The Gloucester 22 is well-powered with enough sail area to move in light air, with a quick, snappy motion best suited to day sailing, designed for cruising comfort rather than racing.
Hull Speed
The theoretical displacement-mode speed limit — determined by waterline length, not engine or sail power.
A displacement hull pushes a bow wave whose speed is limited by the waterline length.
With a waterline of 18.7′, the Gloucester 22 tops out around 5.8 knots in displacement mode — after that, the bow wave outruns the hull and resistance climbs steeply.
1.34 × √18.7′ LWL = 5.8 kts
Performance Ratios
Racing handicap, sail-carrying power, stability and comfort — and what each one actually tells you about a day on the water.
PHRF Rating
192s/nm
Typical cruiser — designed for comfort and ease, not podium finishes.
SA / Displacement
19.3
Powerful cruiser/racer — quick in light air, reef early when it pipes up.
Ballast / Displacement
33.3%
Typical cruising ballast — balanced stability and motion underway.
Displacement / Length
165
Moderate — a good balance of speed and load-carrying ability.
Comfort Ratio
11.9
Quick, snappy motion — better for day sails and racing than long passages.
Capsize Screening
2.39
Above the 2.0 offshore threshold — best suited for coastal and protected waters.
Pounds/Inch Immersion
534lbs
Weight needed to sink the hull one inch — loading sensitivity.
Motion & Offshore Suitability
Two ratios that matter most when you're planning passages — how the boat feels in a seaway, and whether the hull geometry is suitable for open ocean.
Comfort Ratio
11.9
Quick, snappy motion — better for day sails and racing than long passages.
Under 20 — Snappy, racing motion
20–30 — Acceptable coastal
30–40 — Good offshore comfort
Over 40 — Very comfortable offshore
Capsize Screening Formula
2.39
Above the 2.0 offshore threshold — best suited for coastal and protected waters.
Under 2.0 — Acceptable for offshore
Over 2.0 — Coastal / protected waters
PHRF Fleet Position
Where the Gloucester 22 sits on the PHRF handicap spectrum — lower numbers mean faster boats.
Cruiser/Racer 90–150
Cruiser 150–210
Heavy Cruiser 210–300
Gloucester 22
192s/nm
Typical cruiser — designed for comfort and ease, not podium finishes.
Laguna 22
240s/nm
Cs 22
249s/nm
Seafarer 22
282s/nm
Oday 22
285s/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° |
2.5 |
3.1 |
3.5 |
3.6 |
| Close Reach60° |
3.0 |
3.8 |
4.2 |
4.4 |
| Beam Reach90° |
3.6 |
4.6 |
5.2 |
5.6 |
| Broad Reach120–135° |
3.4 |
4.3 |
4.8 |
5.2 |
| Run150–180° |
2.7 |
3.4 |
3.8 |
4.0 |
These are simplified estimates based on hull speed (5.8 kts),
SA/D (19.3), 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 Gloucester 22 — based on sail area, ballast, and displacement characteristics.
Ghost
Sweet Spot
Reef
Heavy
0–6 kts
6–18 kts
18–26 kts
26+ kts
Ghosting
0–6 kts
Light air, motor-sailing likely. Need patience and a light genoa.
Sweet Spot
6–18 kts
Comfortable under full sail. Best speed-to-comfort ratio.
Time to Reef
18–26 kts
Time to shorten sail. Reef the main, swap to a working jib.
Heavy Weather
26+ 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 Gloucester 22.
|
Gloucester 22 |
Chrysler 22 Fk |
Cs 22 |
Laguna 22 |
Oday 22 |
Seafarer 22 |
| Dimensions |
| LOA |
21.7 |
21.6 |
21.6 |
21.6 |
21.7 |
21.7 |
| LWL |
18.7 |
19.0 |
17.5 |
19.0 |
18.9 |
18.3 |
| Beam |
8.0 |
7.8 |
8.0 |
8.0 |
7.2 |
7.4 |
| Displacement |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| Ballast |
800 |
725 |
1 |
900 |
800 |
780 |
| Sail Area |
216 |
— |
194 |
206 |
— |
207 |
| Performance |
| PHRF |
192 |
— |
249 |
240 |
285 |
282 |
| SA/Disp |
19.3 |
— |
18.4 |
19.1 |
— |
19.1 |
| Bal/Disp |
33.3 |
24.2 |
50.0 |
39.5 |
36.7 |
— |
| Comfort |
11.9 |
15.3 |
11.4 |
11.2 |
— |
12.7 |
| Capsize |
2.39 |
2.15 |
2.46 |
2.43 |
— |
2.25 |
| Hull Speed |
5.8 |
5.8 |
5.6 |
5.8 |
— |
5.7 |