BoatsCoronado 15

Coronado 15

Fractional Sloop · Centerboard Dinghy · First built 1968

Powered-up and quick to accelerate — this one likes to sail.

Designed by Frank W. Butler, built by Catalina Yachts.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Centerboard Dinghy

See her sail

The Coronado 15, on the water

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

Footage from Lady K Sailing

Is it for you?

Character

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

TrailerableBeam 1.73 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 175 kg of hull, so roughly 750 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 175 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 0.10 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
CoastalBluewater

At 3.12 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 3.12
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 42.1

Powered-up and quick to accelerate — this one likes to sail.

What the fleet has seen

The Coronado 15, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Coronado 15 is a 4.7-meter fractional sloop centerboard dinghy designed by Frank W. Butler and built by Catalina Yachts since 1968. It has a 1.7-meter beam, a 1.1-meter draft, and displaces 174 kg. Catalina Yachts, which produces the Coronado 15, grew from building trailer sailors to manufacturing over 60,000 vessels. The company acquired brands like Morgan and molds from other manufacturers.4:27 Older Catalina models, particularly from the 1980s and 1990s, can develop a "Catalina Smile," a crack at the hull-to-keel joint due to structural fatigue.7:03 Owners should inspect keel bolts for corrosion and proper torque before repairing this issue with thickened epoxy and biaxial glass.7:14 Modern Catalina models, like the Catalina 42, emphasize interior comfort but require professional rig maintenance.11:11 Buyers of used production models should check for deck delamination, hull blisters, and high engine hours.10:14

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
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
42.1
Capsize screening
3.12
Hull
Hull type
Centerboard Dinghy
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1968
Units built
3800
Designer
Frank W. Butler
Builder
Catalina Yachts

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.

Aubin (Chantier Aubin) Snipe4.72 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA legendary William F. Crosby-designed fractional dinghy that remains one of the world's most active racing classes
Small Craft Ltd. Wayfarer4.82 mSame hull family0.2 m longerAn Ian Proctor-designed centreboard dinghy with a high sail-to-displacement ratio, built since 1957 in wood and fibreglass
Finn (Monotype)4.50 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Richard Sarby-designed Olympic single-handed dinghy featuring an unstayed cat rig and a long history of competition
Lido 144.27 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA fractional sloop dinghy designed by Barney Lehman, updated in 1995 with a modern mold for improved longevity and safety
MacKay Boats Ltd. 49erfx4.88 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA high-performance Olympic skiff featuring the 49er hull paired with a specialised rig tailored for lighter crews
LaserPerformance 49er4.88 mSame hull family0.2 m longerAn Olympic-class high-performance skiff featuring a massive sail-area-to-displacement ratio for elite racing

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Coronado 15, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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