Nicholson 48

BoatsNicholson 48

See her sail

The Nicholson 48, on the water

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

Footage from Hashtag Sal

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a narrow beam gives 42 — a heavy, notably soft motion offshore.

Comfort ratio 42

CoastalBluewater

At 1.64 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.64

LightHeavy

345 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 345

EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 12.1

TenderStiff

32% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 32%

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

Compared with 2027 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Nicholson 48, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Nicholson 48 is a masthead ketch designed by Camper, Nicholson, and Raymond Wall, built from 1972 to the present by Halmatic and Camper & Nicholsons. It features a fin keel with a rudder on a skeg, measures 14.5 meters LOA, has a 3.9-meter beam, a 2.1-meter draft, and displaces 14,197 kg. Aboard Hashtag Sal, a 1972 model, the owners maintain a daily inspection routine, emphasizing proactive maintenance for liveaboard life.17:48 This specific vessel carries 1,000 liters of water, 1,100 liters of fuel, and a 190-meter stainless steel anchor chain.5:48 Its original analog NECO autopilot uses a cardan shaft for steering.6:24 The cockpit is designed for heavy weather, allowing the crew to manage the mainsail, genoa, and mizzen from a protected position.10:00

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

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

32.0%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Masthead Ketch

Ratios

SA / displacement

12.1

Displacement / length

345.4

Comfort ratio

41.8

Capsize screening

1.64

Hull speed

7.8 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

1585

Hull

Hull type

Fin with rudder on skeg

Construction

Fiberglass

Production

Years built

First built 1972

Units built

42

Designer

Camper, Nicholson, Raymond Wall

Builder

Halmatic, Camper, Nicholsons

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.

Swan 47 S&S14.58 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Sparkman & Stephens design #2201 featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder for offshore stability

Sailing from Sambro to Tanners Pass - Sail Around Nova Scotia - Part 3 from Saga47swan Sailing

Swan 48 - S&S14.60 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA versatile Sparkman & Stephens design available in sloop or ketch configurations with an optional tall rig

Sparkman & Stephens 48 Bluewater Cruiser Tour | Centre Cockpit Offshore Sailing Yacht Review from Practical Sailor

Tayana 47 CC14.33 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Robert Perry-designed center cockpit cutter built for offshore comfort with a high sail area to displacement ratio

A HUGE MILESTONE in our CIRCUMNAVIGATION!!... Ep 416 from Sailing Nandji - Frothlyfe

Hallberg-Rassy 4414.45 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA German Frers-designed performance cruiser featuring a modern fractional rig and dual rudders for balanced handling

HIDDEN Costs of a BRAND NEW Hallberg Rassy 44 from Practical Sailor

Beneteau Oceanis 4814.61 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA spacious 14.6-metre cruiser featuring a high-volume interior by Nauta Design and a performance-oriented fractional rig

Just a sneaky transfer and haul out0:23 from 45 Degrees Sailing

Hanse Yachts 46014.60 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 2022 Berret-Racoupeau fractional sloop with a 4.79-metre beam and a 2.25-metre draft for stable, high-volume cruising

Hanse 460 - Norwegian0:10 from SEILmagasinet

The family

Boats like this

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

Nicholson 45A 13-metre masthead sloop featuring a skeg-mounted rudder and a deep 2.15-metre draft for offshore stability Nicholson 43A Raymond Wall-designed masthead sloop with a high ballast ratio, built for offshore stability and performance Nicholson 42A 12.75-metre masthead sloop with a moderate 1.68-metre draft, balancing offshore capability with coastal accessibility Nicholson 40 ACA 12-metre aft-cockpit cruiser with a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder, built by Nicholson for stable offshore passage making Nicholson 55A Raymond Wall-designed masthead sloop with a skeg-hung rudder, famously commissioned by the Ministry of Defence

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The fleet has more to say

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