Design and Construction
The hull is solid fiberglass, with a fin keel and a rudder carried on a skeg. At 50.03 feet overall and 40.03 feet on the waterline, the hull draws between 6.56 and 6.86 feet depending on load, and carries a beam of 13.78 feet. The length-to-beam ratio of 3.63 makes her slimmer than 66% of comparable sailboat designs, while a displacement of 40,124 pounds and a ballast of 14,550 pounds (a 36% ballast ratio, higher than 54% of similar designs) place her among the "heavy cruisers" by displacement-to-length measure, with a DL-ratio of 276. That mass is reassuring offshore: the capsize screening value is 1.62 and the Motion Comfort Ratio of 43.0 is reported as more comfortable than 82% of similar sailboat designs.
Rig and Handling
The Belliure 50 is built with a cutter rig, a sensible choice for a heavy mid-size cruiser. Standing and running rigging dimensions from period data give a practical picture of her scale: jib and genoa sheets run about 50 feet with 5/8-inch diameter, the mainsheet is roughly 125 feet of the same diameter, and spinnaker sheets extend about 110 feet. The wetted surface of the bottom is about 613 square feet, and the immersion rate is approximately 1,922 pounds per inch — meaningful when considering how load and provisioning change trim. Her theoretical displacement-hull maximum is 8.5 knots, with a calculated max speed around 6.9 knots and a published hull speed of 8.48 knots.
Accommodations
Below, the boat is equipped with 7 to 9 berths, supporting her role as a family or crew cruiser. Fresh water capacity is 450 liters (118 US gallons), and the fuel tank holds 630 liters (166 US gallons). Those volumes suit extended passages without constant resupply, consistent with the heavy-cruiser categorization drawn from her displacement profile.
Power and Equipment
The Belliure 50 may be equipped with an inboard Volvo Penta diesel engine rated at 84 hp, driving a shaft. The builder's specification also notes a diesel engine as standard, and the drive is direct. The combination of a substantial fuel reserve and a moderate-power diesel reflects a design prioritized for range and reliability over speed under power.
The Verdict
The Belliure 50 is a thoughtfully proportioned Spanish cruiser of the mid-1970s, pairing a slim, heavy-displacement hull with a reassuring comfort profile and a practical cutter rig. Her accommodations and tankage suit long-range cruising, and her construction reflects the early FRP era of a yard newly committed to fiberglass leisure boats.
Pros
- Slimmer than 66% of similar designs with a high comfort ratio (more comfortable than 82% of comparable sailboats)
- 7–9 berths with 118-gallon water and 166-gallon fuel capacity for extended cruising
- Solid fiberglass hull with fin keel and skeg-hung rudder; cutter rig suited to heavy cruising
Cons
- Moderate engine power (84 hp) relative to 40,000 lb displacement may limit motoring performance in adverse conditions
- Draft varies with load (6.56–6.86 ft), requiring attention to trim and grounding clearance
