Back to Search
Santana 21
Designer: Seymour Paul  ·  Builder: W. D. Schock Corp.(Usa)  ·  First built: 1969
+ Add to Compare
Santana 21
Photo: Seymour Paul / Public domain
About the Santana 21

Designed by Seymour Paul and built by W.D. Schock Corporation from 1969 to 1976, this compact fractional sloop became a popular choice for sailors seeking an affordable entry into keelboat sailing. With 879 hulls produced during its seven-year production run, the Santana 21 established itself as a versatile small boat suitable for both beginners and experienced sailors. The boat's swing keel design offers significant advantages for shallow water exploration and trailering convenience. When retracted, the keel allows access to beaches and shallow anchorages typically off-limits to fixed-keel boats of similar size. At 1,700 pounds displacement with 550 pounds of ballast, the boat strikes a reasonable balance between stability and performance for its size class. The fiberglass construction and straightforward fractional sloop rig make this an excellent platform for learning sailboat handling and maintenance. With 189 square feet of sail area driving a 19.33-foot waterline, the boat offers respectable performance for day sailing and weekend coastal cruising. The outboard rudder configuration provides good steering control and simplified construction. Best suited for protected waters, lakes, and near-coastal sailing, the Santana 21 appeals to sailors wanting keelboat stability without the complexity and cost of larger vessels.

Market Price Estimate Beta
Small sample size. This estimate is based on fewer than 5 listings and may not be representative of the true market. Use with caution.
$3,300 – $3,300
typical asking price
Median $3,300  ·  2 listings used
All listings
$3,300 – $3,300 2
Rate a listing price
$
About this estimate
  • Prices are based on recent asking prices from public listings — not actual sale prices, which are typically lower.
  • Condition is not factored in. A well-maintained boat with new sails and engine can be worth significantly more than a project boat of the same model.
  • Location affects price. Boats in landlocked states or areas with fewer buyers often sell for less than those on the coast.
  • Year of manufacture is not filtered. Older examples of this model will generally be priced lower than newer ones.
  • Included equipment varies widely. A boat with a full suite of electronics, dodger, and new standing rigging may command a large premium.
  • Outliers are automatically excluded using statistical filtering to improve accuracy, but some bad data may remain.
Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 21.25 ft / 6.48 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 19.33 ft / 5.89 m
Beam 7.50 ft / 2.29 m
Max Draft 5.00 ft / 1.52 m
Min Draft 1.50 ft / 0.46 m
Displacement 1,700.00 lb / 771 kg
Ballast 550.00 lb / 249 kg
Ballast Type Cast iron
Sail Area (Reported) 189.00 ft² / 17.56 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Swing keel w/outboard rudder
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Seymour Paul
Builder W. D. Schock Corp.(USA)
First Built 1969
Last Built 1976
Number Built 879
Owner Reviews

No owner reviews yet — be the first to share your experience with this boat.

Known Issues & What to Watch For

No known issues documented for this model yet.

Own or have surveyed a Santana 21? Submit a known issue

Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
264
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
21.28
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
32.35
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
105.08
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
9.01
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
2.52
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. 5.89 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
4.96
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. 518.01 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. 22.25
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 23.50 ft / 7.16 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 9.50 ft / 2.90 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 21.50 ft / 6.55 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
SA Fore 111.63 ft² / 10.37 m²
SA Main 86.00 ft² / 7.99 m²
SA Total (100%) 197.63 ft² / 18.36 m²
Est. Forestay Length 25.35 ft / 7.73 m
How It Compares

vs. American 21, Aquarius 21, Morgan 22, Newport 212, South Coast 21

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Santana 21 ★
21.3 ft
American 21
21.0 ft
Aquarius 21
21.0 ft
Morgan 22
21.4 ft
Newport 212
21.2 ft
South Coast 21
21.0 ft
LWL
Santana 21 ★
19.3 ft
American 21
17.7 ft
Aquarius 21
18.3 ft
Morgan 22
20.3 ft
Newport 212
19.1 ft
South Coast 21
14.3 ft
Beam
Santana 21 ★
7.5 ft
American 21
8.0 ft
Aquarius 21
7.8 ft
Morgan 22
8.0 ft
Newport 212
7.7 ft
South Coast 21
6.9 ft
Displacement
Santana 21 ★
1 lbs
American 21
2 lbs
Aquarius 21
1 lbs
Morgan 22
2 lbs
Newport 212
1 lbs
South Coast 21
2 lbs
Ballast
Santana 21 ★
550 lbs
American 21
550 lbs
Aquarius 21
665 lbs
Morgan 22
1 lbs
Newport 212
400 lbs
South Coast 21
625 lbs
Sail Area
Santana 21 ★
189 sq ft
American 21
209 sq ft
Aquarius 21
163 sq ft
Morgan 22
Newport 212
South Coast 21
206 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Santana 21 ★
264 s/nm
American 21
306 s/nm
Aquarius 21
267 s/nm
Morgan 22
243 s/nm
Newport 212
South Coast 21
258 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Santana 21 ★
21.3
American 21
19.8
Aquarius 21
17.0
Morgan 22
Newport 212
South Coast 21
20.8
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Santana 21 ★
32.4 %
American 21
Aquarius 21
35.0 %
Morgan 22
51.9 %
Newport 212
26.7 %
South Coast 21
31.3 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Santana 21 ★
9.0
American 21
11.4
Aquarius 21
9.9
Morgan 22
Newport 212
South Coast 21
14.4
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Santana 21 ★
2.52
American 21
2.46
Aquarius 21
2.53
Morgan 22
Newport 212
South Coast 21
2.20
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Santana 21 ★
105
American 21
Aquarius 21
139
Morgan 22
143
Newport 212
96
South Coast 21
303
Hull Speed
Santana 21 ★
5.9 kts
American 21
5.6 kts
Aquarius 21
5.7 kts
Morgan 22
Newport 212
South Coast 21
5.1 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Santana 21 ★
5.0
American 21
3.1
Aquarius 21
3.5
Morgan 22
Newport 212
South Coast 21
2.0
Find a Santana 21 For Sale