BoatsBalboa 22

Balboa 22

Fractional Sloop · Swing Keel · First built 1977

A swing-keel fractional sloop with a high 20.95 sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited light-air performance

Designed by W. Shad Turner & William M. Downing, built by Coastal Recreation.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Swing Keel

Is it for you?

Character

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

TrailerableBeam 2.44 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 898 kg of hull, so roughly 1,500 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 898 kg of hull, with a keel that raises or a draught shallow enough to float off a trailer — she can go back on the trailer at the ramp, not only into the water.Shoal draughtDraws 0.38 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 beamy beam gives 10 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 10
CoastalBluewater

At 2.55 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.55
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 129
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 20.9
TenderStiff

30% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 30%

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

  • Draws more than ~82% of boats her size on file

Compared with 604 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
30.3%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
20.9
Displacement / length
128.9
Comfort ratio
9.7
Capsize screening
2.55
Hull speed
5.8 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
543
Hull
Hull type
Swing Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1977
Designer
W. Shad Turner, William M. Downing
Builder
Coastal Recreation

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 family0.7 m longerA prolific masthead sloop with 15,000 built, offering a versatile swing-keel design for trailerable coastal cruising
The ZERO KEEL and ALPHA RUDDER - Are Kraken Yachts Really THAT GOOD?9:27from Practical Sailor
RS 216.40 mSame hull family0.2 m shorter
Training Sea Cadet Instructors | RS21 Keelboat Sailing – Welsh Harp1:37from City Sailing
Dufour Yachts T66.15 mSame hull family0.4 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
Marshall Marine Corporation Sanderling5.54 mSame hull family1.0 m shorterA gaff-rigged catboat based on a 1941 design, featuring a shallow-draft keel-centerboard hull for versatile day sailing
The History of Beneteau Boats11:37from Practical Sailor
Microtonner 195.50 mSame hull family1.1 m shorterA high-performance fractional sloop designed by Nestor Volker to the International Micro Class rule for competitive racing
I Met the Man Who Puts Sailboats Inside the São Francisco River | #SAL #4256:23from Hashtag Sal
Macgregor 26X7.87 mSame hull family1.3 m longerA water-ballasted sail-power hybrid designed for versatile coastal cruising and easy trailering
7 Sailboats You Should Never Buy (Unless You Know This) - Ep 357 - Lady K Sailing5:20from Lady K Sailing

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Balboa 24A fin-keel fractional sloop with a 1.18-tonne displacement, offering a nimble and lightweight coastal platformBalboa 27 8.2A masthead sloop featuring an optional 9 HP diesel inboard and a ballast-to-displacement ratio exceeding 50 percentBalboa 16A lightweight masthead sloop by W. Shad Turner designed for easy handling with a high sail area to displacement ratioBalboa 20A 1967 Lyle C. Hess design featuring a swing keel and a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for nimble coastal sailingBalboa 23Formerly marketed as the Aquarius 23, this swing-keel fractional sloop offers a nimble 18.96 sail-area-to-displacement ratio

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 Balboa 22

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