Thistle
Douglass & McLeod · designed by Gordon K. Douglass · 1945
centreboardBermuda rigUnited States
The Thistle is a 17-foot bermuda rig sailboat designed by Gordon K. Douglass and built by Douglass & McLeod, first launched in 1945.
General
| Builder | Douglass & McLeod |
|---|---|
| Designer | Gordon K. Douglass |
| Years built | 1945 |
| Hull type | centreboard |
| Rig type | Bermuda rig |
| Construction | fiberglass |
| Origin | United States |
Dimensions
| LOA | 17.00 ft5.18 m |
|---|---|
| LWL | 17.00 ft5.18 m |
| Beam | 6.00 ft1.83 m |
| Draft (max) | 4.50 ft1.37 m |
| Displacement | 515 lb234 kg |
| Ballast | —— |
| Sail Area | 191 ft²17.7 m² |
Design ratios
Computed from the specs above using the standard formulas. Try the sailboat calculators with your own numbers.
SA / Displacement 47.56 Performance / racer — powered up
Displacement / Length 47 Ultralight
Comfort Ratio 4.3 Racing / light coastal
Capsize Screening 2.99 Better suited to coastal use (> 2.0)
Hull Speed 5.5 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
$7,000 typical range $5,500 – $8,500
⚠ 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.
