BoatsBalboa 24

Balboa 24

Fractional Sloop · Fin w/transom Hung Rudder · First built 1981

A fin-keel fractional sloop with a 1.18-tonne displacement, offering a nimble and lightweight coastal platform

Designed by W. Shad Turner & William M. Downing, built by Laguna Yachts.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/transom Hung Rudder

Is it for you?

Character

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

TrailerableBeam 2.54 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 1,179 kg of hull, so roughly 1,800 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 1,179 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 0.89 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 11 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 11
CoastalBluewater

At 2.43 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.43
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 145
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 18.7
TenderStiff

35% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 35%

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

  • Lighter than ~79% of boats her size on file
  • Draws less than ~89% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1203 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
34.6%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.7
Displacement / length
145.1
Comfort ratio
11.3
Capsize screening
2.43
Hull speed
6.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
595
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/transom hung rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1981
Designer
W. Shad Turner, William M. Downing
Builder
Laguna Yachts, Coastal Recreation Inc

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.

Sirius 7277.27 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA development of the Sirius 24, this fractional sloop features a fin keel with skeg-mounted rudder for balanced handling
Two Different Ways Sailing Changes Lives | #SAL #2510:15from Hashtag Sal
J Boats Tillotson Pearson J/247.32 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA legendary Rodney Johnstone design that defined the modern one-design racer with its high sail-area-to-displacement ratio
Everything You Think About Sailing Is Wrong3:59from The Sailing Doodles Podcast
J J/77.04 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA 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
Dehler Yachts 25CR7.50 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Van de Stadt-designed fractional sloop with a high sail area-to-displacement ratio built for spirited performance
Don't Make The Same MISTAKE We Did [Ep.28]9:27from Sailing Oceanaire | Wik & Rox
Bavaria Yachts 6066.50 mSame hull family0.7 m shorterA lightweight 6.5-metre fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited coastal sailing
How He Survived a Tropical Storm at Sea14:25from Be The Captain
Halcyon 236.93 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA 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

The family

Boats like this

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

Balboa 22A swing-keel fractional sloop with a high 20.95 sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited light-air performanceBalboa 16A lightweight masthead sloop by W. Shad Turner designed for easy handling with a high sail area to displacement ratioLaguna Yachts 24SA fractional sloop with a 0.89m draft, offering a nimble, lightweight platform for coastal cruisingBalboa 27 8.2A masthead sloop featuring an optional 9 HP diesel inboard and a ballast-to-displacement ratio exceeding 50 percentBalboa 20A 1967 Lyle C. Hess design featuring a swing keel and a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for nimble coastal sailing

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 24

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