The first hull was delivered at the end of 1985 and launched in early spring 1986. The design followed closely on earlier Baltic projects and reflected the yard’s stated philosophy: high performance paired with comfort and safety, suitable for both racing and comfortable cruising.
Design and Construction
Baltic Yachts achieved the 48 DP’s light yet strong and safe structure through what it described as the very highest technology, materials, and methods of the day. The hull and deck are hand-laid fiberglass in sandwich construction, with both structures cored. A lead keel sits on a fin profile.
The boat displaces 12,100 kg and carries 5,400 kg of ballast, giving it a 45% ballast ratio. Its displacement-to-length ratio of 207 places it firmly in the light-displacement performance camp, while a Motion Comfort Ratio of 28.6 tempers its motion at sea. A capsize screening value of 1.91 and a length-to-beam ratio of 3.36 further describe a hull tuned for pace and seaworthiness rather than maximum volume.
Draft varies from 2.65 to 2.75 m, depending on load.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The 48 DP is a masthead sloop carrying 106.5 square meters of mainsail and jib area. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 20.5 with the ISO reference sail and 24.4 with a 135% genoa, a range that helps explain the boat’s dual racing-and-cruising brief.
Wetted surface is about 62 square meters, and theoretical hull speed is 8.3 knots. With the optional Volvo Penta MD30A 62-horsepower diesel and shaft drive, the boat can make 9.0 knots.
The standing and running rigging follow period dimensions. Halyards are 45.9 meters long and 14 mm in diameter; the mainsheet is 36.6 meters by 16 mm; and jib or genoa sheets are 14.6 meters by 16 mm. The spinnaker gear is similarly scaled for downwind work.
Accommodations and Capacities
Below, the 48 DP has four cabins and berths for eight or nine, along with a galley, a toilet facility, and a teak interior. Fresh-water capacity is 360 liters, while the stainless-steel fuel tank holds 170 liters.
The arrangement reflects Baltic Yachts’ responsibility for the deck and cabin layouts, and the teak finish is consistent with the yard’s contemporaries. A beam of 4.36 meters and an 11.76-meter design waterline give the accommodations a proportionate footprint without the extremes of later wide-body cruisers.
The Verdict
The Baltic 48 DP is a scarce Peterson design that combines a light, sandwich-built hull and lead fin keel with a racing-capable masthead rig. At the same time, it retains a genuine four-cabin cruising interior.
With only twenty built, buyers may need to be patient. Even so, the figures support the design intent of combining performance with comfort and safety. This isn’t a volume-production boat; its specifications will best suit an owner who values a finely tuned hull over generic cruising space.
Pros
- Light, strong sandwich-fiberglass construction with a lead fin keel
- High-performance masthead rig with strong sail-area-to-displacement ratios
- Four cabins and eight or nine berths, with a teak finish and 360 L water capacity
- Designed explicitly for both racing and comfortable cruising
Cons
- Only twenty built, limiting availability on the used market
- Draft of 2.65–2.75 m, depending on load, restricts access to some shallow cruising grounds
