Gulfstar 53 Sloop
Description
The Gulfstar 53 Sloop is a rare variant or conversion of the Gulfstar 53 Motorsailer (MS) series, originally designed by V.S. Lazzara and built by Gulfstar Yachts in Florida, USA, from 1971 to 1975 (with ~27 hulls total in the primary production run, mostly as masthead ketches; true factory sloop-rigged examples are extremely scarce, and many "sloop" versions result from owners removing the mizzen mast for simplified handling, added deck space, and no notable loss in performance under sail). This heavy-displacement, beamy fiberglass motorsailer prioritizes comfortable, long-range cruising and liveaboard capability with its shoal-draft fin keel (great for shallow anchorages like the Bahamas), powerful inboard diesel for reliable motoring (often 100+ hp, with high fuel capacity in some refits), and expansive interior volume (multiple staterooms, full galley, heads, raised saloon elements for light/visibility, and good storage/headroom)—suited for extended coastal/offshore passages or family use rather than high-performance sailing. The sloop rig (when original or converted) offers simpler sail management and potentially slightly better upwind efficiency compared to the standard ketch, though the boat remains motorsailer-focused: slow to accelerate in light air, modest pointing ability, but stable and sea-kindly in breeze/heavy weather with a smooth motion and proven reliability when maintained.
Construction Details
| Designer | V.S. Lazzara |
|---|---|
| Builder | Gulfstar Yachts |
| Length | 53.000 ft |
| LOA | 53.000 ft |
| LWL | 47.250 ft |
| Beam | 15.000 ft |
| Displacement | 44000 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.500 ft |
| Year Built | 197 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 53.58 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 19 ft |
| p | 45.54 ft |
| e | 20 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53.58 ft | 19 ft | 45.54 ft | 20 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Gulfstar 53 Sloop - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 45.54 ft - (13881 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 20 ft - (6096 mm) |
| Leech | * 48.8 ft - (14874 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 49.09 ft - (14963 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 465.09 ft² |
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Gulfstar 53 Sloop - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 45.48 ft - (13862 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 25.63 ft - (7812 mm) |
| Leech | * 38.82 ft - (11832 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 21.85 ft - (6660 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.98 ° |
| Area | * 496.91 ft² |
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Gulfstar 53 Sloop - GENOA
| Luff | * 54.01 ft - (16462 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 31.08 ft - (9473 mm) |
| Leech | * 50.44 ft - (15374 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 28.5 ft - (8687 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.98 ° |
| Area | * 769.69 ft² |
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Gulfstar 53 Sloop - DRIFTER
| Luff | * 54.01 ft - (16462 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 32.44 ft - (9888 mm) |
| Leech | * 47.91 ft - (14603 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perp | * 28.5 ft - (8687 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 9.01 ° |
| Area | * 769.61 ft² |
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Gulfstar 53 Sloop - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 54.01 ft - (16462 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 31.35 ft - (9555 mm) |
| Leech | * 49.69 ft - (15146 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 1270 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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