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New York Yacht Club 48
Designer: Sparkman & Stephens  ·  Builder: Nautor (Fin)  ·  First built: 1976
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About the New York Yacht Club 48

Designed by the legendary Sparkman & Stephens firm and built by Finland's renowned Nautor yard, this sophisticated 48-footer represents a pinnacle of late 1970s yacht design. Created specifically for the New York Yacht Club's one-design fleet racing program, these boats combined serious racing capabilities with elegant cruising accommodations. The design showcases classic S&S proportions with a moderate beam of 13.76 feet and substantial displacement of 34,400 pounds, supported by 17,500 pounds of ballast. This hefty construction, typical of Nautor's bulletproof building standards, makes the NYC 48 exceptionally seaworthy for offshore passages while maintaining competitive racing performance. The masthead sloop rig carries 1,059 square feet of sail area, providing excellent light-air performance. With only 70 hulls built between 1976 and 1984, these yachts have become highly sought after in the used boat market. The design's moderate comfort ratio of 40.77 and low capsize screening value of 1.7 indicate excellent stability and motion characteristics for extended cruising. Many owners praise the boat's ability to handle rough conditions with confidence while delivering respectable speeds up to its theoretical hull speed of 8.07 knots under favorable conditions.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 47.83 ft / 14.58 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 36.24 ft / 11.05 m
Beam 13.76 ft / 4.19 m
Min Draft 5.83 ft / 1.78 m
Displacement 34,400.00 lb / 15,604 kg
Ballast 17,500.00 lb / 7,938 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 1,059.00 ft² / 98.38 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Keel/Cbrd.
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Sparkman & Stephens
Builder Nautor (FIN)
First Built 1976
Last Built 1984
Number Built 70
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
 16.09
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
 50.87
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
 322.66
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
 40.77
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. 8.07 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
 1.52
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. 1,781.78 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. 16.09
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 62.00 ft / 18.90 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 19.80 ft / 6.04 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 55.70 ft / 16.98 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
SA Fore 613.80 ft² / 57.02 m²
SA Main 445.60 ft² / 41.40 m²
SA Total (100%) 1,059.40 ft² / 98.42 m²
Est. Forestay Length 65.08 ft / 19.84 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Volvo Penta
Engine Model MD21A
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 61
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