BoatsBembridge Redwing

Bembridge Redwing

Fractional Sloop · Fin Keel · First built 1938

A 1938 Charles A. Nicholson design that allows owners to experiment with different rigs within a fixed sail area limit

Designed by Charles A. Nicholson, built by Camper.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Fin Keel

Is it for you?

Character

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

TrailerableBeam 1.65 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 1,134 kg of hull, so roughly 1,750 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Shoal draughtDraws 0.99 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 21 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 21
CoastalBluewater

At 1.60 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.60
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 272
EasygoingPowered-up

17.4 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 17.4

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

  • Lighter than ~94% of boats her size on file
  • Draws less than ~93% of boats her size on file
  • Narrower than ~100% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2102 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
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
17.4
Displacement / length
272.5
Comfort ratio
20.8
Capsize screening
1.60
Hull speed
5.4 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
310
Hull
Hull type
Fin Keel
Construction
Wood
Production
Years built
First built 1938
Designer
Charles A. Nicholson
Builder
Camper, Nicholson Ltd, Nicholsons

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.

Com-Pac Yachts 258.59 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthOriginally the Watkins 25, this masthead sloop features a shallow 0.76m draft and a fin keel for versatile cruising
Mirage Yachts 2758.38 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Philippe H. Harle-designed masthead sloop built for coastal cruising with a stable fin keel and spade rudder
San Juan 288.74 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 1977 masthead sloop with a 50% ballast ratio and fin keel, designed for balanced performance in a compact 28-foot hull
Contessa 288.43 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Doug Peterson-designed masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, built for balanced performance since 1977
Islander Yachts 288.51 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Robert Perry-designed masthead sloop with over 400 built, favored by the designer himself for her balanced performance
Verl 278.32 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterOriginally marketed as the Phillipa 27, this 1973 fin-keeler offers a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for her size

The family

Boats like this

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

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

Two ways to keep looking — both search what the fleet has actually recorded.

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