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This 24 Foot Sailboat Can Cross Oceans… Seriously
25 May 2026 · 9 min · 59K views
Dana 24 glides on blue water near arid hills.
What this video covers
The Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 — a 24-foot, cutter-rigged full-keel offshore cruiser — challenges the widespread assumption that ocean passage-making requires a 40-foot boat.▶ 0:20 Designed by Bill Krelok, the Dana 24 measures 27 feet overall with its bowsprit, carries a beam just under 8.5 feet, drafts just under 4 feet, and displaces 7,400–8,000 pounds with roughly 3,100 pounds of ballast — a ballast ratio in the low 40% range, unusually high for its size.▶ 0:55 The full keel delivers strong directional stability and reduces helm workload offshore, though it makes tight marina maneuvering slow and deliberate.▶ 2:11 Hull speed runs in the mid-5-knot range; expect 4–6 knots depending on conditions, with light-air performance the weakest point.▶ 3:10 The cutter rig allows stepped sail reduction, a practical advantage for shorthanded sailing.▶ 2:42 Below, the boat fits two full-length settees, a forward V-berth, a functional galley, and an enclosed head — rare on a 24-footer — with roughly 6 feet of headroom in key areas.▶ 4:06 The specific boat discussed is located in La Paz and is fitted with solar, modern electronics including AIS and a chartplotter, a windlass, and Starlink.▶ 5:02 Pacific Seacraft's solid fiberglass construction and conservative laminate schedule give these boats strong resale value.▶ 6:25 The trade-offs are speed, finite storage, and a used-market price high relative to length.▶ 7:09
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