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Great South Bay One Design

Designer: Francis Sweisguth  ·  Builder: Central Shipyard (Usa)  ·  First built: 1937
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About the Great South Bay One Design

Designed by Francis Sweisguth in 1937 and built by Central Shipyard, this classic wooden sailboat emerged from Long Island's Great South Bay sailing tradition during the golden age of one-design racing. The fractional sloop rig and traditional wood construction reflect the craftsmanship standards of its era, creating a boat that remains both historically significant and competitively viable. With its moderate displacement of 2,000 pounds and 750 pounds of ballast, this design strikes an excellent balance between stability and performance. The keel/centerboard configuration provides versatility for both deeper waters and the shallow bay sailing for which it was originally intended. At 24 feet overall with an 18-foot waterline, the boat offers surprising cockpit space within its 7.08-foot beam while maintaining the nimble handling characteristics prized in one-design racing. The 280 square feet of sail area delivers spirited performance, particularly in the moderate conditions typical of protected waters. A comfort ratio of 11.51 indicates this is primarily a daysailer and racing boat rather than a cruising vessel, while the capsize screening value of 2.25 confirms its suitability for protected and near-coastal waters. This classic represents an ideal choice for sailors seeking traditional wooden boat character combined with proven one-design racing heritage.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 24.00 ft / 7.32 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 18.00 ft / 5.49 m
Beam 7.08 ft / 2.16 m
Max Draft 4.00 ft / 1.22 m
Min Draft 1.83 ft / 0.56 m
Displacement 2,000.00 lb / 907 kg
Ballast 750.00 lb / 340 kg
Ballast Type lead
Sail Area (Reported) 280.00 ft² / 26.01 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Keel/Cbrd.
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction Wood
Designer Francis Sweisguth
Builder Central Shipyard (USA)
First Built 1937
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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
28.29
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
37.5
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
153.1
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
11.51
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
2.25
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. 5.69 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. 455.36 pounds/inch
How It Compares

vs. 110, Atlantic City Cat Boat, Belfast Lough One Design Class Ii, Broads One Design, Crescent

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Great South Bay One Design ★
24.0 ft
110
24.0 ft
Atlantic City Cat Boat
24.0 ft
Belfast Lough One Design Class Ii
24.0 ft
Broads One Design
24.0 ft
Crescent
24.0 ft
LWL
Great South Bay One Design ★
18.0 ft
110
18.0 ft
Atlantic City Cat Boat
22.0 ft
Belfast Lough One Design Class Ii
15.0 ft
Broads One Design
16.2 ft
Crescent
18.5 ft
Beam
Great South Bay One Design ★
7.1 ft
110
4.2 ft
Atlantic City Cat Boat
11.0 ft
Belfast Lough One Design Class Ii
6.2 ft
Broads One Design
5.1 ft
Crescent
6.5 ft
Displacement
Great South Bay One Design ★
2 lbs
110
910 lbs
Atlantic City Cat Boat
8 lbs
Belfast Lough One Design Class Ii
9 lbs
Broads One Design
1 lbs
Crescent
2 lbs
Ballast
Great South Bay One Design ★
750 lbs
110
300 lbs
Atlantic City Cat Boat
2 lbs
Belfast Lough One Design Class Ii
Broads One Design
Crescent
1 lbs
Sail Area
Great South Bay One Design ★
280 sq ft
110
157 sq ft
Atlantic City Cat Boat
452 sq ft
Belfast Lough One Design Class Ii
Broads One Design
262 sq ft
Crescent
146 sq ft
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Great South Bay One Design ★
28.3
110
26.8
Atlantic City Cat Boat
18.1
Belfast Lough One Design Class Ii
Broads One Design
28.4
Crescent
12.2
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Great South Bay One Design ★
37.5 %
110
33.0 %
Atlantic City Cat Boat
27.5 %
Belfast Lough One Design Class Ii
Broads One Design
Crescent
45.3 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Great South Bay One Design ★
11.5
110
10.6
Atlantic City Cat Boat
22.4
Belfast Lough One Design Class Ii
Broads One Design
17.2
Crescent
16.8
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Great South Bay One Design ★
2.25
110
1.72
Atlantic City Cat Boat
2.20
Belfast Lough One Design Class Ii
Broads One Design
1.67
Crescent
1.88
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Great South Bay One Design ★
153
110
69
Atlantic City Cat Boat
335
Belfast Lough One Design Class Ii
1,269
Broads One Design
Crescent
186
Hull Speed
Great South Bay One Design ★
5.7 kts
110
5.7 kts
Atlantic City Cat Boat
6.3 kts
Belfast Lough One Design Class Ii
Broads One Design
5.4 kts
Crescent
5.8 kts
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