BoatsCal Boats 46 III (1975)

Cal Boats 46 III (1975)

Masthead Ketch · Fin keel, spade rudder · First built 1975

A masthead ketch variant of the Lapworth hull, configured with a shallow 1.52-metre draft for coastal cruising

Designed by C. William Lapworth, built by Jensen Marine.

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

See her sail

The Cal Boats 46 III (1975), on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Sailing Solé

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 40 — a heavy, notably soft motion offshore.

Comfort ratio 40
CoastalBluewater

At 1.61 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.61
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 254
EasygoingPowered-up

12.3 — modest power for her weight; easygoing rather than lively, and happier with a breeze.

Sail area / displacement 12.3
TenderStiff

27% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 27%

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

  • Heavier than ~84% of boats her size on file
  • Draws less than ~93% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2267 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Cal Boats 46 III (1975), as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Cal Boats 46 III (1975) is a masthead ketch designed by C. William Lapworth, built by Jensen Marine and Cal Boats. This 13.9-meter sailboat, with a 3.8-meter beam and 1.5-meter draft, displaces 13607 kg. It is the third iteration of the CAL 46 MS, sharing the same hull as its predecessors, including the CAL 2-46, but featuring smaller cabin windows and a different interior layout. A Cal 46 with a Perkins 85-horsepower engine and a center-cockpit layout was observed at a public auction in Alamitos Bay Marina, Long Beach, California, attracting significant interest despite common issues like soft decks and water in the bilges seen on impounded vessels.9:24

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
26.7%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Ketch
Ratios
SA / displacement
12.3
Displacement / length
254.0
Comfort ratio
40.2
Capsize screening
1.61
Hull speed
8.2 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1675
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1975
Designer
C. William Lapworth
Builder
Jensen Marine, Cal Boats

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

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.

Cal Boats 2-4613.87 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthFeaturing a midships engine room and expanded living quarters, this 46-foot cruiser prioritizes interior volume
Morgan Yachts 45213.72 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead ketch with a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder, engineered for offshore stability and steady passage-making
Amel Maramu 4613.80 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 13.8-metre ketch produced throughout the 1980s, balancing a moderate displacement with a stable, sea-kindly motion
Moody 4614.06 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA Bill Dixon-designed cutter with a fin keel and spade rudder, built for comfortable, stable blue-water cruising
Formosa Yachts 4613.72 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA lengthened 13.72-metre cutter featuring a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder, derived from the Peterson 44 hull lines
Liberty 45813.96 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn extended iteration of the Peterson 44 hull featuring a unique deck and coach roof configuration on a cutter rig

The family

Boats like this

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

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The fleet has more to say

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