Design and Construction
The Landfall 48 was drawn by the Canadian maritime architecture firm C&C Design and built in fiberglass by C&C Yachts. Both the hull and deck are solid glass rather than cored laminate.
Her proportions place her firmly in the heavy-cruiser camp. She displaces 31,600 pounds on a 37-foot 4-inch waterline and carries 12,300 pounds of lead ballast in a fixed fin keel. A displacement-length ratio of 271, ballast ratio near 39 percent, and length-beam ratio of 3.39 describe a beamy, weighty hull. The standard keel draws 6.58 feet, increasing to roughly 6.89 feet under load. Below the waterline, she has a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder.
The pilothouse is the defining feature of the deck layout. Its large, slightly tinted windows provide panoramic visibility and distinguish the Landfall 48 from the lower-freeboard cruisers of her era.
Rig, Power, and Handling
The Landfall 48 carries a cutter rig that YachtDatabase’s review found slightly underrigged. Her sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 15.3 with the reference sail and 18.4 with a 135 percent genoa, placing her among the less aggressively canvased boats in her size class.
The standard 85-horsepower Perkins diesel provides a generous power margin for a 48-footer. Her theoretical hull speed is 8.2 knots, close to the 7.5-knot calculated maximum cited by reviewers.
A capsize screening value of 1.77 and motion comfort ratio of 35.7 reinforce the impression of a stable, well-damped hull. An immersion rate of about 1,823 pounds per inch further indicates her heft when loaded for a passage.
Pilothouse and Accommodations
The pilothouse doubles as the main saloon. It contains a large dinette and settee lounge, with the settee converting to a 36-inch pilot berth. Teak joinery highlights the cabinetry, and an inside steering position was available. A wet locker sits at the foot of the companionway ladder.
Ventilation comes from four dorade boxes with cowl vents, along with four small vent hatches, five large deck hatches, and ten opening ports.
Under the bridge deck and cockpit, the after cabin has a double berth, private shower, and writing desk as standard. An optional second berth to starboard could replace the desk.
The starboard galley provides 9 feet of counter space, a three-burner propane stove, double stainless-steel sinks, and refrigeration. Opposite is a second dinette, which could instead be built as a double stateroom.
Forward, the private cabin offers either a double Pullman berth or a V-berth, with a hanging locker and bureau to starboard. There are heads fore and aft: the forward head has a separate shower stall, while the aft head includes a bathtub-shower compartment. A washer and dryer are standard opposite the forward head. Water capacity is 300 gallons.
Verdict
The Landfall 48 is a rare, heavily built pilothouse cruiser with accommodations that rival those of much larger custom yachts. Her modest rig, deep ballast, and heavy-cruiser proportions favor comfortable passagemaking over speed. The design is coherent and well resolved, but because only a few hulls were completed, any surviving example warrants a careful individual survey.
Pros
- Pilothouse saloon with panoramic windows and an inside steering option
- Exceptional accommodation density, including a washer and dryer, two heads with full bathing facilities, and optional stateroom arrangements
- Heavy-cruiser stability and a 300-gallon water capacity for extended independence
Cons
- Slightly underrigged for her displacement, based on the sail-area ratios
- Only a few hulls were built, limiting spares and comparative market data
- Draft of 6.6 to 6.9 feet restricts marina access
