[Bluesmoods]

Cal 39 & Bill Lapworth

I am very interest in purchasing a 1984 Cal 39 in just fantastic condition with every conceivable piece of equipment on board.

The Cal 39 and Cal Boats seemed to be very popular boats in the 70''s and 80''s. You don''t hear much about them now and you don''t see to many of them for sale. Does anyone know much about the Cal 39 and It''s designer Bill Lapworth? Would greatly appreciate any information.

Thanks.

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Cal 39 & Bill Lapworth

Join the Cal email list here at sailnet. Extremely active, and has many knowledgable sailors. Lapworth is one of the most under rated designers in history. Known for innovations like the fin keel and spade rudder, the 40 is the most famous. Lapworth boats owned the late 60''s and early 70''s racing scenes. They also cruise very well. The 39 is a killer boat. You will find 39 owners on the list. Good luck

 

[TSOJOURNER]

Cal 39 & Bill Lapworth

Join the Cal email list here at sailnet. Extremely active, and has many knowledgable sailors. Lapworth is one of the most under rated designers in history. Known for innovations like the fin keel and spade rudder, the 40 is the most famous. Lapworth boats owned the late 60''s and early 70''s racing scenes. They also cruise very well. The 39 is a killer boat. You will find 39 owners on the list. Good luck

 

[TSteele65]

deleted....spam

Yeah, those little evaluation tubes are nothing but trouble.

 

[southerncross31]

This spam is just disturbing to try and read...WTF?

 

[paulaita]

Hi, I am new here.
I live on a Cal 39 with my boyfriend, we are fixing the boat to go cruising.
We want to go to Panama from Miami, my question is: is the Cal 39' a good boat to do it? this boat is a fin keel and I am a little worry about it.
Thanks.

 

[artbyjody]

Hi, I am new here.
I live on a Cal 39 with my boyfriend, we are fixing the boat to go cruising.
We want to go to Panama from Miami, my question is: is the Cal 39' a good boat to do it? this boat is a fin keel and I am a little worry about it.
Thanks.

Draft may be somewhat a concern...depending where you want to gunkhole... however as for cruising the Cal-39's are very trusty boats to do such with...and many do...

 

[camaraderie]

These are excellent, well built cruising boats. As Jody says..if you have the deep draft version that can be a pretty big problem in Florida and the Bahamas and in various other places. There is also a 5.5' draft version that may be better for your plans.

 

[pah]

cal 39 at sea

These are excellent, well built cruising boats. As Jody says..if you have the deep draft version that can be a pretty big problem in Florida and the Bahamas and in various other places. There is also a 5.5' draft version that may be better for your plans.

this is my first post. i came across this cal 39 thread re off shore cruising on them. so if paulaita might still respond, that would be great. or anyone elses two cents.

i've been looking for a liveaboard, 2 cabin cruiser. i respect the cal designs and though they are a touch light for my ideal, i know they are also super proven.

my main question about buying one is the vulnerability of the spade rudder. though i have not heard of specific problems it is a concern of general design and the robustness when abuse at sea comes on the menu. can someone speak to the toughness of the rudder set up compared to say the skeg hung rudders on boats like the corbin 39 which i am also considering along with a cooper 416.

not a statement that yes, skeg hung is tougher but whether or not there have been problems on these cals or the 40 or 43s

thanks.

peter

 

[camaraderie]

Peter...I prefer a skeg as well...but obviously, not all do. I have heard of no special problems with the Cal rudders.

 

[pah]

spade/skeg hung rudders

as my brother says (though he'd only have a skeg...) if they're designed right, that they can take it all on the shaft. he compares it to (actually masts without standing rigging) the days of byplanes.. it was radical to have "unsupported" wings. no cable... everything relying on the wing to fuselage joint. it the rudder post were several inches in diameter that'd be nice, but still.. leverage is a wondrous thing.

thanks,

peter

 

[blowinstink]

Here is the website of a Cal 40 (which by more than one account I have read - though certainly not all -- is identical to the Cal 39 . . .) currently in the south pacific.

Blogs - tags:greenroom - Wetsand.com

Looks like she's having a pretty good time at it too . . .

 

[pah]

cal 39/40

i don't know them that well other than by good reputation. not identical but damn close. i think the 39s more or less replaced the 40s but i look at them as the same for my purposes, at least the early cals.

thanks, peter

i'll check it out

 

[starlightventure]

If you go on a passage with an unprotected spade rudder, You Must carry a spare emergency rudder, one that you can hang over the transom with a tiller.
Their are many reports of broken rudders at sea. One hit a 400 pound sun fish and bent the rudder shaft. Many have hit whales and irreparably jammed the rudder, still another hit a tree trunk floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, rendering the boat unable to steer. As you can see buy viewing the profile of a Cal 39-40- and most other spade rudder boats, that the top of the rudder will bind up against the hull if impacted by an object.
Unable to steer the boat far out at sea, big BIG problem.

 

[bheintz]

Join the Cal email list here at sailnet.

How do I join the Cal email list?

 

[chall03]

bheintz, I believe the email lists have been since discontinued.

 

[slap]

If you go on a passage with an unprotected spade rudder, You Must carry a spare emergency rudder, one that you can hang over the transom with a tiller.
Their are many reports of broken rudders at sea. One hit a 400 pound sun fish and bent the rudder shaft. Many have hit whales and irreparably jammed the rudder, still another hit a tree trunk floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, rendering the boat unable to steer. As you can see buy viewing the profile of a Cal 39-40- and most other spade rudder boats, that the top of the rudder will bind up against the hull if impacted by an object.
Unable to steer the boat far out at sea, big BIG problem.

Any type of rudder can fail, so it's a good idea to have a backup system. Also, many of the objects that you have listed can damage a skeg badly enough that the rudder is damaged or jammed.

 

[neophytecruiser]

I believe the Cal 40, besides being a foot longer than the 39, has a larger cockpit (shorter cabin) and is 2000 lbs. lighter. Both are great boats, as are all Lapworth designs.

 

[Bollardyachts]

The Cal 39 is a decent boat, but as with many types of boats, they have their problems. Deck core deterioration seems to be a chronic issue with the Cal 39's, and there's one hauled out in town here that lost it's rudder in a recent blow. I've heard of this on others also.
Check any boat your considering purchasing carefully.

 

[Jeff_H]

I am a big fan of the Lapworth and his earlier boats, but I have never liked the way that the Cal 39 sailed. I found them to have quirky sailing characteristics and be hard boats to handle, especially short handed. They do offer nicer creature comforts than the earlier boats.

Jeff