The Passoa 47 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Passoa 47, an aluminium cutter, was designed by Philippe Harlé & Alain Mortain and built in France by Garcia Aluminium.

A Passoa 47 aluminium cutter

Published Specification for the Passoa 47

Underwater Configuration: Swing-keel/centreboard with twin rudders

Hull Material: Aluminium

Length Overall: 47'9" (14.5m)

Waterline Length: 40'9" (11.9m)

Beam: 14'1" (4.3m)

Draft: Min 3'7" (1.1m), Max 8'2" (2.5m)

Rig Type: Cutter

Displacement: 30,649lb (13,900kg)

Designer: Philippe Harlé & Alain Mortain

Builder: Garcia Aluminium (France)

First Built: 1986

Last Built: 2005

Number Built: 60

Published Design Ratios for the Passoa 47

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 14.5

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: 42.0

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

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 213

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

4. Comfort Ratio: 29.4

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 Passoa 47

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 14.5 suggests that the Passoa 47 will need a stiff breeze to get her going. In light conditions, unless you've got plenty of time on your hands, motor-sailing may be the way to go.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 42.0 means that the Passoa 47 will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 213, tells us the Passoa 47 is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 29.4 suggests that crew comfort of a Passoa 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 a Passoa 47 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.

The Passoa 47: A Sailboat for Adventure

The Passoa 47 is a boat that has a lot of character and charm. Many Passoa 47 owners have sailed around the world or across oceans with this boat, and they have enjoyed its performance and versatility.

Accommodation

One of the most appealing aspects of the Passoa 47 is its practical and comfortable accommodation. The boat has three separate cabins, two heads, a spacious saloon, a galley, and a navigation station. It can sleep up to seven people, making it ideal for family cruising or inviting friends.

The forward cabin has a double berth with storage underneath, a hanging locker, and shelves. It also has its own ensuite head with a marine toilet, a sink, and a shower.

The aft cabin has two single berths that can be joined together to form a double berth. It also has storage drawers, a hanging locker, and shelves.

The third cabin is located on the port side of the saloon. It has a single berth that can be extended to form a double berth. It also has storage drawers and shelves.

The saloon is the center of the boat. It has a U-shaped settee on the starboard side that can seat up to six people around a large folding table. On the port side, there is another settee that can serve as a single berth or as a sofa. The saloon has plenty of natural light and ventilation from the windows and hatches.

The galley is located on the starboard side of the companionway. It has a three-burner gas stove with an oven, a double stainless steel sink with hot and cold water, a top-loading refrigerator/freezer, and plenty of storage space for cookware, dishes, and food.

The navigation station is located on the port side of the companionway. It has a large chart table with drawers and shelves, an instrument panel with VHF radio, GPS, radar, autopilot, wind speed and direction indicator, depth sounder, log, compass, and SSB radio. It also has a comfortable seat with a backrest.

The aft cockpit is protected by a sprayhood and a bimini top. It has two long benches with cushions and lockers underneath. It also has an aft locker that can store the liferaft and other gear.

Rigging and Sails

The Passoa 47 has a cutter rig with a keel-stepped mast. The mast has two sets of spreaders and supports three sails: a mainsail, a genoa, and a staysail.

The mainsail is slab reefed with three reefing points. It is controlled by two winches on the mast and two winches on the cockpit coaming. The mainsail also has lazy jacks and a stack pack for easy handling.

The genoa is roller furling with a UV protection strip. It is controlled by two winches on the cockpit coaming. The genoa also has sheets that run through blocks on tracks on the side decks.

The staysail is hanked onto the inner forestay. It is controlled by two winches on the cockpit coaming. The staysail also has sheets that run through blocks on the coachroof.

Performance and Handling

The Passoa 47 is an aluminium sailboat that weighs 30,649 lb (13,900 kg). It has a swing-keel/centreboard with twin rudders that give it variable draft and good steering control. It also has an 80hp engine that can power it up to 8 knots.

The Passoa 47 is a fast and agile boat, thanks to its light weight and high sail area. It can sail well in light to moderate winds, reaching up to 9 knots of speed. It can also handle strong winds and rough seas, as long as it is reefed early and balanced properly.

The Passoa 47 has a lively motion at sea, thanks to its low displacement and long waterline. It does not roll or pitch excessively, but rather responds quickly to the waves. It also has a high center of gravity and a low ballast ratio, which makes it less stable and more prone to heeling.

The Passoa 47 is intended for offshore and ocean sailing, as it has the strength, the equipment, and the storage capacity to cope with long passages. It also has a large fuel tank of 132 gallons (500 liters) and a large water tank of 132 gallons (500 liters), which give it a good range and autonomy.

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.