Review of Passport 51

Basic specs.

The Passport 51 is a large sailboat designed by the Canadian maritime architect Stanley Charles Huntingford in the early eighties. The Passport 51 is built by the Taiwanese yard Passport Yachts Inc..

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Rig

The Passport 51 is equipped with 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.

Keel

Fin keel

The Passport 51 is equipped with a fin keel. A boat with a fin keel is more manoeuvrable but has less directional stability than a similar boat with a full keel.

The boat can only enter major marinas as the draft is about 2.19 - 2.29 meter (7.19 - 7.49 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

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 Passport 51 is 1.64, 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 8.8 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 Passport 51 is about 371 kg/cm, alternatively 2081 lbs/inch.
Meaning: if you load 371 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 2081 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 Passport 51 is 38.8.

Comparing this ratio with similar sailboats show that it is more comfortable than 69% of all similar sailboat designs. This comfort value is just above average.

L/B (Length Beam Ratio)

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

The l/b ratio for Passport 51 is 3.69.

Compared with other similar sailboats it is slimmer than 69% of all other designs. It seems that the designer has chosen a slightly more speedy hull design.

D/L (Displacement Length Ratio)

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

The DL-ratio for Passport 51 is 209 which categorizes this boat among 'light crusers & offshore racers'.

54% of all similar sailboat designs are categorized as heavier. A light displacement requires less sailarea and has higher accellerations.

SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio)

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

The SA/D for Passport 51 with ISO 8666 reference sail is 15.8, with a 135% genua the SA/D is 18.9.

The SA/D ratio indicates that it is faster than 8% of all similar sailboat designs in light wind.

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 63m² (678 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 ketch 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**
Usage	Length		Diameter
Mainsail halyard	42.5 m	(139.3 feet)	14 mm	(0.55 inch)
Jib/genoa halyard	42.5 m	(139.3 feet)	14 mm	(0.55 inch)
Spinnaker halyard	42.5 m	(139.3 feet)	14 mm	(0.55 inch)
Jib sheet	15.5 m	(51.0 feet)	16 mm	(5/8 inch)
Genoa sheet	15.5 m	(51.0 feet)	16 mm	(5/8 inch)
Mainsheet	38.8 m	(127.5 feet)	16 mm	(5/8 inch)
Spinnaker sheet	34.2 m	(112.2 feet)	16 mm	(5/8 inch)
Cunningham	5.5 m	(18.0 feet)	14 mm	(0.55 inch)
Kickingstrap	11.0 m	(36.0 feet)	14 mm	(0.55 inch)
Clew-outhaul	11.0 m	(36.0 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 Passport 51 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.