Design and Construction
Southern Ocean Ltd. built the Ocean 60 with a solid fiberglass hull and solid fiberglass deck. Her fin keel carries iron ballast.
Rascoe gave the boat a length-to-beam ratio of 3.88 and a displacement-length ratio of 266. Those figures describe a beamy, high-volume hull rather than a lithe racer. Wetted surface is about 818 square feet, while the immersion rate is roughly 2,537 pounds per inch. She therefore settles relatively slowly onto her waterline as cruising load comes aboard.
The theoretical hull speed for a displacement vessel of this waterline length is 9.2 knots, while the calculated top speed is nearer 6.8 knots. The gap reflects the practical penalty of her bulk and cruising trim.
Rig and Handling
The ketch rig divides the sail area between two masts, traditionally easing individual sail loads on a vessel of this size. Even so, the standing and running gear is sized for a big boat. Jib and genoa sheets run 60 feet at 5/8-inch diameter, the mainsheet stretches 150 feet, and the spinnaker sheet is 132 feet, all at the same 16 mm diameter. That is a great deal of line to handle.
Depending on load, draft ranges from 7.84 to 8.14 feet. Combined with the fin keel, that depth limits her to major marinas—a real constraint for cruisers who like to tuck into shallow anchorages.
Accommodations and Cruising Range
At 60 feet overall with a 15.5-foot beam, the Ocean 60 was laid out for extended living aboard rather than weekend coasting. Her 500-gallon diesel capacity and 500-gallon water capacity support self-sufficiency on long passages. A single 110-horsepower Yanmar diesel provides substantial auxiliary power for a sailboat of this era.
The capsize screening value of 1.57 places her among steadier offshore candidates, while the comfort ratio of 48.93 reinforces the impression of a stable, soft-riding hull in a seaway.
Verdict
The Ocean 60 is a serious bluewater ketch from the early Rascoe era, built in solid fiberglass by Southern Ocean Ltd. and sized for load-carrying ocean cruising. She isn’t quick by modern standards, but her numbers describe a stable, voluminous passagemaker with the tankage and power to roam.
Pros
- Heavy, stable hull, with a capsize screening value of 1.57 and a comfort ratio near 49
- Generous 500-gallon fuel and 500-gallon water capacities for long-range independence
- Ketch rig divides sail-handling loads on a 62,000-pound vessel
- Solid fiberglass construction throughout the hull and deck
Cons
- Load-dependent draft of 7.84–8.14 feet restricts her to major marinas
- Calculated top speed of 6.8 knots is well below the theoretical hull speed
- Long, large-diameter sheets demand considerable handling effort
