The Starlight 39 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

Published Specification for the Starlight 39

Underwater Profile: Wing keel & skeg-hung rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 38'10" (11.8m)

Waterline Length: 31'9" (9.7m)

Beam: 12'6" (3.8m)

Draft: 5'4" (1.6m)

Rig Type: Masthead sloop

Displacement: 19,749lb (8,958kg)

Ballast: 7,119lb (3,229kg)

Designer: Stephen Jones

Builder: Sadler Yachts, Rustler Yachts (both UK)

Year First Built: 1990

Year Last Built: 1994

Number Built: 34

Published Design Ratios for the Starlight 39

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 15.7

• 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: 36.1

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

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 275

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

4. Comfort Ratio: 31.2

• 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: 1.8

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

read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Starlight 39

Download this eBook to make sure you buy wisely!

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 15.7 suggests that the Starlight 39 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 36.1 would usually mean that the Starlight 39 would have a tendency to heel uncomfortably in a gust, and need to be reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

However, as she has much of her ballast concentrated in wings at the foot of her keel, she's likely to be considerably stiffer than her published Ballast/Displacement Ratio might suggest.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 275, tells us the Starlight 39 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 31.2 suggests that crew comfort of a Starlight 39 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a moderate bluewater cruising boat - a predictable and acceptable motion for most seasoned sailors.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.8 indicates that a Starlight 39 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.