The Aerodyne 47 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Aerodyne 47, a fractional solent-rigged sloop was designed by Roger Martin and built in South Africa by Aerodyne Marine.

'Pandora', a Aerodyne 47 high-performance cruising yacht at anchor off Deshaies, Guadeloupe, French West Indies

An Aerodyne 47. Note the Solent rig and club-footed inner jib.

Published Specification for the Aerodyne 47

Underwater Configuration: Shoal draft bulb keel & spade rudder

Hull Material: Composite

Length Overall: 46'7" (14.2m)

Waterline Length: 42'1" (12.8m)

Beam: 14'4" (4.4m)

Draft: 6'0" (1.8m)

Rig Type: Fractional solent-rigged sloop

Displacement: 25,370lb (11,532kg)

Designer: Roger Martin

Builder: Aerodyne Marine (South Africa)

Year First Built: 2001

Year Last Built: 2007

Number Built: 3 (The Aerodyne 47 pictured above, 'Pandora', was build #3)

Published Design Ratios for the Aerodyne 47

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 17.5

Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 40.7

Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 152

Under 100: Ultralight
100 to 200: Light
200 to 275: Moderate
275 to 350: Heavy
Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 26.0

Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.9

Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Aerodyne 47

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 17.5 suggests that the Aerodyne 47 will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 40.7 means that the Aerodyne 47 will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 152, tells us the Aerodyne 47 is clearly a light displacement sailboat. If she's loaded with too much heavy cruising gear her performance will suffer to a degree.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 26.2 suggests that crew comfort of an Aerodyne 47 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.9 tells us that an Aerodyne 47 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.