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Cal 39 Mk Iii
Designer: C. William Lapworth  ·  Builder: Bangor Punta  ·  First built: 1983
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About the Cal 39 Mk Iii

Designed by the legendary C. William Lapworth and built by Bangor Punta starting in 1983, this refined iteration of the Cal 39 represents the evolution of a proven coastal cruiser-racer platform. Lapworth's signature design philosophy shines through in the balanced proportions and moderate dimensions that made Cal boats popular among sailors seeking versatile performance. With its fin keel and spade rudder configuration, the Mk III delivers responsive handling and solid windward ability, while the masthead sloop rig provides straightforward sail handling for shorthanded crews. The displacement of 19,000 pounds with 7,000 pounds of ballast creates a stable platform that's comfortable in coastal waters and capable of extended offshore passages. The boat's sail area-to-displacement ratio of 16.22 indicates spirited performance in light to moderate conditions, while the comfort ratio of 31.41 suggests motion that's acceptable for coastal cruising rather than extended ocean passages. The capsize screening value of 1.8 falls within acceptable limits for offshore sailing, though the boat truly excels in coastal and near-shore environments. This Cal 39 variant appeals to sailors wanting a well-balanced boat capable of club racing, weekend cruising, and occasional longer passages, backed by Lapworth's reputation for creating seaworthy, practical designs.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 39.00 ft / 11.89 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 32.08 ft / 9.78 m
Beam 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
Max Draft 6.75 ft / 2.06 m
Displacement 19,000.00 lb / 8,618 kg
Ballast 7,000.00 lb / 3,175 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 719.00 ft² / 66.80 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer C. William Lapworth
Builder Bangor Punta
First Built 1983
Related Sailboats ["Cal 39 Mk Ii 1 147" · "Ericson 39 B" · "Freedom 39" · "Santana 39" · "Hunter 39"]
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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
 16.22
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
 36.84
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
 256.92
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
 31.41
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
 1.8
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. 7.59 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
 2.04
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. 1,375.50 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. 16.22
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 50.00 ft / 15.24 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 16.67 ft / 5.08 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 44.00 ft / 13.41 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 13.75 ft / 4.19 m
SA Fore 416.75 ft² / 38.72 m²
SA Main 302.50 ft² / 28.10 m²
SA Total (100%) 719.25 ft² / 66.82 m²
Est. Forestay Length 52.71 ft / 16.07 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Universal or Pathfinder
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 44
Fuel Capacity 43 gals / 163 L
Water Capacity 125 gals / 473 L
How It Compares

vs. Ericson 39 B, Freedom 39, Santana 39

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
39.0 ft
Ericson 39 B
39.0 ft
Freedom 39
39.0 ft
Santana 39
39.0 ft
LWL
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
32.1 ft
Ericson 39 B
30.0 ft
Freedom 39
31.0 ft
Santana 39
31.0 ft
Beam
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
12.0 ft
Ericson 39 B
11.3 ft
Freedom 39
12.8 ft
Santana 39
11.7 ft
Displacement
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
19 lbs
Ericson 39 B
19 lbs
Freedom 39
18 lbs
Santana 39
18 lbs
Ballast
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
7 lbs
Ericson 39 B
9 lbs
Freedom 39
5 lbs
Santana 39
6 lbs
Sail Area
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
719 sq ft
Ericson 39 B
720 sq ft
Freedom 39
818 sq ft
Santana 39
686 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
—
Ericson 39 B
114 s/nm
Freedom 39
156 s/nm
Santana 39
126 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
16.2
Ericson 39 B
16.2
Freedom 39
18.8
Santana 39
16.0
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
36.8 %
Ericson 39 B
50.0 %
Freedom 39
28.7 %
Santana 39
36.7 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
31.4
Ericson 39 B
35.4
Freedom 39
28.6
Santana 39
31.6
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
1.80
Ericson 39 B
1.70
Freedom 39
1.94
Santana 39
1.78
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
256
Ericson 39 B
314
Freedom 39
277
Santana 39
269
Hull Speed
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
7.6 kts
Ericson 39 B
7.3 kts
Freedom 39
7.5 kts
Santana 39
7.5 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Cal 39 Mk Iii ★
2.0
Ericson 39 B
1.6
Freedom 39
—
Santana 39
1.9
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