Across the Amazon on Two Hobie Cat Sailboats5:53from Hashtag Sal
Astus Boats 226.65 mSame hull family0.6 m longerA Stephan Vallet-designed trimaran with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio built for rapid, stable coastal cruising
sailing to the boat show6:10from Sam Holmes Sailing

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.

Shark 24A George Hinterhoeller-designed one-design racer that evolved from plywood to a fiberglass fleet of over 2,500 boatsPhoenix 18A lightweight catamaran with a rotating spar, developed from the Thai Mk IV as a smaller sibling to the Shark 20Yachting World CatamaranA Rod Macalpine-Downie one-design catamaran commissioned by Yachting World to provide an affordable, high-performance racerCatalina CatamaranFractional Sloop · 5.19 mPacific CatamaranFrac. Sloop (Rotating Spar) · 5.72 mW. D. Schock Corp. MetcalfA lightweight 3.96-meter Marconi-rigged dinghy designed by C. William Lapworth for competitive racing at Balboa Yacht Club

Keep looking

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