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South Coast 22
Designer: Alberg/South Coast  ·  Builder: South Coast Seacraft Co. (Usa)  ·  First built: 1968
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About the South Coast 22

Designed by the renowned naval architect Carl Alberg and built by South Coast Seacraft Co. from 1968 onwards, this compact cruiser represents classic American small boat design at its finest. With 3,000 units produced over its production run, the South Coast 22 earned a solid reputation among sailors seeking an affordable entry into coastal cruising and day sailing. The boat's most distinctive feature is its swing keel configuration, which reduces draft when raised for shallow water exploration or trailer launching. This versatility makes it particularly appealing for sailors who want to explore protected bays, rivers, and shallow anchorages typically off-limits to fixed-keel boats of similar size. The masthead sloop rig provides straightforward sail handling and good performance across various wind conditions. Built with fiberglass construction, the South Coast 22 demonstrates Alberg's talent for creating seaworthy small boats with traditional styling. The generous beam provides decent interior volume for its length, while the moderate displacement and sail area ratio suggest respectable sailing performance. With a comfort ratio of 10.88, this boat leans toward the lighter, more responsive side of the cruising spectrum, making it well-suited for day sailing, weekend coastal cruising, and learning seamanship skills in protected waters.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 22.00 ft / 6.71 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 17.50 ft / 5.33 m
Beam 7.08 ft / 2.16 m
Max Draft 4.75 ft / 1.45 m
Min Draft 0.83 ft / 0.25 m
Displacement 1,800.00 lb / 816 kg
Ballast 505.00 lb / 229 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 228.00 ft² / 21.18 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Swing Keel
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Alberg/South Coast
Builder South Coast Seacraft Co. (USA)
First Built 1968
Number Built 3000
Associations South Coast Seacraft Owners' Association
Related Sailboats ["Alberg 22" · "Venture 222" · "Columbia 22" · "Bristol 22 Caravel" · "Venture 22"]
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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
 276
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
 24.71
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
 28.06
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
 149.94
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
 10.88
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
 2.33
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. 5.61 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
 4.37
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. 442.71 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. 24.69
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 26.00 ft / 7.92 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 8.90 ft / 2.71 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 23.00 ft / 7.01 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 9.75 ft / 2.97 m
SA Fore 115.70 ft² / 10.75 m²
SA Main 112.13 ft² / 10.42 m²
SA Total (100%) 227.83 ft² / 21.17 m²
Est. Forestay Length 27.48 ft / 8.38 m
How It Compares

vs. Bristol 22 Caravel, Columbia 22, Venture 222

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
South Coast 22 ★
22.0 ft
Bristol 22 Caravel
22.0 ft
Columbia 22
22.0 ft
Venture 222
22.0 ft
LWL
South Coast 22 ★
17.5 ft
Bristol 22 Caravel
19.5 ft
Columbia 22
20.1 ft
Venture 222
18.2 ft
Beam
South Coast 22 ★
7.1 ft
Bristol 22 Caravel
7.8 ft
Columbia 22
7.8 ft
Venture 222
7.3 ft
Displacement
South Coast 22 ★
1 lbs
Bristol 22 Caravel
2 lbs
Columbia 22
2 lbs
Venture 222
2 lbs
Ballast
South Coast 22 ★
505 lbs
Bristol 22 Caravel
1 lbs
Columbia 22
1 lbs
Venture 222
500 lbs
Sail Area
South Coast 22 ★
228 sq ft
Bristol 22 Caravel
205 sq ft
Columbia 22
232 sq ft
Venture 222
177 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
South Coast 22 ★
276 s/nm
Bristol 22 Caravel
290 s/nm
Columbia 22
269 s/nm
Venture 222
—
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
South Coast 22 ★
24.7
Bristol 22 Caravel
16.4
Columbia 22
22.0
Venture 222
17.9
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
South Coast 22 ★
28.1 %
Bristol 22 Caravel
40.4 %
Columbia 22
50.0 %
Venture 222
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
South Coast 22 ★
10.9
Bristol 22 Caravel
14.2
Columbia 22
10.8
Venture 222
11.3
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
South Coast 22 ★
2.33
Bristol 22 Caravel
2.19
Columbia 22
2.39
Venture 222
2.33
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
South Coast 22 ★
149
Bristol 22 Caravel
171
Columbia 22
121
Venture 222
—
Hull Speed
South Coast 22 ★
5.6 kts
Bristol 22 Caravel
5.9 kts
Columbia 22
6.0 kts
Venture 222
5.7 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
South Coast 22 ★
4.4
Bristol 22 Caravel
3.0
Columbia 22
4.6
Venture 222
4.0
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