By then, Gulfstar had moved away from its early low-cost maximizers and toward higher-quality performance cruisers. The Gulfstar 50 reflects that shift with a moderate hull, a lead-ballasted fin keel, and a genuinely well-finished interior.
Design and Construction
The hull is a straightforward solid-fiberglass laminate of mat and woven roving, although a few hulls may instead be balsa-cored. Rather than relying on molded liners, the hull is stiffened with full bulkheads and furniture components tabbed in place.
The deck is balsa-cored. Its through-bolted hull-to-deck joint is glassed over from below, and the full-length rudder skeg is bolted in place. The only keel offered was a long fin containing lead chunks embedded in concrete slurry and encapsulated within the keel.
The Gulfstar 50 displaces 35,000 pounds, carries 10,500 pounds of ballast, and has a 13-foot-8 beam. Its ballast-displacement ratio is 30. A sailboat with that ratio is likely to benefit from early reefing to keep her upright in a moderate breeze.
Rig and Sailing Performance
Gulfstar offered the 50 as either a masthead sloop or a ketch, with a tall sloop option also available. The sloop carries 895 square feet of sail, while the ketch carries 963 square feet and can add a mizzen staysail. Neither configuration has a particularly large sail plan.
Wide spreaders and chainplates set nearly outboard create open sheeting angles. As a result, most owners report that the boat won’t sail well to windward unless the apparent wind angle is 45 degrees or greater.
In a seaway, however, she is very well mannered. The forefoot has enough bite, and the bilges are deep enough that she doesn’t slam much in a chop. Her relatively narrow, moderate hull form also doesn’t gripe to weather.
The boat prefers moderate to heavy air over light conditions. With more than 12 knots of wind, she readily makes 7 knots or better under working sail. Below that, spinnakers and mizzen staysails are needed to keep her speed up.
Accommodations
The more popular interior was developed for the charter trade and has three staterooms. Aft, the master stateroom includes an enormous U-shaped double berth, an en suite head, and a separate shower. The forward V-berth stateroom shares a head with the saloon. Midships to starboard, a third cabin contains two single bunks and a small en suite head.
The L-shaped galley runs along the port side beneath the center cockpit. Its twin sinks are close to the centerline, allowing them to drain on either tack. In the saloon, a dinette sits to port, opposite a settee and pilot berth to starboard.
The two-stateroom layout replaces the midships cabin with a wrap-around navigation station and more engine space. Period reviews praised the superior teak joinery and generous accommodations throughout both versions.
Machinery and Ownership
Most Gulfstar 50s left the factory with a 62-hp Perkins diesel. It is reliable, but doesn’t have quite enough power to drive the boat hard into a head sea. Gulfstar later offered an 85-hp Perkins, which performs better. Several boats have since been repowered with turbocharged Yanmar diesels.
The fuel tank sits low in the boat, forcing the engine lift pump to work hard. A day tank mounted higher, with a transfer link, is a worthwhile upgrade. The standard 100-gallon fuel capacity is also a little low for a 50-footer.
Many boats were delivered with Onan generators. These have proved troublesome and are best replaced.
Known Issues
Hull blisters have appeared over the years. They’re usually cosmetic, but some cases involve saturated cavities around the ballast.
The mainmast step consists of an iron plate in the bilge over the keel, where it is vulnerable to corrosion. On ketch versions, the mizzen step may have crushed the deck core.
Leaks around deck fittings, hatches, and port windows are common complaints. On some boats, the bronze stern tube around the rudderstock separates from the laminate and must be rebonded. Loose tabbing around bulkheads and subfloor structures has also been reported and needs rebonding.
The Verdict
The Gulfstar 50 is a well-mannered, comfortably appointed center-cockpit cruiser whose production numbers confirm her market appeal. For an owner willing to address the known structural and systems weak points, she offers a spacious, seaworthy platform that sails decently off the wind and provides generous living space at anchor.
Pros
- Generous two- or three-stateroom layouts with superior joinery
- Solid, simple hull construction stiffened by tabbed bulkheads
- Well-mannered motion in a seaway, with minimal slamming
- Readily available on the used market, with 172 built
Cons
- Open sheeting angles limit windward performance below 45 degrees apparent
- Mast-step corrosion, deck leaks, and blister risks require vigilance
- Low fuel capacity and a hard-working original fuel lift pump
- Troublesome standard generators and modest standard engine power
