newport 31 sailboat

The Newport 31 is a 30.67ft masthead sloop designed by Gary Mull and built in fiberglass by Capital Yachts Corp. since 1987.

The Newport 31 is a light sailboat which is a reasonably good performer. It is reasonably stable / stiff and has a low righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a coastal cruiser.

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Newport 31 and Islander 30 questions

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I'm looking at a couple of boats now that 5-6 foot-itus has set in. I currently sail an O'Day 25 with an inboard on Lake Michigan and have enjoyed sailing the boat for the last 5 years. It's fine for coastal sailing and occasional crossings, but it get's a little tight when cruising for a week and so the admiral has suggested (perhaps not vetoed is a better characterization) a larger boat. I'm looking in the 30-32 ft. range. I've found a couple of boats in decent shape that fit the bill, but both have one issue that gives me some concern. One is a 1985 Islander 30 with a fin keel and a Yanmar 13. It's well maintained, but my primary concern is that the 13 hp diesel is underpowered for a boat in the 8200 lb range. The O'Day we have is 6.5 hp Yanmar with about 4.5k weight. It get's bogged down in headwinds/waves when you need to motor. I find a lot written about the Islander's and the reviews are generally positive, and a few have commented on the small engines being underpowered. The other is a 1989 Newport 31 that is also in nice shape. It's got an 18 hp Universal and so the power seems adequate. On the downside, it has a wing keel although the keel is still nearly 5 ft. and the wings are small (10 inches each). Still I'm concerned about the "anchor effect" of the wing if I get grounded, and I've gotten mixed signals on the quality of these boats. Other boats I've looked at include C&C's, Ericsen's, and Catalina's. I know this is limited information and everyone has their favorites. I'm planning on just doing Great Lakes sailing with most on Lake Michigan. I would appreciate any perspectives on these issues or other things to consider concerning these two boats. Thanks, Dave s/v Lagniappe O'Day 25  

The Newports are interesting, and if in good shape I'd not worry too much about the winged keel.. more like a 'bulb' in any event. I really don't like their faux wood grain countertops, but that's simply aesthetics and addressable. They have pretty nice volume, and largish ports so should be fairly bright below despite the dark wood finish. Plan A is to not run aground.. and there are wing keel owners on this site who have been able to extricate themselves from casual soft groundings. Any of the brands you mention should fit the bill quite nicely - it's just a matter of finding the best package.  

I had similar question I asked myself...as I recall at the time...the Islander is the boat for you especially when you mentioned your O'Day was a little light. I've never been impressed with the Newport 31 too far from shore! I'm older now, slower and love to get out the sails, for that the added ballast percentage (which is significant in the Islander) is my choice. This Yanmar 13 hp will seem underpowered for the conditions you mentioned, as I recall many guys installed the Yanmar 3 cylinder, 20 HP in their place, like in a mid-80's 30' S2 which is another 1000 pounds more than the Islander. Can't address the grounding concern as it's something I never like to think about, maybe a Cat would be better if your anticipating grounding it a lot?  

Iv'e have experience on both the Islander 30 and the Catalina 30. Both sail well. The Islander is a bit more robust in the build, but has a lot less space. The Catalina would be a better choice if interior space, including sleeping accommodations, is a high priority. I've seen the Newport, but do not have never sailed on one. Their reputation is that they are not as robustly built as the others - but I'd like to hear from owners. You are choosing from a list of good boats.  

Hey, I used to Own a Newport 28 and I've seen a few 30, 31, 33 models. Newport build quality was on par with Catalina, O'day, Beneteau, and the rest of the 'chevy and ford' type boats. Personally, I would want at least 18 hp in a 30 ft boat. Good luck, Barry  

Personally, I would choose the Islander 30 over the Newport. Better build quality, and nicer overall design, IMHO. 13hp diesel should be no problem.  

I think by now it has more to do with how it has been maintained being far more important than the original build quality, that would not have been that far appart anyway. I think the Newport looks like a much better interior, and Mull designs a really nice boat. Not that Finch is a bad designer either. But the Newport looks to have the more livable interior, and likely slightly better performance from looking at basic hull shape, both have similar S/A and and almost the same PHRF(Newport a about 5 points ahead). Either engine should be fine unless you are in an area with strong currents or particularly rough water. The Yanmars always seem to me to pull a bit harder than there HP rating might suggest, perhaps it is that they tend to be higher revving motors.  

Thanks to all for the advice. We put an offer on the Newport and it was rejected and countered with a reasonable figure. We decided to keep looking for one more weekend and found a Catalina 30 that we have an accepted offer on. It's a bit heavier (10500 vs. 8500 lbs), is a shoal draft, 4'6" with no wing keel vs. 4'10" for the Newport, has a full cockpit enclosure, and has been well maintained like both of the other options. It also has a 25 hp universal diesel for when the wind/waves kick up on Lake Michigan. The Newport would have nicer in the cabin and would have been a little less expensive but the two boats were close. This will be a nice upgrade from our O'Day 25. We really liked that boat, and it served us well for the last 5 years but the Catalina will allow us to do more cruising going forward. Dave O'Day 25 and now Catalina 30  

Thanks for the follow-up! .. and Congrats. Good choice.  

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Newport 31 Purchase.

• Thread starter SqPeg
• Start date Mar 16, 2020
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

How can I find out which keel is on a 1988 Newport 31 without hauling? I have HID and serial #s.  

Get a waterproof camera, like a GoPro and take a video of the keel. Ask the owner.  

I assuming you are trying to find the draft (shoal draft or regular keel) rather than material and the shoal draft has a bulb and the regular draft is a fin keel of some sort. If there is a bulb on the shoal draft keel for this a Newport 31 and you can get in a dingy or are in a slip. Simply get a long pole (with a squared off end if possible like a piece of pvc pipe) and push it firmly along the keel and down. If you have a bulb at the bottom of the keel it should "hang up" a little or even completely stop when it gets to the bulb. If its a fin keel it should just keep on going without hanging up. A lot cheaper than a "go pro" (but not as much fun) or a diver. Of course I'm assuming it is the "type of keel" you are inquiring about not the material?  

Thanks all. Owner died. Yes, keel type, not material.  

Dock mates should know. Find the one guy on the dock who knows everything about everyone's boat, and ask him!  

Tru dat!  

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Private sailing charters | newport, ri, 401.236.5005, sailing in newport, ri - an experience you'll never forget.

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Embark on an exclusive maritime adventure ... Reserve a private yacht charter with McCurdy Sailing in the enchanting setting of Newport, Rhode Island. Unwind and savor the experience as you set sail aboar d our 36' sloop , ' Hurrah '. Let our licensed, seasoned, and exceptionally knowledgeable Captain guide you through a captivating sailing tour of the east passage of Narragansett Bay, where a myriad of historically significant and breathtaking landmarks aw aits.

Marvel at the former Kennedy estate, Hammersmith Farm , Clingstone , and the iconic Rose Island Lighthouse , each steeped in its own unique history. Whether you choose to take the helm or simply relish the journey, your voyage will weave through Newport Harbor, renowned as the sailing capital of the world. Witness the majestic beauty of numerous sailboats, mega yachts, distinctive racing vessels, and historic America's Cup sailboats dotting the shimmering waters.

'Hurrah' offers comfortable seating for up to 6 adults in the cockpit, complete with a bimini and dodger for those seeking shade. For the ultimate thrill, venture to the bow and immerse yourself in the invigorating salt air and spray. Enhance your experience by bringing along a picnic lunch, champagne, or any refreshments of your choice.  

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Downtown Pickup Location - Step Right on from the dock. Our pickup location is now right in Downtown Newport  at Perrotti Park !  Meet your Captain right at the Harbor Shuttle & Ferry Landing Gazebo.  Easy parking at the  Visitor's Center or simply walk right from town!  A hop, skip & a jump from the   Marriott and Brenton Hotels.    Step right on the boat from the dock for easy, quick access.

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We had such a wonderful time on this 2-hour sail with Captain Dave! It was the highlight of our trip to Newport! We highly recommend it!

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Schooner Madeleine

December 11, 2023 by [email protected]

Whether you are in Newport for the first time or a frequent visitor, you will enjoy our extremely scenic day sails and champagne sunset sails through Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay. Madeleine is a 72-foot 2 masted schooner, which was specifically designed and built to carry passengers easily and safely sailing through the local waters of Newport. The schooner Madeleine maintains 19th century sailboat style with a 21st century sailing comfort and convenience.

From Captain Kidd to Dennis Conner, Newport sailors have long felt the thrill of slipping past Castle Hill under a cloud of canvas. Sailing on Madeleine through Newport Harbor is an experience that you and your family will treasure. Make your Newport vacation complete as you cruise the bay on one of our daytime or evening sails. For a special event you can experience the joy of chartering the whole boat for yourself and your guests and create your unique Newport sailing adventure. Give your loved ones a memorable perspective of Newport harbor aboard the classic schooner Madeleine’ scenic day sails or evening champagne sunset sails.

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Belfast, Maine

Newport, Rhode Island

For the First time

The renowned Sailing Yacht Tree of Life is now offering a remarkable opportunity to experience the breathtaking beauty and charm of Newport, RI, or Belfast, ME. Whether you're seeking a tranquil retreat in Newport's historic harbor or a captivating journey along the scenic coastline of Penobscot Bay this luxurious yacht invites you to embark on an unforgettable journey.

where timeless elegance meets

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Built in 1991, Tree of Life stands as a testament to timeless elegance on the high seas. With meticulous care and attention to detail, this stunning windjammer cruise yacht has been lovingly maintained over the years, and constantly upgraded to meet the demands of modern oceanic exploration. Every corner of this vessel exudes a sense of refined luxury, from the premium linen bedding to the sumptuous wool blankets that envelop you in warmth and comfort. Offering the perfect blend of seafaring practicality and shoreside opulence, Tree of Life allows you to voyage with ease and grace, never compromising on comfort.

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Whether you’ve joined us in Newport to sail Narragansett Bay or you’re enjoying Penobscot Bay with us on one of our Belfast trips, there’s no shortage of stunning views accented by some of New England’s beautiful wildlife. Nature abounds at all hours whether it’s a majestic Blue Heron flying over Maine waters, a magnificent pastel sunset native to New England summers, or stargazing out on Penobscot Bay where the near zero light pollution allows for some of the clearest night skies.

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Up to 6 guests, sailing in newport since 2011, sail lyra or wren starting april 19, 2024, book before 04/18/24 for any scheduled sail and save $25 enter code pre24, media & reviews.

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Round out your stay, world-class sailing in newport, sightseeing and history.

Sailing in Newport Rhode Island’s waters is world-class and is a wonderful way to experience this beautiful and historic area. Aboard one of our two boats, you can enjoy one of our custom private day sail charters. Tour Newport Harbor, with its classic and mega-yachts and picturesque surroundings before venturing onto Narragansett Bay. Cruise along rocky shorelines, see charming lighthouses, take in the impressive mansions, and more… Splash your feet, sail the boat or relax with your group over a tasty beverage.

Our two sailboats are icons of the Newport Sailing fleet and of Narragansett Bay. Lyra is our 44-foot Reliance sailboat and Wren is our 35-foot Allied Seabreeze. With a capacity of up to 6 guests each, both boats sail on daily charters from Newport RI, beginning mid-April through the end of October. We offer private 90-minute, two-hour, three-hour, half and full-day sailing charters. From tours and advanced sailing instruction to proposals or a romantic evening on the the water, experience for yourself why Newport is the sailing capital of the Americas. On Watch Sailing is proudly a Newport RI “Traveler’s Choice” on Trip Advisor and is highly rated on Google. Take a peek below and check out our original reviews by following the links.

Captain Green

Our 2.0 hour early afternoon charter of the Lyra with Green met every expectation in terms of seamanship and engagement…

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Definitely book

Definitly book your sailing experience with this company. Don’t even hesitate. We booked day of for an afternoon 1.5 hr sail…

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5-star experience!

Fantastic sail with Captain Sam at On Watch Sailing! They came recommended as the best place to charter a private sail in Newport, and did not disappoint…

Fantastic day

Captain Green was the perfect guide, story teller and seaman… Very knowledgeable of the area, historic vessels on the water, local culture and personalities…

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Our 4th trip

Our 4th trip with Captain Green and his 1st mate Simon on Lyra. My wife and I had a wonderful time making more memories together and this time we have a video done by Captain Green…

Sailing on Wren

Sailing on Wren was the best part of our week long trip to Newport. Captain Sam was so accommodating with our requests as well as an amazing sailor. We were even able to watch the Ocean One race…

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Sea Newport offers 100% private, small group charters for up to six (6) guests. We cruise Newport Harbor aboard our 32 foot picnic style powerboat. Each charter is custom tailored to our guests requests and desires. BYOB and dog friendly makes us the best way to come relax and enjoy Newport to the fullest! Perfect for celebrations, date night, and even small bachelor/bachelorette parties! Strict maximum of 6 guests. Cruise Options: 1.5hr Harbor Cruise - $450 1.5hr Sunset Cruise - $500 3.5hr Half Day Adventure - $1,100 All cruise prices are for access to our vessel, not per person. Ask us about special events! From regatta spectating to wedding pickup/drop-off , we would love to hear how we can make your event special! …

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Such a spectacular day! While visiting Newport, we chartered Sea Newport's beautiful little picnic boat (Tabasco) because Sea Newport has one of the few dog-friendly boats in the area and we wanted our little pup to be part of the fun! The whole experience was amazing! The captain and crew, Curtis and Holly, were so welcoming, friendly and knowledgeable. We got a scenic 1.5 hour tour around Narragansett Bay, capturing the natural beauty of the area and learning about many of the historical sites in Newport. The picnic boat is adorable and the crew made sure we got plenty of photos. They also provided a cooler with some beverages and gave our puppy a dog bowl of water and ice. It was such a fun trip and I highly recommend it. Would definitely book again when I'm back in town!

Best charter experience ever! Curtis and Grace were extremely accommodating and made the 1.5 hour sunset cruise beyond enjoyable! We didn't want it to end. The charcuterie board partnership with Bellevue Boards was a fun treat. Cannot recommend this charter boat enough!!

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Derived from C&C's Redline 41, this design had a long and successful production run. It lacks some of the amenities of 'full-volume'modern boats belowdecks, but is a tough, fast, seakindly boat offshore.

Sailors over the years have invested large sums and enlisted eminent designers in search of the “dual-purpose boat,” that rare craft that rewards her owner equally with racing performance and cruising capabilities. Season after season the major builders snatch up the rights to prize-winners, conduct focus groups, and expend marketing dollars on racer/cruisers, and cruiser/racers, in hopes of making the twain of racing and cruising meet. When we checked with owners of the venerable Newport 41, we found her to be not only a widely traveled cruiser but a boat that, though designed in the ’60s, can still gather some silver on the PHRF and Beer Can circuits.

The surprise didn’t last long; the Newport 41 began life from the parent molds of the Redline 41 from Cuthbert & Cassian. In its heyday, C & C was one of the sport’s foremost builders of production racing boats. When she was designed in 1967, the Redline was queen of that C & C stable. Today’s boats have gotten longer on the waterline, shorter in the ends, wider in the beam, and flatter on the bottom. Fashion, technology, and function have all made them that way. So, too, have the rules under which they race. The N-41 is a good yardstick to measure the distance that boats have come.

The Redline 41 was designed to the CCA Rule. (CCA stands for the Cruising Club of America. For a quick description of what that rule was intended to foster, see the PS Advisor in the June double issue of this year.) Those salts who were around at the time (and even some who have come along since) tend to romanticize that rating system as “open” in terms of the types of boat that it encouraged. It was criticized for rewarding beamy centerboarders like three-time Newport-Bermuda winner Finisterre, and even the good old days had their bad old rulebeaters… but today CCA boats are generally regarded as “healthy” boats. They were markedly heavier than the boats (IMS, IOR, et. al.) that have come since. They had narrow hull forms with smoother sectional shapes. The philosophy of “if it doesn’t break, it’s too heavy,” prevalent in today’s engineering of performance boats, had yet to take hold.

As the Redline 41, the boat was at the top of the heap in her day. Then C & C recouped its investment in her (making room at the top for the C & C 61) and sold the tooling to Enterprise Yachts of Santa Ana, CA. Their version of the boat was something of an “all things to all people” creation. Their ad copy emphasized that she had “several major series wins to her credit,” but went on to describe how she sleeps seven in comfort and luxury and is distinguished by an interior offering sumptuous standards of finish and function. And back then, in 1970, the complete boat sold for $29,995!

But Enterprise didn’t sell enough of them to make a go of it, and the molds for the 41 passed to Capital Yachts, Inc., an operation in Harbor City, CA, started by Bay area builder/sailor Jon Williams in late 1972. Capital added several inches of freeboard to the hull and put a greater accent on wood below, but the Newport 41 (as they introduced her) was still very much a boat that you could race, particularly offshore. With Capital’s additions, and time, by 1983 a nicely equipped boat cost $85,000.

For the next 14 years Capital turned out roughly a boat a month. This early racer/cruiser formed the backbone of a line that included several smaller boats. She continued to be built right up until 1993, when Capital closed its doors.

Design C & C produced a startling variety of race-pointed designs over its three decades in business, but one hallmark of them all was minimum wetted surface. From easily driven swept-back keels through semicircular sectional shapes, smooth waterlines, and sweetly harmonized buttocks, the C & C hull shape was drawn to make a minimum of fuss as it passed through the water. Though decidedly heavier than the boats of today, and carrying a smaller, less efficient sailplan, the Newport 41 still has excellent “manners” because she’s so easily driven.

A key factor in that performance is her narrow 11’3″ beam (another design element that makes her easier to sail than some of her broader-beamed rivals). The hull is somewhat veed forward (owners report dry decks in seas up to three feet), regular and relatively tubular through the midsections, and tucked up slightly at the counter. The beam, however, is carried well aft for sail- carrying power and to provide an antidote to pitching. After 15 degrees of heel the counter adds a foot or more of waterline length and boosts the boat’s top-end speed potential. Sail carrying power also comes from full stern sections which explains why the boat’s best point competitively has been off the wind.

The Newport 41 is stiff. She tends to lie down onto her sailing lines and stay there. Credit that to her 8,215 pounds of ballast. That’s a lot of weight to be lugging. Some modern 40-footers don’t weigh that much altogether.

Toting all of that lead weight definitely limits the 41’s speed potential, especially with only 750 sq. ft. of rated sail area. The weight does some good things, too, though. The boat’s motion in a seaway is “old fashioned” and “substantial.” She doesn’t let the waves push her around. And she stands churchlike until the breeze gets near 20 apparent, without the need for a reef.

Accommodations Expectations were different for offshore racers when the Newport 41 was born. It was thought that heads would have doors, that pipe racks belonged in outlet stores, and that a boat should offer sailors something solid to keep them safe from wind and wave.

Consequently, the N-41 is far from stripped out. Her cockpit is a good example of the thinking that went into offshore racers of her vintage. It’s big enough, the well is deep enough, and the functions are spread enough so that five or even six can race the boat with efficiency and space. On the other hand, the benches are long enough (67″) to rest on, if not stretch out. The helmsman’s area is separate enough to allow concentration, yet big enough for comfort.

One of the most unusual aspects of the boat’s interior is her offset engine. To reduce pitching (and to create a mega-locker in the space beneath the companionway) the inboard (originally gas but later standardized as a 35-hp. diesel) is tucked beneath the galley counter on the port side. This necessitates an off-center prop (whose drag would be lessened if it had some deadwood to hide behind) but it opens up that space below the shallow (three-step) companionway stairs. “I’ve got room for two inflatables in there, and maybe a few outboard motors, too,” brags one owner. Most owners rate the engine installation “better than average” for access and some have experimented with folding or feathering props to reduce the drag. Gains of 0.4 to 0.9 knots are reported.

Some owners rate their interiors “Chevrolet” for interior aesthetics. Others like what they have better than modern boats from the lower half of the price range. Several report that varnishing the teak below has brightened things up a lot. While the matched-grain precision of some of the high-priced boats isn’t evident, Capital is reported to have done an honest job of fit and finish that makes the boats quite pleasant places in which to live.

There are, of course, problems:

“The settee in the saloon is too small.” “The pointy end of the platform double is too narrow.” “We’ve had two fires on our alcohol stove.” “Ventilation is only fair.”

These are owner critiques of an interior that seems otherwise to do a good job of filling the bill. The nav station (starboard) and galley (port) are not only big, they’re placed for optimal communication abovedecks. The head to port, and hanging lockers to starboard form a nice divider separating the forecabin from the saloon, enhancing cruising privacy. There’s a quarterberth to starboard. One owner labels it “claustrophobic,” but as a combination catch-all and secure sea berth, quarterberths are the best. We’d love to see them make a comeback against “aft staterooms” on smaller boats touted as comfortable offshore boats. Some boats also have a pilot berth to starboard, in place of lockers—another snug bunk when underway and heeled over.

Construction Inch-thick fiberglass through the bilge area made up for what the builders of the ’60s and ’70s lacked in sophisticated mastery of their materials. The boat is heavy because she is heavily built. You might, today, to overstate an extreme example, build a boat twice as strong that weighed half as much. However, these boats have been around since the ’60s—we’ll see in 40 years or so how boats being built today have fared.

“My wife and I frequently sail ours on 1000-mile cruises.” “Ours has been sailed to Hawaii.” “My boat has raced over 20,000 offshore miles.” “I do my own deliveries to Mexico and back. We’ve run into some tough stuff and racked up over 8,000 nautical miles.”

These testimonials are evidence that the old-fashioned technique of layering cloth, mat, and roving into a “brick outhouse” has produced some sturdy boats.

The decks are balsa-cored, but plywood is used extensively at the edges of the deck and in spots where hardware is attached. Sometimes not enough attention was paid to sealing the core. Several owners report having had to redo their decks, either in spots or entirely. Others report leaks around the chainplates. The hull/deck joint, however, appears to be have been done well. The deck is dropped onto an inward-turning flange in the hull. That joint is bedded with sealant and mechanically fastened with bolts on 4″ centers. That seam is then sealed with the signature C & C aluminum toerail.

“We’ve had our boat for six years without a single deck leak,” a San Diego sailor reports.

Performance The Newport 41 is at her best upwind in a breeze. She tacks in 80 degrees and stands up well under full sail, chomping along on her sailing lines at about 25 degrees of heel. A cruising sailor who doesn’t race his 41 says, “When other boats have to power to weather, I can sail and enjoy it.”

The Mark II version differs from the Mark I with a reconfigured rudder that adds over two feet to her waterline. It has marginally more sail area, apparently from the lowering of the boom by more than a foot, thus increasing her P dimension without having to change spars. This change, which would seem to be around 15 sq. ft. or so, given the E measurement, doesn’t seem to be reflected in the Mark II’s stated and rated sail area.

As you might expect, she’s at her worst in winds under 10. In British Columbia, where drifting is a way of life, one owner reports that his 150% “balloon jib” is a good antidote.

Balance, maneuverability, and seakindliness are other areas in which the N-41 deserves high marks. “Sports car” steering comes from her deep rudder. Self-tending ease on the helm comes from her long, even lines and gradually faired sections. The heft and solidity of a deep, heavy boat make her motion something that sailors of all kinds can appreciate.

The standard offset propeller is less of a success. Not only is it a source of considerable parasitic drag under sail, but it makes the helm a hair-trigger proposition under power. “Backing is an experience,” said one owner. ” It’s best accomplished at higher speeds with ‘lock to lock’ adjustments.”

Those who have fitted feathering or folding pros enjoy less drag and better control in reverse.

Owners say the engine will push the boat up to and over seven knots. 

Conclusions The N-41 makes an excellent case for the fact that a boat that was designed intelligently and built well in the first place has a good chance of standing the tests of time.

One evidence of the thoroughness with which this boat was built and supported is the owner’s manual supplied by Capital Yachts—a manual to put others to shame. It attempts, and in fact mostly succeeds, in instructing a new owner not only about the construction and fittings of boat, down to fairly minute detail, but what to carry in her, how to tune and sail her, and more. We downloaded the old manual to get details about the boat, and ended up reading large sections of it. It’s a conscientious gift of experience from builder to buyer.

Speed and maneuverability are significant virtues in a cruising boat, and the N-41 has retained them. Sailors who enjoy racing but are less happy about the expense, discomfort, and “to the edge” design of today’s racing boats will find the Newport 41 to their liking.

There are several websites available for Newport owners, with the central one at SailNet. See http://webhost.sailnet.com/newport/ .

At press time there are six Newport 41s for sale at www.yachtworld.com . Asking prices range from $48,900 to $75,900, with a median at about $60,500. Selling prices, as always, will be somewhat lower.

Also With This Article Click here to view “Newport 41 Owners’ Comments.”

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Thanks for the good work and info.

Darrell, a recently found letter from Geo Cuthbertson will dispute the legend that the Newport 41 was a refried Redline 41. To quote George: “So, Newport 41 was two years later and a ton lighter, being a considerably shallower hull, i.e.they were two separate and distinct designs”. If you’d like an e-copy I would be happy to send. From my observations, having both the lines of the N41 (1968) and Red jacket (1965), I would suggest that the N41 hull is closer to Red Jacket (with a different keel, rig and cabin and about 3-4″ more freeboard) than the Redline. Cheers, Peter Cohrs, Kingston , Ontario

PS.. I was inspired by this article to acquire a Newport 41, which I did, a 1986 MkII (after a Corvette and a Frigate). there IS a Redline 41 at Kingston Yacht Club, and while there are similarities, they aren’t the same hull. Why I doubted my observations and skepticism, I’ll never know. George’s letter settled it.

There are differences that can be attributed to production line changes, design changes, and simply construction technique changes most likely. To say they are not the same design is a little ridiculous. The molds came from the c&c redline, they are designed from Sparkman and Stephens offsets. You will find differences in hulls even within the c&c production line itself along with the various models they produced. The table of offsets is close enough on the newport 41 to the c&c 41 that I would say calling them different hull “designs” is a little crazy. True that no boat has the same hull as any other boat though…. hah.

So, John. What you are saying is that Geo. Cuthbertson has written a letter of lies, and that the N41 C&C lines are plagiarized from S&S. That’s a pretty bold and ignorant statement. In addition to GHC’s letter, I SPOKE with Henri M. Adriaanse, who DREW the N41 lines at C&C. Henri made it crystal clear than the N41 was not a RedLine- period. He said It would have been very impractical and expensive to modify the RL moulds to the N41 shapes. Also the N41 was designed to have extra volume for cruising “stuff”, and be lighter, for California airs. So, Henry’s account validates GHC’s letter. Furthermore, I have overlaid the N41 lines with the lines of Red Jacket, and other than the extra freeboard, cabin trunk, rudder and keel, the lines are damned near a match. It appears as though the N41 is a cruising variant of Red Jacket. I’ve offered this drawing and observation to Henri, JohnKelly Cuthbertson and Rob Mazza (C&C des’r and part time c&C historian) and none have turned the idea down. The N41 is certainly not a RL41. I think you should retract you accusation of C&C plagiarization. In any case, I will forward this to JohnKelly.

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Cal 31 is a 31 ′ 5 ″ / 9.6 m monohull sailboat designed by C. William Lapworth and built by Bangor Punta Corp. and Jensen Marine/Cal Boats between 1979 and 1984.

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Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Shoal draft: 4.25’/1.3m.

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