BoatsCape Cod Shipbuilding Shields

Cape Cod Shipbuilding Shields

Fractional Sloop · Fin Keel · First built 1962

A Sparkman & Stephens fractional sloop commissioned in 1962 as a fibreglass successor to the International One-Design

Designed by Sparkman & Stephens.

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

See her sail

The Cape Cod Shipbuilding Shields, on the water

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

Footage from SEILmagasinet

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 26 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 26
CoastalBluewater

At 1.55 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.55
LightHeavy

257 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 257
EasygoingPowered-up

21.0 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 21.0
TenderStiff

67% of her weight is ballast — very stiff, carrying full sail in a blow.

Ballast 67%

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

  • Lighter than ~82% of boats her size on file
  • Narrower than ~99% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2551 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Cape Cod Shipbuilding Shields, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Cape Cod Shipbuilding Shields is a 9.2-meter fractional sloop with a fin keel, designed by Sparkman & Stephens and first built in 1962. Cornelius Shields commissioned the design as a fiberglass replacement for the International One-Design. The boat displaces 2086 kg, has a 2.0-meter beam, and draws 1.4 meters. Chris Craft was the first builder of the Shields.

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
Ballast / displacement
67.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
21.0
Displacement / length
256.7
Comfort ratio
25.9
Capsize screening
1.55
Hull speed
6.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
459
Hull
Hull type
Fin Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
First built 1962
Units built
220
Designer
Sparkman, Stephens
Builder
Cape Cod Shipbuilding

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.

Maestro Boats 319.30 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn E.G. van de Stadt-designed IOR 1/2 ton racer with a high sail area-to-displacement ratio for spirited performance
Half-tonners at Grimsøy2:18from SEILmagasinet
Hunter Boats Horizon 309.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA David Thomas-designed fractional sloop with twin keels, offered in kit form for versatile shoal-water cruising
Ultimate Canal Boat Cruising (36 hours in Bruges)0:39from Gone with the Wynns
Islander Yachts Bahama 309.12 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1973-1985 production masthead sloop sharing its hull with the Islander 30 MKII and featuring a balanced fin keel
Diesel Overheating Dinghy Pump Hack3:07from Practical Sailor
Spirit Yachts 30 (McMILLAN)9.15 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA lightweight, narrow-beam fractional sloop from Sean McMillan, designed for modern performance and classic aesthetics
Thomas Nilsson talks with Øyvind and Morten Knudsen4:39from SEILmagasinet
C&C Yachts 30-1 (1-506)9.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthWith a 12-year production run, this masthead sloop stands as the longest-built model in the C&C lineup.
Sailor of the Month - Randy Stafford3:50from American Sailing
Newport 30-19.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthThe original 1968 production run of this masthead sloop, featuring a fin keel and spade rudder for coastal sailing
⛵️ I Tried Boiling Water Out of My Boat... It Actually Worked - sort of?!13:53from Living For Sail

The family

Boats like this

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

She 36A Sparkman & Stephens IOR 3/4 ton racer that shares its hull design with the Northstar 1500 and Hughes 35She 31A Sparkman & Stephens design #1899, this masthead sloop was produced internationally as the IW-31 and She 9.5.Cape Cod Shipbuilding 110Originally designed for plywood construction, this nimble fractional sloop has been raced since 1938She 33A Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop with a high sail area-to-displacement ratio, designed for performance in 1978

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Cape Cod Shipbuilding Shields

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