BoatsGloucester 16

Gloucester 16

Fractional Sloop · Swing Keel · 1986–1989

A nimble fractional sloop designed by C. William Lapworth, originally introduced in 1965 as the Newport 16

Designed by C. William Lapworth.

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

Is it for you?

Character

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

TrailerableBeam 1.91 m — inside the 2.55 m no-permit tow width across most of Europe, and the 2.59 m US and Canadian limit. About 408 kg of hull, so roughly 1,000 kg on a trailer: check that against your own towing rating.Ramp-launchableAbout 408 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 0.23 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 8 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 8
CoastalBluewater

At 2.59 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.59
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 146
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 23.6
TenderStiff

22% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 22%

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

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
22.2%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
23.6
Displacement / length
146.4
Comfort ratio
8.4
Capsize screening
2.59
Hull speed
5.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
313
Hull
Hull type
Swing Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Iron
Production
Years built
1986–1989
Units built
1300
Designer
C. William Lapworth
Builder
Gloucester Yachts Inc, Lockley Newport Boats

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.

Microtonner 195.50 mSame hull family0.8 m longerA high-performance fractional sloop designed by Nestor Volker to the International Micro Class rule for competitive racing
I Met the Man Who Puts Sailboats Inside the São Francisco River | #SAL #4256:23from Hashtag Sal
RS Quest4.29 mSame hull family0.5 m shorterA 140kg fractional sloop with a centerboard trunk designed for stable, versatile training and family sailing
Sea Cadet National Sailing and Windsurfing Regatta 20250:48from City Sailing
Drascombe Dabber4.72 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA John Watkinson-designed sprit-rigged daysailer with a centreboard, built since 1970 for shallow-water versatility
Getting Underway - Portland to Boston23:16from The Mariner
Marshall Marine Corporation Sanderling5.54 mSame hull family0.8 m longerA gaff-rigged catboat based on a 1941 design, featuring a shallow-draft keel-centerboard hull for versatile day sailing
The History of Beneteau Boats11:37from Practical Sailor

The family

Boats like this

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

Gloucester 20A fractional sloop with a swing keel designed by Stuart Windley and Harry Sindle for versatile, shoal-water sailingGloucester 19A daysailer variant of the Gloucester 20, featuring a swing keel and a spirited 20.39 sail-area-to-displacement ratioNewport 16A C. William Lapworth-designed fractional sloop featuring a swing keel and a hull shared with the Columbia 15Gloucester 15A lightweight centreboard dinghy with a high 33.79 SA/D ratio, sharing her design lineage with the Mutineer 15Gloucester 22A fractional sloop with a keel-centerboard configuration, originally the LN 23 and later produced as the Classic 22Gloucester 18 (Whitecap)A high-performance fractional centerboard dinghy designed by Harry Sindle, originally marketed as the Whitecap.

Keep looking

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Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Gloucester 16

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