BoatsPacific Seacraft Dana 24

Pacific Seacraft Dana 24

Cutter · Long Keel · 1984–2007

A heavy-displacement W.I.B. Crealock cutter designed for offshore stability and serious coastal cruising

Designed by W. I. B. Crealock & William Crealock.

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

See her sail

The Pacific Seacraft Dana 24, on the water

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

Footage from keeldragger

Is it for you?

Character

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

Shoal draughtDraws 1.17 m, board up where she has one — creeks, sandbars and thin anchorages most keels have to stay out of.
LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a moderate beam gives 30 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 30
CoastalBluewater

1.72 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.72
LightHeavy

363 — very heavy for her waterline, a serious load-carrying cruiser.

Displacement / length 363
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 14.5
TenderStiff

40% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 40%

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

What the fleet has seen

The Pacific Seacraft Dana 24, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 is a cutter-rigged sailboat designed by W.I.B. Crealock, built by Pacific Seacraft from 1984 to 2007, with a production hiatus between 1999 and 2001. It has a long keel hull, measures 8.3 meters LOA, 2.6 meters beam, 1.2 meters draft, and displaces 3628 kg.6:23 The Dana 24 has a sail area of 448 sqft and a comfort ratio of 30.5. Crews frequently sail the Dana 24 between mainland California and Catalina Island, often motor-sailing due to light winds in the San Pedro Channel.0:15 Aboard *keeldragger*, the boat has completed a delivery from Dana Point, California, to Ensenada, Mexico, for maintenance, encountering heavy fog and kelp.0:09 The owner of *keeldragger* notes the boat's bow hobby-horses in waves, making foredeck work challenging, and recommends a tiller pilot for single-handed operation.3:33 The boat's single-line reefing system allows cockpit-based reefing but requires manual topping lift adjustment and limits luff shape control.13:29 The bimini arch on *keeldragger* obstructs mainsail visibility.16:42 The Dana 24 lacks a windlass, requiring manual anchor retrieval.12:36 Crews use AIS to navigate shipping lanes and monitor commercial traffic, sometimes hailing vessels on VHF to confirm intentions.5:17 The boat has an optional additional 30-gallon water capacity.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 18 times across 2 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 on video

Anchoring at White Cove, Catalina Island - Dana 24 (June 2019)A Dana 24 anchors in 45 feet of water at White's Landing, Catalina Island, without a windlass.keeldraggerFinally Sailing to Catalina Harbor - Dana 24 - June 2019A Dana 24 sails from Dana Point to Cat Harbor, Catalina Island, for a weekend mooring stay.keeldraggerAnchoring Overnight in Newport Beach - Dana 24 - April 2019A Dana 24 anchors overnight in Newport Beach after a light-wind coastal transit from Dana Point.keeldraggerSailing to Cat Harbor? or Avalon? - Dana 24 (March 2019)A Dana 24 aborts a Cat Harbor approach due to headwinds and diverts to Avalon Harbor, Catalina Island.keeldraggerOut and Back to Avalon - Dana 24 - Feb 2019A Dana 24 crew coordinates with San Pedro Traffic to safely cross shipping lanes during a Catalina passage.keeldraggerHeading Home: San Diego to Dana Point - Dana 24 - Dec 2018A Dana 24 motorsails 60 nautical miles from San Diego to Dana Point in calm, light-wind conditions.keeldraggerSailing Dana Point to Ensenada Mexico with the Old Man - Dana 24 - October 2018A Dana 24 crew navigates from Dana Point to Ensenada, managing propeller fouling and nighttime port entry.keeldraggerSailing to Avalon, Catalina Island - Dana 24 - October 2018A Dana 24 crew uses AIS to coordinate a safe passing distance with a tanker near Catalina.keeldraggerSailing Solo to Little Harbor, Catalina Island (August 2018) - Dana 24A solo sailor navigates the San Pedro Channel shipping lanes and anchors a Dana 24 at Catalina Island.keeldraggerSailing Dana Point to Avalon, Catalina - Dana 24 - July 2018A Dana 24 crew uses AIS to navigate shipping lanes during a weekend passage to Avalon, Catalina.keeldraggerSailing Dana Point to Emerald Bay, Catalina June 2018 - Dana 24A Dana 24 sailor navigates the San Pedro Channel and evaluates single-line reefing during a Catalina passage.keeldraggerSailing to Two Harbors, Catalina - Memorial Day Weekend 2018 - Dana 24A Dana 24 navigates shipping lanes and secures a mooring at Two Harbors, Catalina Island.keeldragger

What broke, what changed

Gear aboard, as the crews told it

Moments from individual boats of this model that the fleet has filmed — one crew, one piece of kit, one day on the water. Not a review of the class, and not a count of anything.

  • FailedGarmin

    The chartplotter that lost satellite signals

    aboard keeldraggerseen January 20182:07

  • InstalledGoPro

    The speaker duct-taped a GoPro to a boat pole to inspect the propeller underwater.

    aboard keeldraggerseen December 20185:33

  • WorkingOpenCPN

    The app on the phone was used to monitor anchor position and triggered frequent alarms.

    aboard keeldraggerseen July 20199:54

  • WorkingRaymarine

    The tiller pilot is effective for motoring in calm conditions but drifts and struggles in big seas.

    aboard keeldraggerseen August 20182:40

Each line is one crew's account of their own boat. Another Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 may be fitted out entirely differently.

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model come up for sale.

1seen for sale

  • The creator listed their boat for sale with a video and on sailboatlistings.com to upgrade to a larger vessel

    from keeldraggerseen September 20192:37

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
40.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Cutter
Ratios
SA / displacement
14.5
Displacement / length
363.4
Comfort ratio
30.5
Capsize screening
1.72
Hull speed
6.2 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
657
Hull
Hull type
Long Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1984–2007
Designer
W.I.B. Crealock, William Crealock
Builder
Pacific Seacraft

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

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Cape Dory 288.56 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA classic Carl Alberg full-keel masthead sloop designed for steady, comfortable cruising
3 Tiny Sailboats You Could Actually Live On7:03from Lady K Sailing
Vindo 328.95 mSame hull family0.6 m longerA classic Carl Andersson-designed masthead sloop featuring a long keel and traditional build for stable, comfortable cruising
Edvard Hambro - shorthanded pioneer continues double-handed sailing3:14from SEILmagasinet
Alberg 309.22 mSame hull family0.9 m longerA classic Carl Alberg long-keeled masthead sloop built for over two decades, offering a stable and comfortable motion
Solo Ocean Sailing: Expert Tactics & Survival Tips for Sailing Alone at Sea4:42from Practical Sailor
Vancouver 278.23 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Robert B. Harris-designed cutter with a long keel, built across two continents to provide a stiff, comfortable passage
Stranded in the Pacific: No wind, No Engine - A Thousand miles from Shore | Day 27-46 Ep. 316:51from Sailing Songbird
Sea Sprite 27/288.51 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA classic long-keeled fractional sloop designed by A.E. Luders, offering a stable and comfortable ride for coastal cruising
S/V SeaSprite - Mermaid Takes Command11:05from Hold Fast!
Cape Dory 278.25 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1977-1985 production masthead sloop featuring a 40% ballast ratio for stability in a traditional full-keel hull
Installing Cape Horn Varuna Windvane Self-steering - Cape Dory Refit Part 60:01from Atom Voyager

The family

Boats like this

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

Pacific Seacraft 31A 1987-era cutter with a 42% ballast ratio, designed for offshore stability and re-introduced to production in 2002Pacific Seacraft 34A William Crealock-designed cutter featuring a skeg-mounted rudder and an optional shallow-draft keel for versatile cruisingPacific Dolphin 24A Sparkman & Stephens-designed masthead sloop with a keel-centerboard hull, built by Pacific using molds from Yankee Yachts

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Pacific Seacraft Dana 24, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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