Design and Construction
Camper & Nicholson Ltd. built the Nicholson 39 with a fiberglass hull, a long keel, and 7,000 pounds of lead ballast. At 39 feet overall with an 11.5-foot beam, its length-to-beam ratio is 3.39, making it slimmer than 58% of comparable sailboat designs.
The Nicholson 39 is very much a heavy-displacement cruiser. Its displacement-length ratio of 454 places it among the ultra-heavy cruisers; only 2% of similar designs are heavier. The wetted surface is about 34 square meters, while immersion is roughly 202 kg per centimeter.
That mass contributes to a capsize screening value of 1.62 and a motion comfort ratio of 43.3. The latter is more comfortable than 96% of similar sailboat designs.
Draft is around 1.68 to 1.78 meters, depending on load, allowing the boat to settle into most marinas without drama.
Rig, Handling, and Performance
The Nicholson 39 has a ketch rig, which divides the sail area into smaller sails for easier management offshore. Period estimates put the jib and genoa sheets at about 11.9 meters long and 14 mm in diameter. The mainsheet is 29.7 meters long, while the spinnaker sheets are estimated at about 26.2 meters, also in 14 mm line.
A sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.71 and a theoretical hull speed of 7.1 knots describe a boat intended for passage-making rather than the racecourse. The modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio also suggests that patience will be needed in light air.
Where fitted, a Ford diesel engine provides auxiliary power. Fuel capacity is 284 liters.
Accommodations and Tankage
Available data focuses on ratios and tankage rather than the cabin arrangement. Even so, the ketch rig and heavy-displacement hull point to an interior planned around livability on long passages.
The Nicholson 39 carries 473 liters of fresh water and 284 liters of diesel, supporting extended cruising without constant replenishment. Build data also lists 125 gallons of water and 75 gallons of fuel, figures that align with the European-liter citations and describe a boat equipped for self-sufficiency.
Verdict
The Nicholson 39 is a scarce, heavily built ketch whose design favors comfort and seaworthiness over pace. Its numbers describe an ultra-heavy cruiser with exceptional motion comfort and a manageable draft. The main drawback is its low sail-area-to-displacement ratio, which limits light-air performance.
For a buyer seeking a low-production British offshore boat, the Nicholson 39 rewards the search.
Pros
- More comfortable motion than 96% of similar sailboat designs
- Long-keel fiberglass hull with lead ballast and a strong capsize screening value
- Draft near 1.7 meters keeps most marinas accessible
Cons
- Sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.71 limits light-air performance
- Fewer than 100 were built, so familiarity among surveyors and spares suppliers is limited
