Bowman 48 Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

Builder drawing

Hull type

Monohull · fin

Rig

Cutter

LOA

48.16' · 14.68 m

Displ.

34,330 lbs · 15,572 kg

First year

1981

The Bowman 48 stands as a definitive expression of the "proper yacht," representing a highwater mark for British bluewater cruiser construction during the late 20th century. Designed by the renowned American naval architect Chuck Paine and built by Rival Bowman in Southampton (and later under the stewardship of Rustler Yachts in Cornwall), the vessel was conceived as a powerful, goanywhere voyager capable of crossing oceans with safety and speed. Unlike the lighter, massproduced Mediterranean cruisers of its era, the Bowman 48 was engineered with a "nocompromise" approach to structural integrity, utilizing a heavyduty layup and a hull form designed to handle the rigors of the North Atlantic. It is often regarded as the larger sibling to the equally respected Bowman 45, sharing the same design DNA but offering significantly more interior volume and waterline length for extended liveaboard capabilities.