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Cal 43
Designer: C. William Lapworth  ·  Builder: Jensen Marine (Usa)  ·  First built: 1971
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About the Cal 43

Designed by the legendary C. William Lapworth and built by Jensen Marine for just two years in the early 1970s, this rare Cal represents a brief but notable chapter in California yacht building. With only 14 hulls ever produced, the Cal 43 stands as one of the more exclusive entries in the Cal fleet, embodying Lapworth's signature approach to performance-oriented cruising designs. The boat's specifications reveal a well-balanced platform suited for serious coastal and offshore sailing. Her moderate displacement of 20,000 pounds combined with 8,000 pounds of ballast creates a stable foundation, while the fin keel and spade rudder configuration delivers responsive handling characteristics typical of Lapworth's racing-influenced designs. The masthead sloop rig provides versatile sail handling options for various conditions. With a comfort ratio of 33.62, she falls into the moderate range that appeals to sailors seeking a blend of performance and livability. The capsize screening value of 1.7 indicates good stability for offshore work, making her suitable for extended coastal cruising and capable blue water passages. Her fiberglass construction has proven durable over the decades, though finding parts or sister ships for comparison may prove challenging given the limited production run.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 42.65 ft / 13.00 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 32.50 ft / 9.91 m
Beam 11.50 ft / 3.51 m
Max Draft 6.50 ft / 1.98 m
Displacement 20,000.00 lb / 9,072 kg
Ballast 8,000.00 lb / 3,629 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 832.00 ft² / 77.30 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer C. William Lapworth
Builder Jensen Marine (USA)
First Built 1971
Last Built 1972
Number Built 14
Related Sailboats Pearson 43 · Swan 43 Ss · Cc 42 Custom · J/42 · Catalina 425
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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 108
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
 18.14
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
 40
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
 260.09
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
 33.62
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
 1.7
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. 7.64 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
 2.18
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. 1,335.45 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. 18.14
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 52.00 ft / 15.85 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 17.16 ft / 5.23 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 45.42 ft / 13.84 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 17.00 ft / 5.18 m
SA Fore 446.16 ft² / 41.45 m²
SA Main 386.07 ft² / 35.87 m²
SA Total (100%) 832.23 ft² / 77.32 m²
Est. Forestay Length 54.76 ft / 16.69 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Universal
Engine Type Gas
Fuel Capacity 40 gals / 151 L
Water Capacity 70 gals / 265 L
How It Compares

vs. Catalina 425, Cc 42 Custom, J/42, Pearson 43, Swan 43 Ss

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Cal 43 ★
42.7 ft
Catalina 425
42.5 ft
Cc 42 Custom
42.5 ft
J/42
42.5 ft
Pearson 43
42.8 ft
Swan 43 Ss
42.8 ft
LWL
Cal 43 ★
32.5 ft
Catalina 425
37.0 ft
Cc 42 Custom
34.3 ft
J/42
36.0 ft
Pearson 43
31.3 ft
Swan 43 Ss
31.0 ft
Beam
Cal 43 ★
11.5 ft
Catalina 425
13.8 ft
Cc 42 Custom
12.9 ft
J/42
13.5 ft
Pearson 43
11.8 ft
Swan 43 Ss
11.7 ft
Displacement
Cal 43 ★
20 lbs
Catalina 425
21 lbs
Cc 42 Custom
20 lbs
J/42
19 lbs
Pearson 43
21 lbs
Swan 43 Ss
19 lbs
Ballast
Cal 43 ★
8 lbs
Catalina 425
8 lbs
Cc 42 Custom
—
J/42
8 lbs
Pearson 43
9 lbs
Swan 43 Ss
10 lbs
Sail Area
Cal 43 ★
832 sq ft
Catalina 425
870 sq ft
Cc 42 Custom
835 sq ft
J/42
840 sq ft
Pearson 43
797 sq ft
Swan 43 Ss
825 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Cal 43 ★
108 s/nm
Catalina 425
—
Cc 42 Custom
—
J/42
78 s/nm
Pearson 43
135 s/nm
Swan 43 Ss
102 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Cal 43 ★
18.1
Catalina 425
18.3
Cc 42 Custom
18.2
J/42
17.0
Pearson 43
16.4
Swan 43 Ss
18.1
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Cal 43 ★
40.0 %
Catalina 425
40.0 %
Cc 42 Custom
—
J/42
42.1 %
Pearson 43
42.0 %
Swan 43 Ss
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Cal 43 ★
33.6
Catalina 425
25.4
Cc 42 Custom
27.9
J/42
34.1
Pearson 43
36.5
Swan 43 Ss
33.7
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Cal 43 ★
1.70
Catalina 425
2.00
Cc 42 Custom
1.91
J/42
1.59
Pearson 43
1.69
Swan 43 Ss
1.73
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Cal 43 ★
260
Catalina 425
185
Cc 42 Custom
222
J/42
163
Pearson 43
318
Swan 43 Ss
—
Hull Speed
Cal 43 ★
7.6 kts
Catalina 425
8.2 kts
Cc 42 Custom
7.8 kts
J/42
9.8 kts
Pearson 43
7.5 kts
Swan 43 Ss
7.5 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Cal 43 ★
2.2
Catalina 425
—
Cc 42 Custom
—
J/42
—
Pearson 43
1.6
Swan 43 Ss
1.8
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