Formosa 41 Ketch
Description
The Formosa 41 Ketch is a classic blue water cruising sailboat, part of the iconic Formosa Yachts production line built in Taiwan during the 1970s (1971–1978), renowned for its heavy-displacement, full-keel design that prioritizes seaworthiness and long-distance voyaging over speed. Designed by William Garden (a prolific naval architect known for rugged workboats) and marketed by the Formosa Boat Building Company under the Clipper Marine brand, approximately 200 examples were produced, making it one of the most common models in the fleet. Its ketch rig—split mainsail and mizzen for balanced sail plan and easier handling in heavy weather—appeals to couples or small crews, while the canoe stern and teak-heavy construction evoke traditional clipper ship aesthetics with a touch of luxury.
Construction Details
| Designer | William Garden |
|---|---|
| Builder | Clipper Marine |
| Length | 41.000 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 49 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 14.50 ft |
| p | 43 ft |
| e | 15 ft |
| p2 | 29 ft |
| e2 | 10 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49 ft | 14.50 ft | 43 ft | 15 ft | 29 ft | 10 ft | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 43 ft - (13106 mm) |
| Foot | * 15 ft - (4572 mm) |
| Leech | * 44.76 ft - (13643 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 45.04 ft - (13728 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 331.6 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 42 ft - (12802 mm) |
| Foot | 17.083 ft - (5207 mm) |
| Leech | 37.5 ft - (11430 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 105.03 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 15.23 ft - (4642 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 10.43 ° |
| Area | * 319.88 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 38 ft - (11582 mm) |
| Foot | 14.25 ft - (4343 mm) |
| Leech | 36 ft - (10973 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 92.97 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 13.48 ft - (4109 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 2.43 ° |
| Area | * 256.13 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 47 ft - (14326 mm) |
| Foot | 20.25 ft - (6172 mm) |
| Leech | 44 ft - (13411 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 130.34 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18.9 ft - (5761 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.54 ° |
| Area | * 444.18 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 46 ft - (14021 mm) |
| Foot | 20 ft - (6096 mm) |
| Leech | 43.75 ft - (13335 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 130.34 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18.9 ft - (5761 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 2.61 ° |
| Area | * 434.69 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 47 ft - (14326 mm) |
| Foot | 20.75 ft - (6325 mm) |
| Leech | 43 ft - (13106 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 130.83 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18.97 ft - (5782 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 7.43 ° |
| Area | * 445.78 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 49 ft - (14935 mm) |
| Foot | 25 ft - (7620 mm) |
| Leech | 47 ft - (14326 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 919 ft² |
| Sail Type | MIZZEN |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 29 ft - (8839 mm) |
| Foot | * 10 ft - (3048 mm) |
| Leech-AftHdBd | * 30.04 ft - (9156 mm) |
| Tack Ang | * 88 ° |
| Diag (clew/head) | * 30.34 ft - (9248 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4.5 in - (114 mm) |
| Area (no Roach) | * 148.31 ft² |
| Sail Type | STORMJIB |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 28.11 ft - (8568 mm) |
| Foot | * 10.68 ft - (3255 mm) |
| Leech | * 23.58 ft - (7187 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 60 % |
| Length Perp | * 8.7 ft - (2652 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 18.96 ° |
| Area | * 122.29 ft² |
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.