Back to Search
Windrose 55
Designer: Shad Turner  ·  Builder: Laguna Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 1977
+ Add to Compare
About the Windrose 55

Designed by Shad Turner and built by Laguna Yachts beginning in 1977, this compact 18-footer represents an interesting entry in the small cruising sailboat category. Despite its modest size, the Windrose 55 demonstrates thoughtful proportions with its 16-foot waterline length and 8-foot beam providing reasonable interior volume while maintaining manageable handling characteristics. The fractional sloop rig with 151.5 square feet of sail area delivers a healthy sail area-to-displacement ratio of 18.54, suggesting spirited performance in light to moderate conditions. The fin keel configuration with transom-hung rudder offers responsive steering and reasonable windward ability, while the shallow 2.25-foot draft opens up thin-water cruising grounds often inaccessible to deeper boats. With 1,500 pounds of displacement and 500 pounds of ballast, this fiberglass construction sailboat strikes a balance between stability and performance. The low comfort ratio of 8.75 reflects the boat's performance-oriented nature rather than heavy cruising accommodations, making it well-suited for coastal day sailing, weekend adventures, and club racing. The capsize screening value of 2.8 indicates good stability characteristics for protected and near-coastal waters, though offshore passages would require careful weather selection.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 18.00 ft / 5.49 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
Beam 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
Max Draft 2.25 ft / 0.69 m
Displacement 1,500.00 lb / 680 kg
Ballast 500.00 lb / 227 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 151.50 ft² / 14.07 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/transom hung rudder
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Shad Turner
Builder Laguna Yachts (USA)
First Built 1977
Owner Reviews

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

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
 18.54
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
 33.33
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
 163.49
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
 8.75
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
 2.8
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. 5.36 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
 3.37
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. 457.36 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. 18.45
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 21.00 ft / 6.40 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 6.50 ft / 1.98 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 8.25 ft / 2.51 m
SA Fore 68.25 ft² / 6.34 m²
SA Main 82.50 ft² / 7.66 m²
SA Total (100%) 150.75 ft² / 14.01 m²
Est. Forestay Length 21.98 ft / 6.70 m
Find a Windrose 55 For Sale
Y YachtWorld Brokerage listings S Sailboat Listings Sailboats only C Craigslist National search F Facebook Marketplace Local listings B boats.com Global marketplace