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Cal 2 24
Designer: C. William Lapworth  ·  Builder: Jensen Marine (Usa)  ·  First built: 1967
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About the Cal 2 24

Designed by the legendary C. William Lapworth and built by Jensen Marine from 1967 to 1971, this compact cruiser represents California's golden age of fiberglass sailboat production. With 185 hulls produced during its four-year run, the Cal 2 24 earned a solid reputation among sailors seeking an affordable yet capable small yacht. The boat's fin keel and spade rudder configuration delivers responsive handling and respectable performance for its era, while the fractional sloop rig provides balanced sail handling. At 24 feet overall with a displacement of 3,700 pounds and 1,400 pounds of ballast, she offers enough stability and interior volume for weekend cruising or coastal exploration. Lapworth's design philosophy emphasized seaworthiness without sacrificing sailing ability, evident in the boat's moderate proportions and sensible layout. The comfortable ratio of 18.12 suggests adequate motion comfort for short-handed sailing, while the fiberglass construction has proven durable over the decades. Best suited for coastal cruising, day sailing, and light offshore work, the Cal 2 24 appeals to sailors wanting classic design heritage in a manageable size. Her reputation for solid construction and pleasant sailing characteristics has made surviving examples sought-after among enthusiasts of vintage California boats.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 24.00 ft / 7.32 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 19.17 ft / 5.84 m
Beam 7.75 ft / 2.36 m
Max Draft 4.00 ft / 1.22 m
Displacement 3,700.00 lb / 1,678 kg
Ballast 1,400.00 lb / 635 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 271.00 ft² / 25.18 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer C. William Lapworth
Builder Jensen Marine (USA)
First Built 1967
Last Built 1971
Number Built 185
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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
18.17
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
37.84
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
234.47
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
18.12
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
2.01
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. 5.87 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
2.44
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. 530.85 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. 18.15
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 27.50 ft / 8.38 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 9.75 ft / 2.97 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 26.00 ft / 7.92 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 10.50 ft / 3.20 m
SA Fore 134.06 ft² / 12.45 m²
SA Main 136.50 ft² / 12.68 m²
SA Total (100%) 270.56 ft² / 25.14 m²
Est. Forestay Length 29.18 ft / 8.89 m
How It Compares

vs. Columbia 24 Contender, Islander 24, Lark 24 Pearson

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Cal 2 24 ★
24.0 ft
Columbia 24 Contender
24.0 ft
Islander 24
24.0 ft
Lark 24 Pearson
24.0 ft
LWL
Cal 2 24 ★
19.2 ft
Columbia 24 Contender
18.3 ft
Islander 24
20.0 ft
Lark 24 Pearson
18.5 ft
Beam
Cal 2 24 ★
7.8 ft
Columbia 24 Contender
7.8 ft
Islander 24
7.8 ft
Lark 24 Pearson
8.0 ft
Displacement
Cal 2 24 ★
3 lbs
Columbia 24 Contender
3 lbs
Islander 24
3 lbs
Lark 24 Pearson
4 lbs
Ballast
Cal 2 24 ★
1 lbs
Columbia 24 Contender
1 lbs
Islander 24
1 lbs
Lark 24 Pearson
1 lbs
Sail Area
Cal 2 24 ★
271 sq ft
Columbia 24 Contender
288 sq ft
Islander 24
294 sq ft
Lark 24 Pearson
283 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Cal 2 24 ★
Columbia 24 Contender
258 s/nm
Islander 24
237 s/nm
Lark 24 Pearson
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Cal 2 24 ★
18.2
Columbia 24 Contender
19.7
Islander 24
21.3
Lark 24 Pearson
17.2
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Cal 2 24 ★
37.8 %
Columbia 24 Contender
44.4 %
Islander 24
51.5 %
Lark 24 Pearson
41.9 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Cal 2 24 ★
18.1
Columbia 24 Contender
18.0
Islander 24
15.5
Lark 24 Pearson
20.7
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Cal 2 24 ★
2.01
Columbia 24 Contender
2.05
Islander 24
2.11
Lark 24 Pearson
1.97
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Cal 2 24 ★
234
Columbia 24 Contender
264
Islander 24
184
Lark 24 Pearson
303
Hull Speed
Cal 2 24 ★
5.9 kts
Columbia 24 Contender
5.7 kts
Islander 24
6.0 kts
Lark 24 Pearson
5.8 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Cal 2 24 ★
2.4
Columbia 24 Contender
2.3
Islander 24
3.2
Lark 24 Pearson
1.7
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