The Nicholson 43 is well-powered with enough sail area to move in light air, with a steady, comfortable ride offshore, and respectable in club 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 30.0′, the Nicholson 43 tops out around 7.3 knots in displacement mode — after that, the bow wave outruns the hull and resistance climbs steeply.
1.34 × √30.0′ LWL = 7.3 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
114s/nm
Cruiser/racer — competitive in club racing, comfortable cruising.
SA / Displacement
19.0
Powerful cruiser/racer — quick in light air, reef early when it pipes up.
Ballast / Displacement
49.9%
Race-oriented ballast ratio — very stiff and powerful.
Displacement / Length
328
Moderate-heavy — carries provisions well, deliberate in light air.
Comfort Ratio
34.9
Good offshore comfort — steady enough for multi-day passages.
Capsize Screening
1.70
Below the 2.0 offshore threshold — acceptable for ocean passages.
Pounds/Inch Immersion
1lbs
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
34.9
Good offshore comfort — steady enough for multi-day passages.
Under 20 — Snappy, racing motion
20–30 — Acceptable coastal
30–40 — Good offshore comfort
Over 40 — Very comfortable offshore
Capsize Screening Formula
1.70
Below the 2.0 offshore threshold — acceptable for ocean passages.
Under 2.0 — Acceptable for offshore
Over 2.0 — Coastal / protected waters
PHRF Fleet Position
Where the Nicholson 43 sits on the PHRF handicap spectrum — lower numbers mean faster boats.
Racer 0–90
Cruiser/Racer 90–150
Cruiser 150–210
Oyster 43
72s/nm
Swan 431
87s/nm
Tartan 44
98s/nm
Columbia 43
111s/nm
Nicholson 43
114s/nm
Cruiser/racer — competitive in club racing, comfortable cruising.
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° |
3.1 |
3.9 |
4.4 |
4.5 |
| Close Reach60° |
3.7 |
4.7 |
5.3 |
5.5 |
| Beam Reach90° |
4.6 |
5.8 |
6.5 |
6.8 |
| Broad Reach120–135° |
4.2 |
5.4 |
6.0 |
6.2 |
| Run150–180° |
3.4 |
4.3 |
4.8 |
5.0 |
These are simplified estimates based on hull speed (7.3 kts),
SA/D (19.0), 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 Nicholson 43 — based on sail area, ballast, and displacement characteristics.
Ghost
Sweet Spot
Reef
Heavy
0–6 kts
6–20 kts
20–30 kts
30+ kts
Ghosting
0–6 kts
Light air, motor-sailing likely. Need patience and a light genoa.
Sweet Spot
6–20 kts
Comfortable under full sail. Best speed-to-comfort ratio.
Time to Reef
20–30 kts
Time to shorten sail. Reef the main, swap to a working jib.
Heavy Weather
30+ 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 Nicholson 43.
|
Nicholson 43 |
Cc 43 1 |
Columbia 43 |
Oyster 43 |
Swan 431 |
Tartan 44 |
| Dimensions |
| LOA |
43.3 |
43.3 |
43.3 |
43.4 |
43.3 |
43.1 |
| LWL |
30.0 |
35.0 |
32.0 |
34.0 |
33.3 |
32.7 |
| Beam |
11.5 |
12.8 |
12.3 |
14.1 |
13.4 |
12.3 |
| Displacement |
19 |
21 |
18 |
16 |
26 |
18 |
| Ballast |
9 |
9 |
9 |
— |
11 |
— |
| Sail Area |
867 |
901 |
806 |
797 |
896 |
— |
| Performance |
| PHRF |
114 |
— |
111 |
72 |
87 |
98 |
| SA/Disp |
19.0 |
18.8 |
18.2 |
19.7 |
16.2 |
— |
| Bal/Disp |
49.9 |
46.8 |
50.3 |
— |
44.9 |
— |
| Comfort |
34.9 |
29.4 |
29.1 |
20.6 |
35.6 |
— |
| Capsize |
1.70 |
1.85 |
1.86 |
2.21 |
1.80 |
— |
| Hull Speed |
7.3 |
7.9 |
7.6 |
7.8 |
7.7 |
— |