Marsh Hen
Florida Bay Boat Company · designed by Reuben Trane · 1981
centerboardcat rigUnited States
The Marsh Hen is a 17-foot cat rig sailboat designed by Reuben Trane and built by Florida Bay Boat Company, first launched in 1981.
General
| Builder | Florida Bay Boat Company |
|---|---|
| Designer | Reuben Trane |
| Years built | 1981 |
| Hull type | centerboard |
| Rig type | cat rig |
| Construction | fiberglass |
| Origin | United States |
Dimensions
| LOA | 17.33 ft5.28 m |
|---|---|
| LWL | 16.25 ft4.95 m |
| Beam | 6.25 ft1.91 m |
| Draft (max) | 3.25 ft0.99 m |
| Displacement | 650 lb295 kg |
| Ballast | —— |
| Sail Area | 155 ft²14.4 m² |
Design ratios
Computed from the specs above using the standard formulas. Try the sailboat calculators with your own numbers.
SA / Displacement 33.05 Performance / racer — powered up
Displacement / Length 68 Ultralight
Comfort Ratio 5.3 Racing / light coastal
Capsize Screening 2.89 Better suited to coastal use (> 2.0)
Hull Speed 5.4 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
$8,500 typical range $7,000 – $10,000
⚠ 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.
