Morgan OI 51 Ketch
Description
The Morgan Out Island 51 Ketch, a substantial center-cockpit staysail ketch designed by Jack Cory and Charles Morgan and produced by Morgan Yacht Corp. from 1974 to 1981 as an upscale, family-oriented bluewater cruiser and charter vessel evolving from the popular Out Island 41, boasts a robust fiberglass keel/centerboard hull stretching 51.5 feet LOA with a 43-foot waterline, 15.83-foot beam, and variable draft (5.16–10.33 feet) for versatile shoal-water access, displacing 46,000 pounds (12,000 pounds ballast) while carrying 1,122 square feet of sail area across its divided rig for balanced, moderate performance—highlighted by a D/L ratio of 258 for heavy-weather stability, SA/D of 14 for decent reaching speeds up to 8–9 knots, and a comfort ratio of 39 for plush motion in passages, though it's no lightweight racer. Featuring a voluminous teak interior with up to 8 berths across an aft master suite, forward guest cabin, convertible saloon, dual heads, expansive U-galley, and generous tanks (300 gallons fuel, 265 water) driven by a reliable 85 hp Perkins diesel, the OI 51 (later refined as the 512 in 1981) garnered praise for its roomy liveaboard appeal and seaworthiness despite a "tubby" aesthetic, with limited production making survivors sought-after.
Construction Details
| Designer | Charles Morgan |
|---|---|
| Builder | Morgan Yachts |
| Length | 51.000 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 58 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 17.25 ft |
| p | 50 ft |
| e | 16.50 ft |
| p2 | 38 ft |
| e2 | 11 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 58 ft | 17.25 ft | 50 ft | 16.50 ft | 38 ft | 11 ft | - | - |
Sails
Morgan OI 51 Ketch - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 50 ft - (15240 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 16.5 ft - (5029 mm) |
| Leech | * 51.83 ft - (15798 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 52.1 ft - (15880 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 423.18 ft² |
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Morgan OI 51 Ketch - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 48.41 ft - (14755 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 22.59 ft - (6885 mm) |
| Leech | * 42.52 ft - (12960 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.01 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 19.84 ft - (6047 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | * 480.22 ft² |
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Morgan OI 51 Ketch - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 57 ft - (17374 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 19.5 ft - (5944 mm) |
| Leech | 52 ft - (15850 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 102.78 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.73 ft - (5404 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 8.03 ° |
| Area | * 505.32 ft² |
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Morgan OI 51 Ketch - GENOA
| Luff | * 57.49 ft - (17523 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 27.64 ft - (8425 mm) |
| Leech | * 54.34 ft - (16563 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150.03 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 25.88 ft - (7888 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | * 743.89 ft² |
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Morgan OI 51 Ketch - DRIFTER
| Luff | * 57.49 ft - (17523 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 28.69 ft - (8745 mm) |
| Leech | * 52 ft - (15850 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 150.03 % |
| Length Perp | * 25.88 ft - (7888 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 9.01 ° |
| Area | * 743.87 ft² |
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Morgan OI 51 Ketch - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 57.49 ft - (17523 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 28.46 ft - (8675 mm) |
| Leech | * 52.89 ft - (16121 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 1227 ft² |
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Morgan OI 51 Ketch - MIZZEN
| Luff | * 38 ft - (11582 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 11 ft - (3353 mm) |
| Leech-AftHdBd | * 38.83 ft - (11835 mm) |
| Tack Ang | * 88 ° |
| Diag (clew/head) | * 39.19 ft - (11945 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 5.25 in - (133 mm) |
| Area (no Roach) | * 213.72 ft² |
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Morgan OI 51 Ketch - STORMJIB
| Luff | * 33.28 ft - (10144 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 12.72 ft - (3877 mm) |
| Leech | * 27.88 ft - (8498 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 60 % |
| Length Perp | * 10.35 ft - (3155 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 18.97 ° |
| Area | * 172.24 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.