The Wauquiez 48 Pilot Saloon Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

Published Specification for the Wauquiez 48 Pilot Saloon

Underwater Configuration: Fin keel & spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 48'10" (14.9m)

Waterline Length: 41'0" (12.5m)

Beam: 14'9" (4.5m)

Draft: 7'1" (2.2m)

Rig Type: Masthead sloop

Displacement: 37,478lb (17,000kg)

Designer: Ed Dubois

Builder: Wauquiez (France)

Year First Built: 1997

Year Last Built: 2002

Number Built:  22

Owners Association: Wauquiez Owners Info

Published Design Ratios for the Wauquiez 48 Pilot Saloon

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 16.3

• 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: 29.4

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

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 243

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

4. Comfort Ratio: 37.0

• 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: 1.8

• 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 Wauquiez 48 Pilot Saloon

Download this eBook to make sure you buy wisely!

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 16.3 suggests that the Wauquiez 48 Pilot Saloon 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 29.4 would usually mean that the Wauquiez 48 Pilot Saloon would have a tendency to heel excessively 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 a bulb at the foot of the keel, she's likely to be considerably stiffer than her published Ballast/Displacement Ratio might suggest.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 243, tells us the Wauquiez 48 Pilot Saloon 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 37.0 suggests that crew comfort of a Wauquiez 48 Pilot Saloon 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 tells us that a Wauquiez 48 Pilot Saloon would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.