Celestial 50 Pilothouse

Description

The Celestial 50 Pilothouse is a rare and highly regarded bluewater cruising sailboat from Xiamen Celestial Yacht Ltd. (a Chinese yard in Xiamen, originally Hong Kong-based, active in the 1990s–early 2000s and later reorganized to focus on Passport and Outbound Yachts). It's essentially a pilothouse version or variant of the Celestial 50 (which is also ~50.75 ft LOA and often listed interchangeably with the 48-foot deck measurement series), featuring a raised saloon/pilothouse with panoramic windows for excellent visibility and light, combined with a center-cockpit layout for protected steering and spacious below-deck living. Designed by Bryce Fuhriman (with possible influences from earlier Ted Brewer concepts, though details are murky), these boats were built as sturdy, moderate-displacement offshore cruisers—often rigged as cutters or ketches—with thick fiberglass construction, good tankage, and proven transatlantic and global voyaging capability (many owners report excellent performance in varied conditions, though they can be wet in heavy seas due to lower freeboard). The pilothouse variant prioritizes comfort and all-weather usability (raised salon for watchkeeping, ventilation options, and roomy interiors with multiple cabins/heads), making it appealing for liveaboard or extended cruising couples/families.