Design and Construction
The Trinidad 48 measures 47 feet 7 inches overall, with a 41-foot 4-inch waterline and a beam of 15 feet 1 inch. Its hull and deck are solid fiberglass, and the hull shape is sensible for offshore work.
Two keel arrangements were offered. The centerboard version draws 4 feet 7 inches with the board up and 8 feet 8 inches with it down, balancing shoal-water access with better windward bite. The full-keel version draws 7 feet 5 inches.
The rudder hangs from bearings set into a partial skeg, a configuration surveyors have found in good condition on sound boats. Below the waterline, the Trinidad carries plenty of seacocks. Its uncluttered deck reflects a boat designed for a small crew in warm climates rather than a stripped-out racer.
Rig and Handling
The Trinidad 48 was offered as a powerful sloop or cutter, as well as with a ketch rig. The ketch carries 1,300 square feet of sail, compared with 1,220 square feet for the sloop.
Under sail, the genoa is the driving sail. Moderately long genoa tracks allow crews to adjust it over a range of angles, while a Harken roller-furling unit sits on the forestay. The sloop or cutter configuration provides straightforward control for a short-handed crew.
Large, uncluttered decks and a spacious cockpit suit warm-weather cruising, in keeping with the boat’s Caribbean charter pedigree. The bimini measures almost 10 feet wide by 8 feet long, sheltering the helm and companionway without crowding the working deck.
Accommodations and Storage
Below, the Trinidad has a spacious interior built around three private cabins. A family could give each of three children a cabin of their own and still have plenty of room in the large, airy saloon.
A welcoming deck-saloon-style pilothouse brings the navigator into the social space. The boat also has three heads and a decent-sized galley.
Storage is the weak point. Built-in capacity is iffy, which can be a real constraint for long-term liveaboard cruising despite the generous cabin count and saloon volume. Owners have learned to supplement it with modular storage systems rather than rely on the boat’s built-in capacity.
Known Issues
A tester reported inspecting a Trinidad in Fort Lauderdale that had broken athwartships after a terrible grounding. The failure became visible once the boat was hauled.
The rudder blade can also become partially waterlogged, a condition worth checking during any survey. Neither issue undermines the fundamental solidity of the hull and deck, but both reinforce the importance of a careful haul-out inspection on a boat of this age and history.
Refit and Ownership
The seven-year production run and the model’s charter background mean that many Trinidad 48s have seen hard use followed by refits. The solid fiberglass hull and deck take well to continued service, and the partial-skeg rudder is a straightforward assembly to assess.
The Verdict
The Trinidad 48 is a solid bluewater cruiser with a sensible hull, a family-friendly three-cabin interior, and a deck layout well suited to warm-water cruising. It isn’t a storage champion, and its age calls for close attention to grounding damage and rudder condition, but the bones are honest.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck with a sensible bluewater shape
- Three private cabins, an airy saloon, and a pilothouse
- Centerboard and full-keel draft options for cruising flexibility
- Genoa-driven rig with roller furling and moderately long tracks
Cons
- Iffy below-deck storage
- Rudder blade can become waterlogged
- Athwartships damage is possible after a grounding
