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Bowman 46 Corsair
Designer: Holman & Pye  ·  Builder: Bowman  ·  First built: 1972
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About the Bowman 46 Corsair

Launched in 1972, this substantial cruising yacht emerged from the respected drawing boards of Holman & Pye during an era when British yacht design was reaching new heights of sophistication. The Corsair represents a classic approach to offshore cruising, combining traditional seaworthiness with the modern conveniences that discerning sailors of the 1970s demanded. With her fin keel and rudder mounted on a protective skeg, the Corsair strikes an ideal balance between performance and security. This configuration provides responsive handling while offering the rudder protection crucial for serious offshore work. Her masthead sloop rig delivers ample power with 720 square feet of working sail, while the modest sail area to displacement ratio of 14.1 ensures manageable sail handling even when short-handed. The hull's generous beam of nearly 13 feet creates spacious accommodations below, while her substantial displacement of 23,500 pounds provides the stability and load-carrying capacity essential for extended cruising. A comfort ratio of 33.25 places her firmly in the comfortable motion category, making long passages more pleasant for crew and guests alike. Her capsize screening value of 1.81 confirms her suitability for offshore passages, where her traditional virtues of strength and seaworthiness truly shine.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 46.00 ft / 14.02 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 31.96 ft / 9.74 m
Beam 12.92 ft / 3.94 m
Max Draft 7.00 ft / 2.13 m
Displacement 23,500.00 lb / 10,659 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 720.00 ft² / 66.89 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Holman & Pye
Builder Bowman
First Built 1972
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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
 14.1
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
 321.37
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
 33.25
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
 1.81
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. 7.58 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
 1.38
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. 1,475.42 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. 14.1
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 48.00 ft / 14.63 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 17.00 ft / 5.18 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 42.50 ft / 12.95 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 14.70 ft / 4.48 m
SA Fore 408.00 ft² / 37.90 m²
SA Main 312.38 ft² / 29.02 m²
SA Total (100%) 720.38 ft² / 66.93 m²
Est. Forestay Length 50.92 ft / 15.52 m
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