What is the Buccaneer 33 Crowther's sail area to displacement ratio?

The Buccaneer 33 Crowther has a Sail Area to Displacement ratio (SA/D) of 35.33. Values between 14–18 are typical cruising sailboats; 18–22 is cruiser/racer; over 22 is performance racing.

How much does a Buccaneer 33 Crowther weigh?

The Buccaneer 33 Crowther has a displacement of 6,000.00 lb and a length overall (LOA) of 33.25 ft.

Who designed the Buccaneer 33 Crowther?

The Buccaneer 33 Crowther was designed by Lock Crowther, first built in 1973.

Buccaneer 33 Crowther Performance — PHRF Rating, Hull Speed & Sailing Characteristics

The Buccaneer 33 Crowther is aggressively canvassed for its weight.

Hull Speed

The theoretical displacement-mode speed limit — determined by waterline length, not engine or sail power.

7.5 kts

A displacement hull pushes a bow wave whose speed is limited by the waterline length. With a waterline of 31.5′, the Buccaneer 33 Crowther tops out around 7.5 knots in displacement mode — after that, the bow wave outruns the hull and resistance climbs steeply.

1.34 × √31.5′ LWL = 7.5 kts

Performance Ratios

Racing handicap, sail-carrying power, stability and comfort — and what each one actually tells you about a day on the water.

SA / Displacement

35.3

Performance-oriented — carries a lot of canvas for its weight.

Displacement / Length

Ultralight — responsive and fast, but carries less stores.

Hull Speed

7.5kts

PHRF Fleet Position

Where the Buccaneer 33 Crowther sits on the PHRF handicap spectrum — lower numbers mean faster boats.

Racer 0–90

Cruiser/Racer 90–150

Cruiser 150–210

J/33 84s/nm

Frers 33 108s/nm

Tartan 10 126s/nm

Yamaha 33 144s/nm

Estimated Speed by Wind

Rough boat speed estimates at different true wind speeds and points of sail — derived from hull speed, SA/D, and displacement, not measured polars.

Point of Sail	6 kts TWS	10 kts TWS	15 kts TWS	20 kts TWS
Close-hauled40–50°	3.5	4.5	5.0	5.2
Close Reach60°	4.3	5.4	6.0	6.3
Beam Reach90°	5.2	6.6	7.4	8.0
Broad Reach120–135°	4.8	6.1	6.8	7.4
Run150–180°	3.9	4.9	5.5	5.7

These are simplified estimates based on hull speed (7.5 kts), SA/D (35.3), and empirical efficiency curves — not instrument-measured polars. Real-world speed varies with sea state, bottom condition, sail trim, and current. Speeds in gold approach hull speed; bold gold means near or at hull speed.

Wind Range & Comfort Envelope

Estimated wind ranges for comfortable sailing on the Buccaneer 33 Crowther — based on sail area, ballast, and displacement characteristics.

Ghost

Sweet Spot

Reef

Heavy

0–5 kts 5–16 kts 16–24 kts 24+ kts

Ghosting

0–5 kts

Light air, motor-sailing likely. Need patience and a light genoa.

Sweet Spot

5–16 kts

Comfortable under full sail. Best speed-to-comfort ratio.

Time to Reef

16–24 kts

Time to shorten sail. Reef the main, swap to a working jib.

Heavy Weather

24+ kts

Storm conditions. Storm jib or bare poles. Seek shelter if coastal.

How It Compares

Side-by-side with the boats most often cross-shopped against the Buccaneer 33 Crowther.

	Buccaneer 33 Crowther	Frers 33	Grand Soleil 34 Finot	J/33	Tartan 10	Yamaha 33
Dimensions
LOA	33.3	33.3	33.4	33.3	33.1	33.4
LWL	31.5	26.5	27.0	27.9	27.0	26.9
Beam	23.5	11.3	11.3	11.4	9.3	11.0
Displacement	6	9	9	9	6	9
Ballast	—	4	3	3	3	4
Sail Area	727	557	665	530	486	492
Performance
PHRF	—	108	—	84	126	144
SA/Disp	35.3	20.7	23.2	20.7	22.0	17.4
Bal/Disp	—	44.4	35.6	41.1	—	—
Comfort	—	19.4	20.9	26.2	18.5	21.3
Capsize	—	2.17	2.11	1.67	1.97	2.07
Hull Speed	—	6.9	7.0	8.1	7.0	7.0