Gulfstar 43 Ketch
Description
The Gulfstar 43 is a classic American bluewater-capable cruiser designed by Vince Lazzara (with input from Richard Lazzara) and built by Gulfstar Yachts in the United States from 1976 to 1978 (following an earlier 1971–1973 motorsailer/MS variant with only 10 hulls), with approximately 80 hulls produced in the primary auxiliary sailboat configuration—making it relatively uncommon but well-regarded among owners for its solid fiberglass construction, long keel for tracking and stability, and comfortable motion in offshore conditions. Available primarily as a masthead sloop (with optional ketch rig for easier sail handling on longer passages), it features a center-cockpit layout in many examples (providing excellent protection and access to a spacious aft cabin), generous interior volume suited for liveaboard or extended cruising (multiple cabins, full galley, heads, and good storage), and reliable performance under sail or power—though heavier displacement means it's more about steady, sea-kindly progress than high speed.
Construction Details
| Designer | V.S. Lazzara |
|---|---|
| Builder | Gulfstar Yachts |
| Length | 43.000 ft |
| LOA | 43.330 ft |
| LWL | 39.160 ft |
| Beam | 11.920 ft |
| Displacement | 21000 lb |
| Ballast | 5000 lb |
| Max Draft | 5.600 ft |
| Year Built | 1971 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 44.90 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 14.92 ft |
| p | 38.70 ft |
| e | 17 ft |
| p2 | 20 ft |
| e2 | 8 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44.90 ft | 14.92 ft | 38.70 ft | 17 ft | 20 ft | 8 ft | - | - |
Sails
Gulfstar 43 Ketch - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 38.7 ft - (11796 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 17 ft - (5182 mm) |
| Leech | * 41.44 ft - (12631 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 41.72 ft - (12716 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 337.36 ft² |
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Gulfstar 43 Ketch - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 37.85 ft - (11537 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 19.89 ft - (6062 mm) |
| Leech | * 32.66 ft - (9955 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.01 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.16 ft - (5230 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | * 324.72 ft² |
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Gulfstar 43 Ketch - GENOA
| Luff | 44 ft - (13411 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 22 ft - (6706 mm) |
| Leech | 40.75 ft - (12421 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 135.66 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 20.24 ft - (6169 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.71 ° |
| Area | * 445.21 ft² |
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Gulfstar 43 Ketch - GENOA
| Luff | * 44.95 ft - (13701 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 24.2 ft - (7376 mm) |
| Leech | * 42.17 ft - (12853 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 22.38 ft - (6821 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.98 ° |
| Area | * 502.98 ft² |
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Gulfstar 43 Ketch - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | 46 ft - (14021 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 26 ft - (7925 mm) |
| Leech | 44 ft - (13411 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 897 ft² |
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Gulfstar 43 Ketch - MIZZEN
| Luff | * 20 ft - (6096 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 8 ft - (2438 mm) |
| Leech-AftHdBd | * 21.1 ft - (6431 mm) |
| Tack Ang | * 88 ° |
| Diag (clew/head) | * 21.28 ft - (6486 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 3.5 in - (89 mm) |
| Area (no Roach) | * 82.38 ft² |
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Gulfstar 43 Ketch - STORMJIB
| Luff | * 26.02 ft - (7931 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 11.26 ft - (3432 mm) |
| Leech | * 21.17 ft - (6453 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 59.99 % |
| Length Perp | * 8.95 ft - (2728 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 18.99 ° |
| Area | * 116.42 ft² |
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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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