Charles and Gina Strasburger of St. Michaels, Maryland, chose a 1980 example named Boomerang because the 39 was better suited to cruising than the more Spartan Cal 40. According to the owners, the boat’s performance earned her an exclamation point at the end of her name.
Lapworth modified the design in 1978, and production of the Mk II reached 184 hulls. The boat has retained a reputation as a fast, well-built Lapworth design.
Design and Construction
Lapworth developed the Mk II from the original 1970 Cal 39, giving the revised boat a spade rudder and a fin keel with a vertical trailing edge. The solid-fiberglass hull carries 7,000 pounds of lead ballast encapsulated in the deep fin keel. The decks are balsa-cored, with plywood coring in high-stress areas.
The deck and hull meet at an inward-facing hull flange secured by through-bolts and an adhesive bond. Interior bulkheads are tabbed to the hull, adding stiffness and providing attachment points for the stainless-steel chainplates. Molded liners finish the cabin sides and top.
A solid teak toerail is both attractive and functional, but it’s also a known maintenance headache. Stainless-steel chafing strips protect the rubrails at the cleats.
Rig, Sail Plan, and Handling
The keel-stepped aluminum mast has single spreaders supported by dual lower shrouds and single upper shrouds. A double-spreader tall rig was also available. A removable inner forestay and short cabintop track for staysail sheeting extend the boat's versatility. Genoa tracks sit inboard of the toerail, while tracks farther aft on the toerail handle outboard genoa or spinnaker sheets.
The aluminum boom has mid-boom sheeting led to a traveler over the companionway, along with a built-in slab-reefing system. Barient winches were standard: primaries, secondaries, and two mast-mounted halyard winches.
Under sail, the spade rudder provides tight control on every point of sail. Test sailors found that steering required only fingertip effort, with slight weather helm for safe command. The boat drives well to windward and can easily point within 35 degrees apparent while reefed. On a deep reach, she shows little roll.
Under power, the Cal 39 Mk II tracks straight with little helm correction. In reverse, she has mild prop walk to starboard.
Accommodations
The teak interior finish is better than expected, and the saloon is spacious. An L-shaped settee to port converts to a double berth, while a straight settee runs along the starboard side. The pedestal table unfolds to seat six.
Forward, the V-berth with its insert sleeps two and measures 6 feet 8 inches long. Hanging lockers flank the berth, and teak ceilings and cubby panels finish the space. The port-side head includes an in-head shower and discharges to a 15-gallon holding tank.
The U-shaped galley is also to port. It has a three-burner stove and oven, a two-basin sink, and a 7.7-cubic-foot icebox; refrigeration was optional. A pressurized hot-and-cold-water system serves the boat.
To starboard, a chart table has a swing-out seat, with a quarter berth behind it. The companionway stairs can be removed for engine access.
A three-cabin version moved the saloon forward, reduced the size of the head, and added a second head aft.
Known Issues
Leaks have been reported at the hull-to-deck joint. Some owners describe deck delamination and leaky joints as exceptions rather than the rule, but both remain points to consider. The original teak-and-holly cabin sole may also need work from poor support.
The rudder consists of a fiberglass shell around a stainless armature with foam filling. Water can enter the shell and saturate the foam.
Water entry through the keel-stepped mast has also been reported, so the keel step warrants inspection and repair. In later boats, the Pathfinder diesel—a marinized VW—has had problems.
Refits, Offshore Use, and Racing
The review boat, hull #103, underwent an extensive refit that included a mast, boom, and oversized rigging for offshore sailing. Its owners replaced the original plastic openings with Newfound Metals portlights. Boomerang also carries wind-vane steering.
Owners have made significant offshore passages in the design. The Cal 39 Mk II also remains widely raced and competitive with newer boats, posting a PHRF of 114 on San Francisco Bay, or 108 for the tall rig.
The Verdict
The Cal 39 Mk II combines Lapworth’s race-bred hull sense with genuine cruising comfort. It is a stiff, seakindly passagemaker that can still hold its own on the racecourse. Its secure cockpit, full bridge deck, and manageable rig suit offshore sailing, although the mid-boom sheeting complicates singlehanding and several structural joints deserve attention during a survey.
Pros
- Quick, responsive handling, with fingertip-effort steering and tight control from the spade rudder
- Solid-fiberglass hull, lead-ballasted fin keel, and well-tabbed bulkheads
- Spacious teak interior, convertible saloon, and practical U-shaped galley
- Proven offshore and racing record, with a strong PHRF showing
Cons
- Reported hull-to-deck joint leaks and a risk of rudder-foam saturation
- Mid-boom sheeting makes short-handed sailing difficult
- Pathfinder diesel variants have known problems
- Teak toerail and original cabin sole require ongoing care
