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Gulfstar 47 Sailmaster
Designer: Gulfstar/V. Lazzara  ·  Builder: Gulfstar Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 1978
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About the Gulfstar 47 Sailmaster

Built during Gulfstar's production era in the 1970s and 1980s, this 47-foot sailboat represents the builder's approach to comfortable cruising vessels designed for American sailors seeking spacious accommodations and solid construction. Gulfstar earned recognition for creating boats that prioritized interior volume and livability, making them popular choices for extended coastal cruising and liveaboard situations. The Sailmaster configuration typically featured a center cockpit layout, providing excellent separation between the navigation station and guest accommodations. This design philosophy made these boats particularly appealing to couples planning extended cruising adventures or those wanting a floating home with generous interior space. While not known as racing machines, these vessels offered steady, predictable sailing characteristics that inspired confidence in coastal and offshore passages. The construction quality reflected Gulfstar's reputation for building robust boats capable of handling varying sea conditions, though their emphasis remained firmly on comfort over pure performance. Today, Gulfstar 47s represent solid value propositions for sailors seeking spacious cruising boats with proven offshore capabilities. Their enduring popularity among the cruising community speaks to the practical design decisions that prioritized comfort, storage, and seaworthiness over cutting-edge performance metrics.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 47.42 ft / 14.45 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 40.50 ft / 12.34 m
Beam 13.83 ft / 4.22 m
Max Draft 5.50 ft / 1.68 m
Displacement 38,000.00 lb / 17,237 kg
Ballast 10,500.00 lb / 4,763 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Ketch
Construction FG
Designer Gulfstar/V. Lazzara
Builder Gulfstar Yachts (USA)
First Built 1978
Last Built 1981
Number Built 79
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Performance Ratios
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
27.63
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
255.37
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. 12.0 pounds/inch
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 13.12
J (Foretriangle Base) 19.50 ft / 5.94 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 923.00 ft² / 85.75 m²
E (Mainsail Foot) Perkins
Engine & Accommodations
Fuel Capacity 195 gals / 738 L
Water Capacity 300 gals / 1,136 L
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