Gulfstar 47 Sailmaster
Description
The Gulfstar 47 Sailmaster is a substantial American motorsailer/cruiser designed by Vince Lazzara (Gulfstar/V. Lazzara) and built by Gulfstar Yachts in the USA from 1978 to 1981, with approximately 79 hulls produced—making it a relatively uncommon but enduring classic among liveaboard and long-distance cruisers. This raised-saloon (pilot house) model pioneered the "Sailmaster" concept with a beamy hull, shoal draft, low air draft for bridge clearance, and a powerful auxiliary diesel for efficient motoring, prioritizing spacious, light-filled interiors (often with aft cabin, forward V-berth, full galley, multiple heads, and excellent visibility/storage for extended living) over pure sailing speed. Available as a masthead ketch (most common for balanced handling and shorthanded use) or sloop, it features solid fiberglass construction with a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder for stable, predictable motion in varied conditions—though owners note it's sluggish in light air and upwind (better reaching/running or motoring), with a comfortable, non-pounding ride in heavy weather and proven liveaboard appeal (e.g., one owner lived aboard for 19 years).
Construction Details
| Designer | V.S. Lazzara |
|---|---|
| Builder | Gulfstar Yachts |
| Length | 47.420 ft |
| LOA | 47.420 ft |
| LWL | 40.500 ft |
| Beam | 13.830 ft |
| Max Draft | 5.000 ft |
| Year Built | 1978 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 49.50 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 19.50 ft |
| p | 41 ft |
| e | 15.50 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49.50 ft | 19.50 ft | 41 ft | 15.50 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Gulfstar 47 Sailmaster - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 41 ft - (12497 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 15.5 ft - (4724 mm) |
| Leech | * 43.04 ft - (13119 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 43.32 ft - (13204 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 326.49 ft² |
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Gulfstar 47 Sailmaster - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 42.56 ft - (12972 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 26.89 ft - (8196 mm) |
| Leech | * 35.65 ft - (10866 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.97 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 22.42 ft - (6834 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | * 477.13 ft² |
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Gulfstar 47 Sailmaster - GENOA
| Luff | * 50.54 ft - (15405 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 32.41 ft - (9879 mm) |
| Leech | * 46.84 ft - (14277 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 29.25 ft - (8915 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.01 ° |
| Area | * 739.18 ft² |
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Gulfstar 47 Sailmaster - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 50.54 ft - (15405 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 32.17 ft - (9805 mm) |
| Leech | * 46.5 ft - (14173 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 1219 ft² |
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Gulfstar 47 Sailmaster - STORMJIB
| Luff | * 29.26 ft - (8918 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 15.39 ft - (4691 mm) |
| Leech | * 22.54 ft - (6870 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 60 % |
| Length Perp | * 11.7 ft - (3566 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 19 ° |
| Area | * 171.2 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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