Review of Vindö 50

Vindö 50.

Basic specs.

The Vindö 50 is a sailboat designed by the Swedish maritime architect Carl Andersson together with John H. V. Lindblom also from Sweden in the mid seventies.

Looking for a new boat? Find a Vindö 50 or similar boat for sale

Interior

The boat is equipped with 180.0 liter fresh water capacity.

Rig

The boat has more than one rig.

One option is a ketch rig. A ketch rig is generally considered easier to handle, because the sails are smaller, and because it can sail on most points to the wind with one sail completely taken down for repair or while reefing. The sail configuration of a ketch allows for better comfort and stability when sailing downwind or on a broad reach.

Another option is a masthead rig. The advantage of a masthead rig is its simplicity and the fact that a given sail area - compared with a fractional rig - can be carried lower and thus with less heeling moment.

Keel

The Vindö 50 has been built with different keel alternatives.

Full keel

One option is a long keel. A full keel provide a better directional stability than a similar boat with a fin keel; on the other hand, better directional stability means also that the boat is more difficult to handle in a harbour with less space.

The keel is made of lead. Compared with iron, lead has the advantage of being 44% heavier, which allows a smaller keel and hence less water resistance and higher speed.

Vindö 50 can enter most marinas as the draft is just about 1.60 - 1.70 meter (5.25 - 5.55 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

Full keel

Another option is a long keel. A full keel provide a better directional stability than a similar boat with a fin keel; on the other hand, better directional stability means also that the boat is more difficult to handle in a harbour with less space.

The boat can enter most marinas as the draft is just about 1.62 - 1.72 meter (5.31 - 5.61 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

Engine

The Vindö 50 has been equipped with different engine alternatives.

Alternative 1:

The boat may be equipped with an inboard Volvo Penta MD3 diesel engine at 36 hp (26 kW). Calculated max speed is about 6.0 knots

Alternative 2:

Vindö 50 may be equipped with an inboard Volvo Penta MD3 diesel engine at 36 hp (26 kW). Calculated max speed is about 6.0 knots

The transmission is a shaft drive. A shaft drive will in the long run require less maintenance than other types of drive e.g. a sail drive.

Alternative 3:

The boat may be equipped with an inboard Volvo Penta 17 engine

The transmission is a shaft drive. A shaft drive will in the long run require less maintenance than other types of drive e.g. a sail drive.

The fuel tank has a capacity of 60.0 liters (15 US gallons, 13 imperial gallons).

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

Stability and Safety

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Vindö 50 is 1.66, indicating that this boat could - if evaluated by this formula alone - be accepted to participate in ocean races.

Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 7.0 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

Immersion rate

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Vindö 50 is about 175 kg/cm, alternatively 983 lbs/inch.
Meaning: if you load 175 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 983 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

Motion Comfort Ratio

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

The Motion Comfort Ratio for Vindö 50 is 34.9.

Comparing this ratio with similar sailboats show that it is more comfortable than 90% of all similar sailboat designs. This is a comfort value significantly above average.

L/B (Length Beam Ratio)

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

The l/b ratio for Vindö 50 is 3.41.

Compared with other similar sailboats it is slimmer than 73% of all other designs. It seems that the designer has chosen a slightly more speedy hull design.

Ballast Ratio

What is a Ballast Ratio?

The ballast ratio for Vindö 50 is 37%.

This ballast ratio shows a righting moment that is higher than 34% of all similar sailboat designs. A righting moment (ability to resist heeling) just below average.

D/L (Displacement Length Ratio)

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

The DL-ratio for Vindö 50 is 319 which categorizes this boat among 'medium weight cruisers'.

21% of all similar sailboat designs are categorized as heavier. A heavy displacement combined with smaller water plane area has lower acceleration and is more comfortable.

SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio)

What is SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio)?

The SA/D for Vindö 50 with ISO 8666 reference sail is 12.4, with a 135% genua the SA/D is 14.5.

The SA/D ratio indicates that it is faster than 7% of all similar sailboat designs in light wind.

Over- / underrigged

The Vindö 50 has more rig than 38% of all similar sailboats, which indicates that the boat is slightly underrigged.

RSP (Relative Speed Performance)

What is Relative Speed Performance?

The Relative Speed Performance for Vindö 50 is 4

The relative speed performance is 4 which means that a it is faster than 4% of all similar sailboat designs.

Maintenance

Bottom Paint

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 30m² (322 ft²).
Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

Note: If you use a paint roller you will need more paint than if you use a paintbrush.

Rig

Dimensions of sail for masthead rig.

Are your sails worn out? You might find your next sail here: Sails for Sale

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

**Guiding dimensions of running rig**
Masthead rig
Usage	Length		Diameter
Mainsail halyard	29.4 m	(96.5 feet)	12 mm	(1/2 inch)
Jib/genoa halyard	29.4 m	(96.5 feet)	12 mm	(1/2 inch)
Spinnaker halyard	29.4 m	(96.5 feet)	12 mm	(1/2 inch)
Jib sheet	10.7 m	(34.9 feet)	14 mm	(0.55 inch)
Genoa sheet	10.7 m	(34.9 feet)	14 mm	(0.55 inch)
Mainsheet	26.6 m	(87.4 feet)	14 mm	(0.55 inch)
Spinnaker sheet	23.4 m	(76.9 feet)	14 mm	(0.55 inch)
Cunningham	3.9 m	(12.8 feet)	12 mm	(1/2 inch)
Kickingstrap	7.8 m	(25.6 feet)	12 mm	(1/2 inch)
Clew-outhaul	7.8 m	(25.6 feet)	12 mm	(1/2 inch)
Ketch rig
Usage	Length		Diameter
Jib sheet	10.7 m	(34.9 feet)	14 mm	(0.55 inch)
Genoa sheet	10.7 m	(34.9 feet)	14 mm	(0.55 inch)
Mainsheet	26.6 m	(87.4 feet)	14 mm	(0.55 inch)
Spinnaker sheet	23.4 m	(76.9 feet)	14 mm	(0.55 inch)

Boat owner's ideas

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

Finally

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Vindö 50 it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us. Criticism helps us to improve.

References

[Ref 1]: ISO 8666 Small craft — Principal data.
[Ref 3]: ISO 12215-5 Small craft — Hull construction and scantlings.