Carter 39
Description
The Carter 39 is a classic 1970s offshore racer-cruiser designed by Dick Carter (American naval architect, continuing the performance-oriented series from your earlier queries on Carter models like the 30, 33, 36, 37, 3/4 Ton, and 2 Ton). Introduced in 1974, it was built as a versatile IOR-influenced yacht with two main variants: a flush-deck "Competition" version (racing-focused, flat deck, twin wheels, dual cockpits, aggressive sail plan) and an "Offshore" version (with trunk cabin/raised coachroof for better accommodations and cruising comfort). It earned a cult following for its speed, strength, and seaworthiness—described in reviews as a "fast and powerful" beauty with excellent handling in varied conditions. Production started in 1974, with limited numbers overall (exact count unknown, but not high-volume; some sources note only a handful of pure "Racing" flush-deck versions, perhaps 3 or fewer in that config). Some hulls were sold as semi-finished or owner-completed, leading to minor variations, but Olympic Yachts is consistently credited as the main builder in databases (sailboatdata.com), historical reviews (e.g., Giornale della Vela, Histoire des Halfs), and owner forums (YBW, Sailing Anarchy threads from 2006–2011 onward).
Construction Details
| Designer | Dick Carter |
|---|---|
| Builder | Olympic Yachts Ltd. |
| Length | 39.000 ft |
| LOA | 39.000 ft |
| LWL | 30.000 ft |
| Beam | 12.750 ft |
| Displacement | 18750 lb |
| Ballast | 7350 lb |
| Max Draft | 6.750 ft |
| Year Built | 1974 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 51.96 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 16.62 ft |
| p | 46 ft |
| e | 13 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51.96 ft | 16.62 ft | 46 ft | 13 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Carter 39 - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 46 ft - (14021 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 13 ft - (3962 mm) |
| Leech | * 47.09 ft - (14353 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 47.36 ft - (14435 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 308.76 ft² |
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Carter 39 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 43.64 ft - (13301 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 22.01 ft - (6709 mm) |
| Leech | * 37.89 ft - (11549 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.98 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 19.11 ft - (5825 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12.01 ° |
| Area | * 416.96 ft² |
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Carter 39 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 49.75 ft - (15164 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 19 ft - (5791 mm) |
| Leech | 46 ft - (14021 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 105.72 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.57 ft - (5355 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.65 ° |
| Area | * 437 ft² |
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Carter 39 - GENOA
| Luff | * 51.83 ft - (15798 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 26.84 ft - (8181 mm) |
| Leech | * 48.74 ft - (14856 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 24.93 ft - (7599 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.02 ° |
| Area | * 646.02 ft² |
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Carter 39 - GENOA
| Luff | 51 ft - (15545 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 20 ft - (6096 mm) |
| Leech | 47.5 ft - (14478 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 112.03 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18.62 ft - (5675 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.67 ° |
| Area | * 474.8 ft² |
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Carter 39 - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 51.83 ft - (15798 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 29.92 ft - (9120 mm) |
| Foot | * 29.92 ft - (9120 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 1318 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.
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