Design and Construction
The Baleinier 600 is a monocoque fiberglass sailboat built of polyester with a solid hull and solid fiberglass deck monocoque. She measures 6.00 meters on the hull and 4.95 meters at the waterline, with a beam of 2.45 meters and a light displacement of 1,050 kg. Ballast is 250 kg of iron, giving a ballast-to-weight ratio of 0.24 and a ballast-to-sail ratio of 11. The keel is a fin drawing 0.70 meters, paired with a masthead-sloop rig carrying 23.5 square meters of sail area split between an 11.5 square meter mainsail and a 12 square meter genoa. Her sail-to-weight ratio sits at 22, and she is rated category 4 for design waters. The proportions describe a light, low-drag coastal hull with moderate ballast and a forgiving shallow draft.
Rig and Handling
As a masthead sloop the Baleinier 600 carries a modest but well-balanced rig: the 23.5 m2 of canvas is nearly evenly divided between main and genoa, which keeps trim straightforward for a short-handed crew. The 0.70 meter draft and 2.45 meter beam give her a stable, easily grounded profile in tidal creeks and manageable handling in a breeze. With a wetted surface kept small by the 4.95 meter waterline and a displacement of just over a ton, the ZV ratio of 11 and the LP ratio of 0.24 suggest a boat that accelerates quickly in light air and remains manageable for novice owners, though the category 4 rating confirms she is not built for open ocean.
Accommodations
Inside, the Baleinier 600 is laid out as a habitable cruising sailboat with four berths and 1.52 meters of headroom under the cabin beams. That headroom is sufficient for sitting upright at the settee but low by modern standards, consistent with a 6-meter hull. The four-berth arrangement lets two adults cruise and two more camp aboard, and the habitable cruising program confirms she was marketed as a proper pocket cruiser rather than a daysailer with a tent.
Power and Equipment
Kirié offered the boat with a well-mounted outboard of 10 to 20 hp or an inboard diesel rated at 11 or 16 hp HB en puits 10 à 20 Cv ou IB 11 ou 16 Cv. The outboard-well option keeps the hull simple and the stern uncluttered, while the inboard choices show Kirié anticipated owners who wanted permanent propulsion without sacrificing the shallow draft. Either installation suits the boat's scale and coastal mission.
The Verdict
The Baleinier 600 is a tidy, limited-production French pocket cruiser that packages four berths and a real masthead rig into under 20 feet. Her shallow fin keel, light displacement, and category 4 rating make her a sensible trainer and estuary cruiser, though the low headroom and small hull argue against anything but coastal use.
Pros
- Solid monocoque polyester construction with a limited production run to a single design
- Shallow 0.70 m draft and 2.45 m beam ease launching, grounding, and close-quarters handling
- Four berths and 1.52 m headroom make her a genuine habitable cruiser at 6 meters
Cons
- Category 4 rating limits her to sheltered and coastal waters
- 1.52 m headroom is cramped for standing adults
- Only 23.5 m2 of sail and 250 kg ballast suit light-air day sailing more than heavy-weather work
