Design Brief & Intent
The Gib’Sea Pico-Plus was conceived as a "habituable de poche" (pocket cruiser) aimed at coastal exploration, inland lake sailing, and spirited club racing. To achieve its mission of effortless trailering and shallow-water exploration, the hull was built using a lightweight fiberglass layup, resulting in a displacement of just 1,213 pounds. This featherweight construction was paired with a generous beam of 7.55 feet, which provided the primary form stability required to carry a powerful rig.
Step inside the companionway, and the boat's spartan, performance-oriented DNA becomes instantly clear. There is no luxurious joinery or heavy marine plywood to be found; instead, Joubert-Nivelt designed a highly functional, molded fiberglass interior liner that minimizes weight while optimizing structural integrity. The cabin layout is remarkably basic, offering a snug V-berth forward and two simple quarter berths, effectively accommodating up to four compact berths or, more realistically, providing weekend cruising space for two adults. Headroom is non-existent, measuring just under 4.3 feet, forcing the crew to sit or lounge. There is no dedicated head compartment, though a portable marine toilet can be stowed beneath the forward berth. The galley facilities are minimalist, typically limited to a small shelf for a single-burner camping stove. It is an interior designed strictly as a dry shelter after a long day of sailing, prioritizing the joy of the journey over dockside luxury.
Variations & Configurations
Throughout its production cycle, the Gib’Sea Pico-Plus adhered closely to its standard layout, though minor variations emerged in owner-completed hulls and rig specifications. The defining technical characteristic of the model is its centerboard configuration. Rather than a deep, fixed keel, the Pico-Plus features an unballasted, pivoting iron centerboard housed in a central trunk, while 331 pounds of ballast are concentrated low in the bilge structure. This arrangement allows the draft to range from a highly shallow 1.31 feet with the board raised to 3.44 feet with the board fully lowered. With the centerboard up, the boat can be easily run up onto sandy beaches, slipped into shallow drying harbors, or hauled onto a single-axle road trailer without specialized yard equipment.
The sail plan is configured as a fractional sloop. Unlike some of its heavier contemporaries that utilized conservative masthead rigs, the Pico-Plus was given a tall, sporty fractional spar with swept-back spreaders. Propulsion relies entirely on an outboard motor. There was no inboard engine option; instead, the boat features a transom-mounted outboard bracket, typically matched to a 3 to 6 horsepower short-shaft engine, which keeps both maintenance costs and overall vessel weight to an absolute minimum.
Sailing Performance & Handling
The true character of the Gib’Sea Pico-Plus is revealed on the water, where its technical ratios paint a vivid picture of a highly responsive, light-airs rocket that demands attentive helming. With a Sail Area to Displacement ratio of 26.73, the Pico-Plus boasts an immensely powerful power-to-weight profile. In light to moderate breezes, the boat glides effortlessly, accelerating at the slightest puff and easily out-sailing larger, heavier cruising boats. Its low Displacement to Length ratio of 111.79 confirms its ultra-light pedigree, meaning the hull creates minimal drag and is capable of occasional downwind planing under a spinnaker in the hands of an experienced crew.
However, this lively performance comes at the cost of stability in heavier air. A Ballast to Displacement ratio of 27.29% indicates that the boat relies heavily on its wide beam and active crew weight to stay flat. The Pico-Plus is notoriously tender, heel-sensitive, and prone to rounding up into the wind if over-canvased. Owners must be prepared to reef the mainsail early and make active use of the traveler.
This tender nature is further reflected in its safety and motion metrics. With an exceptionally low Comfort Ratio of 7.01, the Pico-Plus will deliver a highly active, motion-heavy ride in any chop, with quick, jerky movements that can easily tire an unprepared crew. Furthermore, its Capsize Screening Ratio of 2.83 is well above the traditional offshore limit of 2.0, indicating a high vulnerability to roll and capsize if caught in breaking waves. Consequently, the Pico-Plus should be regarded strictly as a coastal cruiser, lake racer, or protected-water dayboat, where it can deliver exceptional fun under controlled conditions.
Known Issues & Triage
For prospective buyers and restorers, several age-related structural weaknesses require careful inspection. The primary concern on the Pico-Plus is the hull-to-deck joint. Gilbert Marine used an adhesive and mechanical fastening system that can suffer from structural flexing over decades of trailering and sailing. If the joint has begun to separate, water can weep into the cabin or cause structural instability, requiring owners to grind out the affected areas, re-bond them with epoxy, and back them with mechanical fasteners.
The deck itself is a balsa-cored laminate, which is highly susceptible to soft spots and rot if deck hardware—such as cleats, chainplates, or winches—has not been re-bedded regularly. Special attention must be paid to the forward hatch. The factory installed plastic hinges that degrade under UV exposure and are notorious for snapping; replacing them with custom-fabricated stainless steel or aluminum hinges is a standard triage task.
The centerboard mechanism is another common point of wear. The pivot pin and lifting cable inside the keel trunk are prone to corrosion and wear. A play of up to one centimeter between the centerboard and the trunk walls is common, which can lead to an irritating clanking noise when the boat changes tacks. Restorers often pull the board to replace the lifting cable and install custom nylon or UHMW shim plates inside the trunk to eliminate this movement. Finally, the original mast step and shroud chainplates must be scrutinized for stress cracks, as the powerful sail plan exerts high loads on these compact fittings.
Modernization & Upgrades
As these classic pocket cruisers enter their fifth decade, modern owners are executing clever refits to enhance their stability and ease of use. The most profound and highly regarded modification among veteran Pico-Plus owners is the conversion from a single central rudder to a twin-rudder setup. In its original configuration, the single lifting rudder often loses water grip and stalls out when the boat heels heavily in a gust. By mounting twin angled rudders on the transom, the helmsman retains absolute control even at high heel angles, vastly reducing the tendency to luff up. This modification also allows the outboard motor bracket to be relocated to a true center-line position between the rudders, greatly improving handling under power.
The shift toward modern electric propulsion has found a perfect match in the Pico-Plus. Given the boat's ultra-light displacement, heavy four-stroke outboards can drag the stern and ruin sailing performance. Many owners have successfully retrofitted lightweight electric outboards paired with small lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO4) battery packs stowed low in the cabin. This setup provides ample power for harbor maneuvering while shedding weight and eliminating the smell and maintenance of gasoline onboard. Finally, upgrading the deck layout with modern cam cleats, a fine-tuned mainsheet traveler, and leading all halyards back to the cockpit has transformed this 1980s racer into an easily managed, single-handed day sailer.
The Verdict
The Gib’Sea Pico-Plus remains a highly appealing choice for sailors seeking an affordable, easily transportable, and thrilling pocket cruiser. It is not a boat for those who value standing headroom, enclosed heads, or a gentle, heavy-displacement motion at sea. Instead, it is a pure sailor's boat—a lively, responsive vessel that rewards active sail trim and delivers pure sailing joy in light airs. For coastal day sailing, lake hopping, and beach camping, it remains one of the most efficient ways to get on the water without the burden of slip fees and heavy tow vehicles.
Pros
- Exceptional light-wind performance and acceleration due to a highly powerful sail plan.
- Highly trailerable and easy to launch, requiring only a modest tow vehicle.
- Extremely shallow draft with the centerboard raised, allowing for beaching and shallow-water exploration.
- Low-maintenance hull and deck structure with a simple outboard propulsion setup.
- Active owner community with proven blueprints for modernizing the rudder and rigging.
Cons
- Extremely tender in heavy air, requiring early reefing and attentive helming to prevent rounding up.
- Low comfort level in a chop, characterized by quick, jerky motions.
- Spartan, low-headroom interior with minimal amenities for extended cruising.
- Known structural vulnerabilities in the hull-to-deck joint and original plastic deck hardware.
- High capsize susceptibility compared to heavier, fixed-keel pocket cruisers.
