Design and Construction
Perry's 48 carries a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder beneath a solid fiberglass hull and deck, with 13,000 pounds of lead ballast giving a 40.25 ballast-displacement ratio that places her firmly in the loaded cruiser category. The 38.96-foot waterline and 32,300-pound displacement produce a displacement-length ratio near 244, a number that explains the boat's hefty feel and her theoretical hull speed of about 8.4 knots — the figure any displacement hull of this length approaches before wavemaking resistance dominates. A length-beam ratio of 3.45 and a wetted surface of roughly 602 square feet round out a hull form tuned for carrying provisions and gear across oceans rather than winning buoy races. Cheoy Lee's own spec sheet lists the aft-cockpit and mid-cockpit versions, giving buyers a choice of companionway placement without altering the underlying hull.
Rig and Sail Plan
The yacht was offered with either a ketch rig of 1,033 square feet or a cutter rig of 984 square feet, the latter matching the builder's quoted sail area for that configuration. Standing and running rigging dimensions are generous for the size: the mainsail, jib, and genoa halyards each run 126.8 feet at 14 mm diameter, while sheets are sized at 16 mm with the mainsheet stretching 119.3 feet. A spinnaker halyard mirrors the headstay halyards, and the boom vang, cunningham, and clew outhaul all use 14 mm line on specified lengths. The draft quoted by the builder is 6 feet 6 inches, while a period review notes about 6.5 to 6.8 feet dependent on load anchor, and her immersion rate of 1,911 pounds per inch tells the owner exactly how much each added payload lowers her in the water.
Accommodations and Tankage
Factory documentation gives the 48 a 200-gallon freshwater capacity and a 130-gallon fuel tank, paired with a 60-horsepower diesel that drives a single propeller. Those volumes support long independent passages, and the mid-cockpit or aft-cockpit layouts both preserve a full interior below. The capsize ratio of 1.73 and comfort ratio of 36.56 describe a vessel whose stability curve and motion dampening were drawn for extended liveaboard use rather than sportboat responsiveness.
The Verdict
The Cheoy Lee Perry Offshore 48 is a purpose-built bluewater cruiser from Perry's early-1980s portfolio, offered in two cockpit arrangements and two rigs, with tankage and ballast suited to serious passage-making. Her modest production run of 40 hulls makes her a comparatively rare find, but the specifications describe a coherent, well-balanced offshore platform.
Pros
- 13,000 lb lead ballast and 40% ballast ratio in a solid fiberglass hull
- Choice of ketch or cutter rig and aft or mid cockpit
- 200 gal water and 130 gal fuel with 60 hp diesel for self-sufficient cruising
- Hull speed near 8.4 knots with documented stability and comfort ratios
Cons
- 6.5–6.8 ft draft limits access to shallow cruising grounds
- Only 40 built, so finding one takes patience
