Design and Construction
Mayflower Boatyards in Taiwan built the Mayflower 48 with a solid-fiberglass hull and deck. The keel is iron, as is the 568-liter fuel tank. Ballast is 34 percent of displacement, while a displacement-length ratio of 275 places the boat firmly in the “heavy cruisers” category.
A length-to-beam ratio of 3.56, along with a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder, gives the hull a moderate, seaworthy profile rather than a slender performance shape. Its capsize screening value of 1.62 and Motion Comfort Ratio of 42.4 reinforce the picture of a stable, load-carrying offshore hull. The CE Class A Ocean certification confirms the builder’s declared envelope for extended voyages in severe conditions.
Draft varies from 5.68 to 5.98 feet, depending on load. An immersion rate of about 1,841 pounds per inch indicates how heavily the boat settles as provisions and tankage come aboard. The wetted surface is roughly 559 square feet.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The ketch rig carries 1,055 square feet of sail, producing a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 15.20. That’s modest and consistent with a heavy-displacement cruiser designed to favor control and balance over outright acceleration.
The theoretical displacement-hull speed is 8.4 knots, while the calculated maximum speed is about 6.5 knots. Auxiliary power comes from a listed 72 hp Perkins 4.236 diesel, driving a fixed shaft for motoring when the wind fails.
Accommodations and Tankage
Below decks, the Mayflower 48 has two cabins, six berths, a galley, and a toilet facility. Like many boats of its era, the interior is finished in teak. The two-cabin arrangement suggests a private-owner cruising layout rather than a charter bunkroom, while the joinery reflects the period’s preference for a warm, traditional interior.
Fresh-water capacity is a generous 199 US gallons, supporting long stretches away from a dock or water catchment. Fuel capacity is listed as 568 liters in an iron tank.
Names and Production
Hulls 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, and 17 were sold under the Mariner 48 name; the remaining boats carried Mayflower or Stadel badges. Fewer than 100 were built in total, making any example relatively scarce. The Mariner-numbered hulls form a small subset of the same Stadel design.
The Verdict
The Mayflower 48 is a heavily built, CE-certified ocean cruiser with a sensible ketch rig and a teak interior suited to long-term liveaboard use. Its modest sail plan and heavy displacement won’t win passages, but the numbers describe a stable, forgiving hull with serious tankage and a documented ocean rating.
Pros
- Iron keel and solid-fiberglass hull and deck from a Taiwanese builder
- CE Class A (Ocean) certification for extended offshore voyages
- 199-gallon fresh water and 150-gallon iron fuel tank for long range
- Ketch rig with a moderate SA/D of 15.20 for manageable offshore sail handling
Cons
- Heavy-displacement hull with a calculated maximum speed of only 6.5 knots
- Fewer than 100 built, so spares and familiarity with the model can be scarce
- Modest performance envelope limits its appeal to speed-minded buyers
