Offshore One (Chance) Information, Review, Specs

History and Design

The production of the Chance Offshore One spanned a concentrated period from 1976 to 1979. The builder, Heritage Yacht Corp., was founded by Charles Morgan in 1976, after his departure from Morgan Yacht Corporation. Heritage Yacht Corp. continued Morgan's commitment to fiberglass construction, aiming to produce both sailing yachts and trawlers that blended performance with practical seaworthiness. Charles Morgan himself served as the principal naval architect for Heritage models, though for the Offshore One, the design was notably penned by Britton Chance.

Britton Chance was a prolific naval architect celebrated for his innovative racing designs, including several America's Cup contenders. His philosophy for the Offshore One was to create a "minimum-sized" One-Tonner equipped with an exceptionally large rig, indicating a clear focus on maximizing performance within the rating rules of the time. While specific "MkI" or "MkII" variations are not widely documented for this model, forum discussions suggest some boats might have had slight differences, potentially related to rating adjustments, and at least one experimental construction involved wood. The underlying construction by Heritage Yacht Corp. leveraged advanced fiberglass methods, a technique Charles Morgan had been instrumental in popularizing, ensuring durable hulls.

Sailing Performance and Handling

The Chance Offshore One's design ratios underscore its performance-oriented nature. Her Sail Area to Displacement ratio of approximately 15.51 suggests a boat with good power for her displacement, contributing to her noted speed in lighter winds. A remarkably high Ballast to Displacement ratio of nearly 58.5% indicates exceptional stiffness and stability, allowing the boat to carry sail effectively in stronger breezes and stand up well to the wind. Her Displacement to Length ratio, around 229, places her in the medium-heavy displacement category, a common characteristic of IOR designs that balanced a degree of comfort with performance potential.

Equipped with a fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder, the Offshore One was designed for responsive handling and directional stability. Anecdotal evidence from owners and racers suggests she was particularly fast in light air and downwind for boats of her era. Designed as a race boat, she was considered "unbeatable" in certain configurations in Southern California, highlighting her competitive capabilities when sailed effectively.

Accommodations and Layout

Information regarding the specific interior accommodations and layout of the Chance Offshore One is not extensively documented in widely available public resources. As a sailboat designed primarily for racing under the IOR rule, it is typical for boats of this class and era to prioritize performance and interior volume for rating purposes, sometimes leading to more functional, rather than luxurious, living spaces. While the maximum headroom is not specified in the available data, interior layouts would generally include basic amenities such for offshore racing and limited cruising, likely featuring a V-berth forward, a main salon area, a galley, and a head. The finish quality would likely reflect the builder's focus on robust, fiberglass construction methods prevalent at the time.

Owner's Perspectives

Owners and sailing enthusiasts often highlight the Chance Offshore One's strong racing pedigree and the design genius of Britton Chance. Discussions among current and former owners frequently emphasize her competitive speed, especially in certain conditions, a testament to her One-Ton design origins. However, common with many IOR-era yachts, some owners note that these boats, particularly of that vintage, can be "not very user friendly" due to the compromises inherent in their racing-focused design. While there isn't a widely documented list of recurring maintenance issues, the general experience of owning such a classic racing yacht would involve typical considerations for fiberglass boats of that age, with any specific challenges often tied to the maintenance and upgrades of original systems.