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Pirateer 13 Chrysler
Designer: Rod Macalpine-Downey / Dick Gibbs  ·  Builder: Chrysler Marine (Usa)  ·  First built: 1974
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About the Pirateer 13 Chrysler

Designed by the collaborative team of Rod Macalpine-Downey and Dick Gibbs, this compact fiberglass dinghy represents Chrysler Marine's entry into the small sailboat market during the mid-1970s. With its fractional sloop rig and daggerboard configuration, the Pirateer 13 delivers spirited performance in a package that's both trailerable and manageable for sailors of varying experience levels. At 13 feet overall with a beam of 5.50 feet, this boat strikes an excellent balance between stability and portability. The relatively light 300-pound displacement makes launching and retrieval straightforward, while the 90 square feet of sail area provides adequate power for recreational sailing and informal racing. The fractional rig offers good control and reduces weather helm, making it forgiving for newer sailors while still rewarding to experienced hands. Built for coastal waters, protected bays, and inland lakes, the Pirateer 13 excels as a day sailor and sailing trainer. Its daggerboard design allows for shallow water exploration and easy beaching. The boat's comfort ratio of 3.85 reflects its sporting nature rather than cruising comfort, positioning it perfectly for active sailing rather than leisurely afternoon drifts. This design remains a solid choice for sailors seeking an honest, well-built small boat with respectable pedigree.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 13.00 ft / 3.96 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 12.17 ft / 3.71 m
Beam 5.50 ft / 1.68 m
Max Draft 3.33 ft / 1.01 m
Min Draft 0.71 ft / 0.22 m
Displacement 300.00 lb / 136 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 90.00 ft² / 8.36 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Dbrd. Dinghy
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Rod Macalpine-Downey / Dick Gibbs
Builder Chrysler Marine (USA)
First Built 1974
Associations Chrysler Sailors
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
32.17
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
74.3
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
3.85
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
3.29
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. 4.67 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. 239.17 pounds/inch
How It Compares

vs. Banshee 13, Barracuda 13, Enterprise Int, Lark 13, Lone Star 13 Chrysler

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Pirateer 13 Chrysler ★
13.0 ft
Banshee 13
13.0 ft
Barracuda 13
13.0 ft
Enterprise Int
13.3 ft
Lark 13
13.3 ft
Lone Star 13 Chrysler
13.1 ft
LWL
Pirateer 13 Chrysler ★
12.2 ft
Banshee 13
12.0 ft
Barracuda 13
12.0 ft
Enterprise Int
Lark 13
12.8 ft
Lone Star 13 Chrysler
11.5 ft
Beam
Pirateer 13 Chrysler ★
5.5 ft
Banshee 13
4.9 ft
Barracuda 13
4.5 ft
Enterprise Int
5.3 ft
Lark 13
5.5 ft
Lone Star 13 Chrysler
5.1 ft
Displacement
Pirateer 13 Chrysler ★
300 lbs
Banshee 13
115 lbs
Barracuda 13
300 lbs
Enterprise Int
200 lbs
Lark 13
185 lbs
Lone Star 13 Chrysler
350 lbs
Sail Area
Pirateer 13 Chrysler ★
90 sq ft
Banshee 13
Barracuda 13
168 sq ft
Enterprise Int
Lark 13
120 sq ft
Lone Star 13 Chrysler
93 sq ft
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Pirateer 13 Chrysler ★
32.2
Banshee 13
Barracuda 13
60.0
Enterprise Int
Lark 13
59.2
Lone Star 13 Chrysler
30.0
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Pirateer 13 Chrysler ★
3.9
Banshee 13
Barracuda 13
5.1
Enterprise Int
2.8
Lark 13
2.3
Lone Star 13 Chrysler
5.2
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Pirateer 13 Chrysler ★
3.29
Banshee 13
Barracuda 13
2.69
Enterprise Int
Lark 13
3.86
Lone Star 13 Chrysler
2.89
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Pirateer 13 Chrysler ★
74
Banshee 13
29
Barracuda 13
Enterprise Int
61
Lark 13
Lone Star 13 Chrysler
Hull Speed
Pirateer 13 Chrysler ★
4.7 kts
Banshee 13
Barracuda 13
4.6 kts
Enterprise Int
4.5 kts
Lark 13
4.8 kts
Lone Star 13 Chrysler
4.5 kts
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