Introduced in 1983, the Cal 24-3 was an entirely new design intended to replace the C. William Lapworth-designed Cal 2-24 in the Cal Yachts range. Its brief called for an offshore, blue-water-capable boat that could still be moved legally on a road trailer: a compact cruiser-racer with serious intentions. The model is now out of production.
Design and Construction
The Cal 24-3 is a fiberglass recreational keelboat with wood trim. It has a raked stem, raised counter, and slightly reverse transom. A tiller controls its spade-type rudder.
The hull measures 24.33 feet overall, with an 8-foot beam and a 20-foot waterline. Displacement is 3,300 pounds. The standard fixed fin keel draws 4.25 feet and carries 1,175 pounds of lead ballast. An optional shoal-draft keel reduces draft to 3.33 feet and carries 1,400 pounds of ballast.
One notable departure from the earlier Lapworth-designed Cal 2-24 was the replacement of that boat’s iron bulb keel with an external lead keel bolted to a stub. The change yielded less maintenance, a thinner keel section, and a lower center of gravity.
Steve Henkel rated the construction as mid- to upper-end in quality: a cut above O’Day and on a par with Pearson, although below Pacific Seacraft. He also noted good-quality hardware throughout.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Cal 24-3 carries a masthead Bermuda sloop rig with 260.65 square feet of sail area. That total comprises a 122.31-square-foot mainsail and a 138.34-square-foot jib or genoa.
The foretriangle measures 29.75 feet on the I dimension and 9.30 feet on J. The mainsail has a 25.75-foot luff and a 9.50-foot foot. With a PHRF average handicap of 213 and a hull speed of 6.0 knots, the design sits firmly in the light-displacement racer-cruiser bracket.
Period assessments credited the external lead keel with lowering the boat’s center of gravity, while the tiller-steered spade rudder provides direct control. Henkel found the standard winches too small for full-range sailing. Sailors wanting better control could specify Barient #19ST two-speed self-tailing winches and a boom vang as extra-cost options.
Accommodations
The Cal 24-3 sleeps four. There’s a double V-berth in the bow cabin and two straight settee quarter berths in the main cabin. A pull-out double for the port settee was optional.
The galley is to starboard, just aft of the companionway ladder, and includes a two-burner stove and sink. The head is on the port side, just aft of the bow V-berth. A hanging locker stands to starboard of the companionway, and an anchor locker is fitted in the bow.
Cabin headroom is 60 inches, and fresh-water capacity is 15 U.S. gallons. Ventilation comes from a large forward deck hatch, which Henkel singled out as a plus.
Auxiliary Power
A small 3 to 6 hp outboard normally handles docking and maneuvering. Cal also offered a Yanmar 7.5 hp diesel with a 12 U.S. gallon fuel tank as a factory option for owners seeking more autonomy.
The outboard bracket is mounted on the transom, where it’s difficult to reach from the cockpit—a nuisance in everyday handling.
Verdict
The Cal 24-3 is a thoughtfully executed small racer-cruiser that balanced offshore aspirations with trailerable dimensions. Its Hunt-designed hull and lead-on-stub keel gave it a lower center of gravity and easier upkeep than the Lapworth boat it replaced, while its construction quality stood respectably among its peers.
The compromises are familiar in a boat of this size: limited headroom, modest standard winches, and an awkwardly placed outboard bracket.
Pros
- External lead keel lowered the center of gravity and cut maintenance compared with the iron-bulb predecessor
- Mid- to upper-end construction quality, with good hardware throughout
- Four-berth layout with a practical galley and head arrangement
- Trailerable, yet designed as an offshore-capable blue-water boat
Cons
- Standard winches are too small for full-range sailing without extra-cost upgrades
- Outboard bracket is difficult to reach from the cockpit
- Cabin headroom of only 60 inches limits comfort below
