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Calkins 50
Designer: Wendell H. Calkins  ·  Builder: American Marine (Hk) Stoll Shipyards(Usa)  ·  First built: 1960
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About the Calkins 50

Designed by Wendell H. Calkins and first launched in 1960, this substantial 50-footer represents classic American cruising yacht design from the golden age of offshore sailing. Built with traditional strip-planked mahogany construction by American Marine in Hong Kong and Stoll Shipyards in the USA, the Calkins 50 showcases the quality craftsmanship that defined serious cruising boats of the era. With her generous 43-foot waterline and moderate displacement of 27,500 pounds, this masthead sloop delivers impressive performance for extended offshore passages. The fin keel with rudder-on-skeg configuration provides excellent directional stability while maintaining manageable handling characteristics. Her substantial 7,000-pound ballast ratio ensures solid sailing performance in challenging conditions, making her well-suited for serious coastal and offshore cruising. The boat's impressive sail area of 1,038 square feet gives her respectable performance in light to moderate winds, while her hull speed of nearly 9 knots makes for efficient passage-making. The conservative comfort ratio of 34.43 and favorable capsize screening value of 1.59 underscore her seaworthiness and motion characteristics that prioritize crew comfort during extended voyages. This design appeals to sailors seeking a traditional, well-built cruising yacht capable of handling serious offshore work.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 50.00 ft / 15.24 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 43.00 ft / 13.11 m
Beam 12.00 ft / 3.66 m
Max Draft 7.50 ft / 2.29 m
Displacement 27,500.00 lb / 12,474 kg
Ballast 7,000.00 lb / 3,175 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 1,038.00 ft² / 96.43 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction Wood (strip. planked mahogany)
Designer Wendell H. Calkins
Builder American Marine (HK) Stoll Shipyards(USA)
First Built 1960
Related Sailboats ["Columbia 50" · "Kettenburg 50" · "Sailcrafter 50" · "Cc 50" · "Swan 50 Ss"]
Owner Reviews

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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
 18.3
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
 25.45
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
 154.41
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
 34.43
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
 1.59
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. 8.79 kn
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. 1,843.72 pounds/inch
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Ford
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 120
Fuel Capacity 250 gals / 946 L
Water Capacity 300 gals / 1,136 L
How It Compares

vs. Cc 50, Kettenburg 50, Sailcrafter 50

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Calkins 50 ★
50.0 ft
Cc 50
49.8 ft
Kettenburg 50
50.0 ft
Sailcrafter 50
50.0 ft
LWL
Calkins 50 ★
43.0 ft
Cc 50
39.0 ft
Kettenburg 50
34.5 ft
Sailcrafter 50
33.3 ft
Beam
Calkins 50 ★
12.0 ft
Cc 50
14.5 ft
Kettenburg 50
13.5 ft
Sailcrafter 50
12.0 ft
Displacement
Calkins 50 ★
27 lbs
Cc 50
31 lbs
Kettenburg 50
29 lbs
Sailcrafter 50
32 lbs
Ballast
Calkins 50 ★
7 lbs
Cc 50
15 lbs
Kettenburg 50
9 lbs
Sailcrafter 50
14 lbs
Sail Area
Calkins 50 ★
1 sq ft
Cc 50
1 sq ft
Kettenburg 50
988 sq ft
Sailcrafter 50
979 sq ft
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Calkins 50 ★
18.3
Cc 50
20.7
Kettenburg 50
16.8
Sailcrafter 50
15.6
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Calkins 50 ★
25.5 %
Cc 50
—
Kettenburg 50
31.0 %
Sailcrafter 50
45.6 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Calkins 50 ★
34.4
Cc 50
32.3
Kettenburg 50
35.8
Sailcrafter 50
47.1
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Calkins 50 ★
1.59
Cc 50
1.85
Kettenburg 50
1.76
Sailcrafter 50
1.52
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Calkins 50 ★
154
Cc 50
—
Kettenburg 50
315
Sailcrafter 50
388
Hull Speed
Calkins 50 ★
8.8 kts
Cc 50
8.4 kts
Kettenburg 50
7.9 kts
Sailcrafter 50
7.7 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Calkins 50 ★
—
Cc 50
2.7
Kettenburg 50
1.6
Sailcrafter 50
—
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