img1215Both the Cal 39, built by Jensen Marine of Costa Mesa, California, and the Cal 39 MK III, built by Bangor Punta in Fall River, Massachusetts, are jewels in the tradition of most Bill Lapworth designs. Built between 19seveneight and 19eightsix, they are true racer/cruisers sailors' boats with high performance on all points of sail, but with cruising accommodations that make them ideal boats to retrofit for offshore passagemaking. The enthusiasm for this design displayed by Cal 39 owners who answered the BWS survey is obvious. "The boat will be a good passagemaker, and I am quite pleased with its overall performance," said one.

Passagemaking Qualities


With the exception of dinghy stowage, with ratings generally below five (on a scale of one to 10, 10 being perfect), these categories received high scores. Several respondents raved about the spaciousness, helmsperson visibility and protection afforded by the T-shaped cockpit, and gave these categories scores that averaged between eight and nine. Decks are generally deemed dry, and motion in a seaway is considered "easy" with scores between seven and 10. One Cal 39 owner reported that his boat surfed well and in a controlled fashion in quartering seas.

Construction


Hull, deck, hull-deck joint, bulkheads and braces, rudder and shaft, prop shaft and through-hull fittings all rated high, with scores between eight and 10. Just about anything that didn't run away first was glassed into the hull, wrote one skipper. Rating slightly lower, with average scores between six and seven, were exterior stainless, steering system, engine and exhaust, cockpit layout, deck hardware and deck layout. Stringers and floors and exterior trim rated lowest in this category, with average scores of six. One respondent reported that cabin soles are weak and flex, and thus the table wobbles, exerting undue leverage on the sole. One five for exterior trim was awarded by a cabinet-maker by trade, who also damned with faint praise with a seven for cabinetry below. Objectively, however, he added, "I'm sure it is average for a production boat, and certainly better than modern production standards. The relatively low scores for cockpit layout seem to be due to a design unfavorable to shorthanded sailing. Chainplates and stainless backing plates were deemed top-drawer, with scores of 9 and 10.

Rig and Rigging


Two rigs were offered for the 39: standard and tall, both keel-stepped. Most respondents had boats equipped with the standard rig, which flies about 60 less square feet of working sail than the tall. The quality of the single spreader rig and wire standing rigging was deemed high, with scores between seven and nine. Most original traveler systems had worn out and been replaced by new ones. Original travelers were given subterranean scores of four and five.

Accommodation


img1214"Very spacious, light and comfortable, and makes a great liveaboard," one owner told us. Additional handrails will therefore be advisable for rough weather. A sense of airiness is created by both an open layout below and translucent hatches and a couple of deadlights (nice touch!). The large L-shaped galley to starboard of the companionway has double sinks, large lockers and nice ventilation, which explains the high scores (seven to nine) for galley efficiency, stove/oven installation, and food and equipment stowage. A capacious stowage space under the cockpit, with easy access, was appreciated by Cal 39 owners. Heads (some boats have two; others only one) received high marks of eight and nine for their placement and spaciousness.

The berth arrangement received rave reviews, which is not surprising, for sea berths abound. Port and starboard settees excel at sea, and the so-called aft-cabin (access to port of companionway) with double berth is more accurately a large quarter-berth that becomes an ideal sea berth with judicious use of pillows. Personal stowage space below also received high marks (eights and nines) because of numerous lockers, drawers and bins behind the settee backs. Ventilation generally was rated high (sevens and eights, but with one five to keep us honest) because of eight opening ports, wide companionway, dorade over the galley, and hatches over the saloon and forepeak. Naturally, scores for below-decks plan for living aboard and offshore sailing were high (eights and nines).

Performance Ratings


img1213According to respondents, the Cal 39 is very weatherly, upwind scores being all eights and 9s. One skipper commented: "It points beautifully. Moreover, it is more veed under the bow than Lapworth's Cal 40, which reduces pounding." Downwind ratings were equally high, with high grades for performance in following seas. Light air performance (sixs and sevens) was ranked fairly high: "Light-air performance is very responsive," said one owner, although the 39's sail area/displacement ratio of 16.2 explains the rather luke-warm response. Moderate-breeze scores averaged between seven and eight. "In moderate winds (to 25 knots) the boat is solid and manageable by one person," wrote one skipper. "The boat may be more tender than most offshore sailors are used to, but in twenty knots apparent, with unreefed main and one-thirty genoa, it lays over without burying the lee rail."

Performance ratings under power are mediocre, with many fives and sixes, which is surprising, considering the fin keel and way-aft outboard rudder, which should equate to excellent maneuverability around the docks. The disturbance of the rudder, which extends farther aft than the transom, may interfere with the servo-oar of a wind vane, which might have to be mounted on a custom bracket to find clean water.

Summary


The Cal 39 seems to be an ideal vessel for an offshore retrofit. With its clean decks and cockpit and open interior, it will be easy to convert this boat to your ideal short-handed blue water cruiser. We see all sorts of doors to remove, heads to replace with lockers, and things we could do with the galley. Maybe we could craft a hard dodger over the companionway and reconfigure the cockpit for short-handed cruising.

With its relatively long waterline (32 feet on a 39-foot LOA), powerful hull design and generous sail plan, it will be a fast passagemaker that will be fun to sail and comfortable to live aboard offshore. The 39's sail area/displacement ratio of 16.2 will enhance her reputation as a family offshore cruiser. The 257 displacement/length ratio means that the 39 will sail extremely well while carrying all the gear and supplies necessary for an extended passage; 150-mile days should be commonplace. The Cal 39's comfort ratio (which cranks displacement, waterline, LOA and beam through an intricate formula contrived by naval architect Ted Brewer) of 31.2 is what one might expect of a moderate displacement (17,500 pounds) offshore cruiser.

Surprisingly few Cal 39s are on the market these days, which is probably an indication of the loyalty owners feel for them. Close to 150 reportedly were built between 1978 and 1986, so you know they're out there.