BoatsGulf Coast 18

Gulf Coast 18

Fractional Sloop · Swing Keel · 1970–1978

A high-performance fractional daysailer with a 28.03 SA/displacement ratio, built for spirited sailing from 1970 to 1978

Designed by Martin Bludworth, built by Maudlin.

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 1.88 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 moderate beam gives 8 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 8
CoastalBluewater

At 2.56 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.56
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 114
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 28.0
TenderStiff

36% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 36%

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

  • Lighter than ~78% of boats her size on file
  • Narrower than ~91% of boats her size on file

Compared with 391 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
Ballast / displacement
36.1%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
28.0
Displacement / length
114.4
Comfort ratio
7.7
Capsize screening
2.56
Hull speed
5.2 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
335
Hull
Hull type
Swing Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Iron
Production
Years built
1970–1978
Designer
Martin Bludworth
Builder
Maudlin, Son Manufacturing, Gulf Coast Sailboats

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 familyNear-identical lengthA 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
Farr 50005.08 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA Bruce Farr-designed fractional sloop featuring a swing keel and a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for lively performance
"Hello World" in the ARC10:27from SEILmagasinet
Sandpiper 154.72 mSame hull family0.8 m shorterA Breck Marshall-designed gaff-rigged catboat with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited light-air sailing
Sandpiper 32 Sharpie Schooner Refit0:04from Atom Voyager
RS 216.40 mSame hull family0.9 m longer
Training Sea Cadet Instructors | RS21 Keelboat Sailing – Welsh Harp1:37from City Sailing
Phobos 196.30 mSame hull family0.8 m longerA lightweight, high-performance fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited daysailing
Until What Age Can You Live on a Sailboat? | #SAL #33123:54from Hashtag Sal
Drascombe Dabber4.72 mSame hull family0.8 m shorterA John Watkinson-designed sprit-rigged daysailer with a centreboard, built since 1970 for shallow-water versatility
Getting Underway - Portland to Boston23:16from The Mariner

The family

Boats like this

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

Gulf Coast 20A 1967 fractional sloop with a swing keel and high sail area-to-displacement ratio for lively performance in shallow waterGulf Coast 21A 1972 masthead sloop with a swing keel, designed by Martin Bludworth for shoal-water versatilityGulf Coast 14A lightweight lateen-rigged daysailer with a daggerboard, designed in the style of the iconic Sunfish

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

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

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Gulf Coast 18

The newsletter

New boats, new stories. Every week, everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analysed. No noise.

Report an issue