Beetle Cat
Beetle · designed by John Beetle · 1921
centerboardCat rigUnited States
The Beetle Cat is a 12-foot cat rig sailboat designed by John Beetle and built by Beetle, first launched in 1921.
General
| Builder | Beetle |
|---|---|
| Designer | John Beetle |
| Years built | 1921 |
| Hull type | centerboard |
| Rig type | Cat rig |
| Construction | wood |
| Origin | United States |
Dimensions
| LOA | 12.33 ft3.76 m |
|---|---|
| LWL | 11.67 ft3.56 m |
| Beam | 6.08 ft1.85 m |
| Draft (max) | 2.00 ft0.61 m |
| Displacement | 450 lb204 kg |
| Ballast | —— |
| Sail Area | 140 ft²13.0 m² |
Design ratios
Computed from the specs above using the standard formulas. Try the sailboat calculators with your own numbers.
SA / Displacement 38.15 Performance / racer — powered up
Displacement / Length 126 Light
Comfort Ratio 5.3 Racing / light coastal
Capsize Screening 3.17 Better suited to coastal use (> 2.0)
Hull Speed 4.6 kn Theoretical max displacement speed
How these numbers are calculated
- SA / Displacement
SA ÷ (Disp ÷ 64)^(2/3)— Power-to-weight. < 16 under-canvassed, 16–20 cruiser, > 20 racer.- Ballast / Displacement
Ballast ÷ Disp × 100— Stability/stiffness. Higher carries sail better.- Displacement / Length
Disp(lt) ÷ (0.01 · LWL)³— < 100 ultralight, 100–200 light, 200–300 moderate, > 300 heavy.- Comfort Ratio (Brewer)
Disp ÷ (0.65 · (0.7·LWL + 0.3·LOA) · Beam^1.33)— Motion in a seaway. Higher = more comfortable offshore.- Capsize Screening
Beam ÷ (Disp ÷ 64)^(1/3)— ≤ 2.0 favored for offshore; > 2.0 better for coastal use.- Hull Speed
1.34 · √LWL— Theoretical max displacement speed in knots.
Estimated price
$3,500 typical range $3,000 – $4,000
⚠ Rough estimate only — not market data. Derived from a simple model based on length and hull age; actual asking prices vary widely with condition, equipment, engine hours and location.
