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Swordfish
Designer: Uffa Fox  ·  Builder: Fairey Marine  ·  First built: 1946
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About the Swordfish

Designed by the legendary Uffa Fox and built by Fairey Marine from 1946 to 1963, this compact 15-foot centerboard dinghy represents classic British small boat design at its finest. Fox's reputation for creating fast, seaworthy hulls is evident in the Swordfish's proportions, featuring a relatively deep draft of 4.75 feet that provides excellent stability and upwind performance for such a small craft. The hot-molded plywood construction was innovative for its era, offering superior strength-to-weight ratio compared to traditional planked hulls while maintaining the classic wooden boat aesthetic. With its fractional sloop rig and 130 square feet of sail area, the Swordfish delivers spirited performance that made it popular among racing enthusiasts and sailing schools alike. This boat excels in protected coastal waters, lakes, and bays where its combination of responsiveness and stability can be fully appreciated. The comfortable cockpit accommodates two adults for day sailing, while the boat's forgiving handling characteristics make it suitable for intermediate sailors looking to hone their skills. Though only 200 were built during its 17-year production run, the Swordfish remains a sought-after classic that embodies the golden age of British small craft design.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 15.00 ft / 4.57 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 14.50 ft / 4.42 m
Beam 5.00 ft / 1.52 m
Max Draft 4.75 ft / 1.45 m
Min Draft 0.75 ft / 0.23 m
Displacement 875.00 lb / 397 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 130.00 ft² / 12.08 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Centerboard Dinghy
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction Hot molded plywood
Designer Uffa Fox
Builder Fairey Marine
First Built 1946
Last Built 1963
Number Built 200
Related Sailboats Albacore · Finn Monotype · Tasar · Vanguard 15 · Comet Trio
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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
22.78
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
128.13
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
10.81
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
2.09
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. 5.10 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. 259.05 pounds/inch
How It Compares

vs. Albacore, Comet Trio, Finn Monotype, Tasar, Vanguard 15

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Swordfish ★
15.0 ft
Albacore
15.0 ft
Comet Trio
15.0 ft
Finn Monotype
14.8 ft
Tasar
14.8 ft
Vanguard 15
15.3 ft
LWL
Swordfish ★
14.5 ft
Albacore
14.8 ft
Comet Trio
Finn Monotype
13.3 ft
Tasar
14.0 ft
Vanguard 15
15.0 ft
Beam
Swordfish ★
5.0 ft
Albacore
5.1 ft
Comet Trio
6.0 ft
Finn Monotype
5.0 ft
Tasar
5.8 ft
Vanguard 15
5.5 ft
Displacement
Swordfish ★
875 lbs
Albacore
240 lbs
Comet Trio
320 lbs
Finn Monotype
320 lbs
Tasar
141 lbs
Vanguard 15
200 lbs
Sail Area
Swordfish ★
130 sq ft
Albacore
Comet Trio
135 sq ft
Finn Monotype
108 sq ft
Tasar
123 sq ft
Vanguard 15
127 sq ft
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Swordfish ★
22.8
Albacore
Comet Trio
Finn Monotype
37.0
Tasar
72.7
Vanguard 15
59.5
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Swordfish ★
10.8
Albacore
Comet Trio
3.4
Finn Monotype
4.3
Tasar
1.5
Vanguard 15
2.1
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Swordfish ★
2.09
Albacore
Comet Trio
Finn Monotype
2.90
Tasar
4.42
Vanguard 15
3.76
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Swordfish ★
128
Albacore
32
Comet Trio
68
Finn Monotype
60
Tasar
22
Vanguard 15
Hull Speed
Swordfish ★
5.1 kts
Albacore
Comet Trio
4.8 kts
Finn Monotype
4.9 kts
Tasar
5.0 kts
Vanguard 15
5.2 kts
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