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Birdie 24
Designer: Harry Becker  ·  Builder: Eggel & Co. (Swe)  ·  First built: 1976
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About the Birdie 24

Designed by Harry Becker and built by Sweden's Eggel & Co. from 1976 to 1985, this compact 24-footer represents thoughtful Scandinavian naval architecture from the late 1970s boat-building boom. With 360 hulls produced during its nine-year production run, the Birdie 24 found a solid following among sailors seeking an affordable entry into serious sailing. The boat's fractional sloop rig and respectable sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.83 suggest spirited performance potential, while the substantial ballast-to-displacement ratio of nearly 48% provides reassuring stability. The fin keel with rudder on skeg configuration offers a good compromise between maneuverability and directional stability, making it well-suited for coastal cruising and club racing. At just over 20 feet on the waterline, the Birdie 24 delivers a theoretical hull speed of 6 knots, adequate for weekend adventures and short coastal passages. The moderate comfort ratio of 17.8 indicates reasonable motion at sea for a boat this size, though accommodations will naturally be compact. The capsize screening value of 2.02 places it at the upper edge of the acceptable range for coastal sailing, suggesting this boat performs best in protected to semi-protected waters rather than offshore passages.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 24.15 ft / 7.36 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 20.08 ft / 6.12 m
Beam 7.91 ft / 2.41 m
Max Draft 4.10 ft / 1.25 m
Displacement 3,858.00 lb / 1,750 kg
Ballast 1,852.00 lb / 840 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 258.00 ft² / 23.97 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Harry Becker
Builder Eggel & Co. (SWE)
First Built 1976
Last Built 1985
Number Built 360
Related Sailboats ["Shark 24" · "Dolphin 24 Yankee" · "Seafarer 24" · "Columbia 24 Contender" · "Islander 24"]
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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 16.83
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 48
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 212.73
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 17.8
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 2.02
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 6.00 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 2.54
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 567.53 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 16.87
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 30.77 ft / 9.38 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 10.04 ft / 3.06 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 26.25 ft / 8.00 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 7.94 ft / 2.42 m
SA Fore 154.47 ft² / 14.35 m²
SA Main 104.21 ft² / 9.68 m²
SA Total (100%) 258.68 ft² / 24.03 m²
Est. Forestay Length 32.37 ft / 9.87 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Vire
Engine Type Gas
Horsepower 7
How It Compares

vs. Columbia 24 Contender, Dolphin 24 Yankee, Seafarer 24

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Birdie 24 ★
24.2 ft
Columbia 24 Contender
24.0 ft
Dolphin 24 Yankee
24.2 ft
Seafarer 24
24.1 ft
LWL
Birdie 24 ★
20.1 ft
Columbia 24 Contender
18.3 ft
Dolphin 24 Yankee
19.0 ft
Seafarer 24
20.8 ft
Beam
Birdie 24 ★
7.9 ft
Columbia 24 Contender
7.8 ft
Dolphin 24 Yankee
7.7 ft
Seafarer 24
7.8 ft
Displacement
Birdie 24 ★
3 lbs
Columbia 24 Contender
3 lbs
Dolphin 24 Yankee
4 lbs
Seafarer 24
3 lbs
Ballast
Birdie 24 ★
1 lbs
Columbia 24 Contender
1 lbs
Dolphin 24 Yankee
1 lbs
Seafarer 24
1 lbs
Sail Area
Birdie 24 ★
258 sq ft
Columbia 24 Contender
288 sq ft
Dolphin 24 Yankee
295 sq ft
Seafarer 24
258 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Birdie 24 ★
—
Columbia 24 Contender
258 s/nm
Dolphin 24 Yankee
—
Seafarer 24
246 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Birdie 24 ★
16.8
Columbia 24 Contender
19.7
Dolphin 24 Yankee
18.0
Seafarer 24
16.7
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Birdie 24 ★
48.0 %
Columbia 24 Contender
44.4 %
Dolphin 24 Yankee
38.8 %
Seafarer 24
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Birdie 24 ★
17.8
Columbia 24 Contender
18.0
Dolphin 24 Yankee
21.2
Seafarer 24
17.9
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Birdie 24 ★
2.02
Columbia 24 Contender
2.05
Dolphin 24 Yankee
1.90
Seafarer 24
1.99
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Birdie 24 ★
212
Columbia 24 Contender
264
Dolphin 24 Yankee
276
Seafarer 24
—
Hull Speed
Birdie 24 ★
6.0 kts
Columbia 24 Contender
5.7 kts
Dolphin 24 Yankee
5.8 kts
Seafarer 24
6.1 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Birdie 24 ★
2.5
Columbia 24 Contender
2.3
Dolphin 24 Yankee
2.0
Seafarer 24
2.7
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