Design and Construction
The Prelude 19 measures 5.87 m overall, with a 2.08 m beam, a 17-foot waterline, and a displacement of 680 kg. These dimensions keep it within the envelope of a road-trailerable boat while still leaving room for practical accommodation below.
The hull and decks are solid fiberglass. The boat was offered with a choice of bilge keels or twin keels for drying moorings, allowing it to sit on its keels ashore or on a drying grid. Its 500 lbs of iron ballast produces a ballast-displacement ratio of 33 percent, while the 17-foot waterline gives a theoretical hull speed of nearly 5.5 knots.
Rig and Handling
The Prelude 19 is a lively fractional sloop carrying 25.45 square meters of sail, for a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of around 33. Its sail plan is easy to handle, and the combination of light displacement and a modest rig makes it a responsive daysailer that’s straightforward to rig at a slip or ramp.
When the wind fails, a 4 HP motor provides auxiliary power.
Cockpit and Accommodation
The cockpit seats six in comfort and has under-seat lockers for stowage. That makes the boat suitable both for daysailing with friends and for short cruises with a couple or family.
Below, the Prelude 19 does something unusual for a boat of about 20 feet: it provides four berths in two cabins. Fitting that berth count into such a compact hull is one of the design’s quieter achievements. Together, the seating and locker space make the limited footprint usable rather than cramped.
The Verdict
The Prelude 19 is a light, towable trailer sailer that punches above its length, with four berths and a sociable cockpit. Ian Proctor’s layout and Rydgeway Marine’s solid-GRP construction add up to a simple, lively small boat that an average family car can tow and a 4 HP motor can power when needed.
Pros
- Attractive, lightweight trailer sailer with a displacement of 680 kg
- Towable by an average family car
- Four berths in two cabins within a sub-20-foot hull
- Cockpit seating for six, with under-seat lockers
- Choice of bilge or twin keels for drying moorings
- Lively under sail and easily powered by a 4 HP motor
Cons
- None documented in the available material
