Cal 39 MK II Tall
Description
The Cal 39 MK II Tall Rig is a refined evolution of the iconic American racer-cruiser sailboat designed by C. William Lapworth. Produced by Jensen Marine (Cal Boats) from 1972 to 1978, approximately 100 hulls were built for the MK II overall, with the tall rig variant (a subset) featuring an extended mast for superior light-air performance and upwind pointing—adding about 5 ft to the air draft over the standard rig while boosting sail area by ~8–10%. It incorporates a wider beam than the MK I for enhanced stability, a fin keel with spade rudder for responsive handling, and robust hand-laid fiberglass construction. This model shines in coastal racing, club fleets, or family passages, with proven seaworthiness in 15–25 knots and a lively yet forgiving ride.
Construction Details
| Designer | C. William Lapworth |
|---|---|
| Builder | Jensen Marine (USA) |
| Length | 39.000 ft |
| LOA | 39.000 ft |
| LWL | 32.080 ft |
| Beam | 12.000 ft |
| Displacement | 17000 lb |
| Ballast | 7000 lb |
| Max Draft | 6.670 ft |
| Year Built | 1972 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 54 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 16.67 ft |
| p | 48 ft |
| e | 13.75 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54 ft | 16.67 ft | 48 ft | 13.75 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Cal 39 MK II Tall - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 48 ft - (14630 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 13.75 ft - (4191 mm) |
| Leech | * 49.2 ft - (14996 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 49.47 ft - (15078 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 340.18 ft² |
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Cal 39 MK II Tall - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 48 ft - (14630 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 21 ft - (6401 mm) |
| Leech | 42 ft - (12802 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 110.08 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18.35 ft - (5593 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.96 ° |
| Area | * 440.3 ft² |
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Cal 39 MK II Tall - GENOA
| Luff | 52.5 ft - (16002 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 24.25 ft - (7391 mm) |
| Leech | 49 ft - (14935 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 135.09 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 22.52 ft - (6864 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.59 ° |
| Area | * 591.27 ft² |
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Cal 39 MK II Tall - GENOA
| Luff | * 53.69 ft - (16365 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 26.81 ft - (8172 mm) |
| Leech | * 50.61 ft - (15426 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 149.97 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 25 ft - (7620 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.02 ° |
| Area | * 671.11 ft² |
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Cal 39 MK II Tall - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | 54 ft - (16459 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 28 ft - (8534 mm) |
| Leech | 51 ft - (15545 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 1134 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.