Cal 46 Iii Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The Cal 46 bloodline runs from the original 1967 sloop-rigged Cal Cruising 46 through the redesigned Cal 2-46 of 1973–1976 to the virtually identical Cal 3-46 of 1977–1978, the latter distinguished only by minor interior changes anchor. Across the family, the hull was hand-laid of solid fiberglass using cloth and woven roving, with lead ballast precast in a mold, lowered into the fiberglass keel cavity, and glassed over. Wood bulkheads and structural furniture were fiberglassed to the hull, and the hull-to-deck joint was sealed with 3M 5200 and through-bolted with 1/4-inch machine screws to form a double-thick seam. A large spade rudder and a long cruising keel cut away significantly at the forefoot give the boat its maneuverable yet tracking profile, while the shoal five-foot draft and relatively high center of gravity mandated a short rig.

Rig and Handling

The Mk III carries a ketch rig, an option that became available across the series only in 1973 after the original sloop configuration. Its dimensions are substantial: a mainmast foretriangle with 48-foot I and 18-foot J, a mizzen with 25-foot P2 and 9.5-foot E2, and a total sail area around 855 square feet when working the 313-square-foot mainsail and 424-square-foot jib. Owners could fly a 150-percent genoa of 657 square feet or an asymmetrical spinnaker of 1,085 square feet for downwind work, with a 152-square-foot storm jib for heavy air. The 37-foot-6-inch waterline and 30,000-pound displacement yield a displacement-length ratio in the moderate range, and the hull drives at roughly 8.5 knots with a cruising range near 1,200 miles under the series' Perkins diesel.

Accommodations

Lapworth's layout broke with convention for its era. The center-cockpit arrangement was unusual in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and the raised deckhouse offered 270-degree visibility while sheltering a dinette and galley. A stateroom at each end of the boat let two couples cruise in privacy without disturbing the dinette, and the original configuration placed V-berths forward with a private head, a raised deckhouse amidships, and a large living space aft with settees and a sofa bed. Interior joinerwork is Burmese teak with vinyl-covered overhead panels. Owners across all 46s are unanimous in praising the large engine room and its standing headroom, a real asset for service access on a 30,000-pound yacht.

Known Issues

Not every detail aged well. Practical Sailor found the big glazed panels across the series were a worry because they looked fragile and let water in anchor, though their size was progressively reduced after the original 46. Owners also cite wooden spreaders as a maintenance item anchor, and one owner reported black iron fuel tanks that rotted out at 15 years anchor; a 2-46 brochure claims the two fuel tanks totaling 135 gallons are 10-gauge steel, while water tanks at least in later models are stainless steel. The original Warner V-drive added expense and complication to the drivetrain.

Refits and Ownership

The Mk III's focus on improved interior layout and reduced maintenance issues over its predecessors makes it the most evolved of the line. The Perkins 4-236 diesel, described as excellent and carried in an 85-horsepower form on the series, gives strong motivation against drifters. The plywood-cored deck, structurally sound per owner observation, and the bonded hull-to-deck seam speak to a build meant for distance, though the rare production run means any refit must account for scarce model-specific parts.

The Verdict

The Cal 3-46 is a scarce, well-considered finale to Lapworth's Cal 46 series: a shoal-draft, center-cockpit ketch with genuine blue-water credentials, a bright deckhouse, and an engine room owners love. Its weaknesses are concentrated in period-typical details — leaky windows, wooden spreaders, and vulnerable iron tanks — that a careful buyer can address. For the cruiser seeking a distinctive 1970s American ketch in limited supply, the Mk III rewards the search.

Pros