The Windship 60 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Windship 60 sailboat was designed by William Waite and manufactured by Windship Yachts in the United States during the period 1989 to present.

Accommodation and Sailplan

Published Specification for the Windship 60

Keel & Rudder Configuration: Centerboard keel with a pivoting lifting keel.
Hull Material: Fiberglass.
Length Overall: 18.5 meters (60'10").*
Waterline Length: 15.2 meters (49'9").*
Beam: 5.3 meters (17'5").*
Draft: 1.7 meters (5'7") to 4.1 meters (13'5").*
Rig Type: Cutter rig.
Displacement: 23,133 kilograms (51,200 pounds).*
Ballast: 8,165 kilograms (18,000 pounds) of lead.*
Sail Area: 157.9m² (1,700ft²).*
Water Tank Capacity: 1,832 litres (485 gallons).
Fuel Tank Capacity: 2,574 litres (679 US gallons, 566 imperial gallons).
Hull Speed: 11.5 knots.
Designer: William Waite.
Builder: Windship Yachts.
Year First Built: 1989.
Year Last Built: Present.
Number Built: Not specified.

* These parameters are used to derive the design ratios referred to later in this article - here's how they're calculated...

Published Design Ratios
The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio (SA/D): 19.87. This ratio suggests a good balance between sail power and weight, indicating that the Windship 60 can perform well in a variety of wind conditions. It's not overly powerful, which means it can handle moderate to strong winds without excessive heeling.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio (B/D): 35.29%. A higher ballast ratio enhances the stability of the sailboat, helping it to resist heeling and capsize. This percentage suggests that the Windship 60 has good stability, making it suitable for offshore sailing and providing a safe and comfortable ride.

Displacement / Length Ratio (D/L): 184.90. This moderate ratio indicates that the Windship 60 is relatively light for its length, offering a good balance between speed and comfort. It can move efficiently through the water while maintaining a smooth ride, which is ideal for long voyages.

Comfort Ratio: 32.85. This high comfort ratio means the Windship 60 is designed with cruising comfort in mind. It should provide a stable and smooth ride, reducing motion on the water and making life aboard more pleasant, especially on longer passages.

Capsize Screening Formula (CSF): 1.89. The CSF helps determine a boat's likelihood of capsizing. A value less than 2 is considered safe for offshore sailing. At 1.89, the Windship 60 is deemed safe for blue-water cruising, meaning it can handle rough seas and strong winds without a high risk of capsizing.

The above design ratios are fairly typical for a substantial sailboat of this type and can be interpreted to provide an indication of such a vessel's likely sailing characteristics - however they have their limitations:

The design ratios are static measurements which don't account for dynamic factors like wave action, wind gusts, or crew actions.

They simplify complex interactions into single numbers, which can be misleading. Real-world performance is influenced by a multitude of factors that these ratios can't fully capture.

The context in which the boat is intended to be used (e.g., coastal cruising vs. offshore racing) can greatly affect how these ratios should be interpreted.

Consequently, while these ratios provide valuable insights into the theoretical performance characteristics of a sailboat, they should be used as part of a broader assessment that includes practical experience, sea trials, and expert advice.

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Summing up...

The Windship 60 sailboat is a well-crafted vessel designed for both performance and comfort. With a balanced sail area and a stable cutter rig, it performs admirably in various wind conditions.

The moderate displacement and high comfort ratio ensure a smooth and pleasant sailing experience, making it ideal for long voyages. Its robust design, with a shallow draft option and customizable interior layouts, caters to a variety of sailing preferences allowing the skipper to anchor much closer in than other deep draft vessels.

The Windship 60 stands out as a reliable and versatile choice for both coastal cruising and bluewater adventures.

More Specs & Key Performance Indicators for Popular Cruising Boats

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This article was written with the assistance of Copilot, a large language model developed by Microsoft. Copilot was used to gather information, summarize research findings, and provide suggestions for the content and structure of the article.