Schöchl Manta 19 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Both hull and deck are hand-laid fibreglass, a straightforward construction approach that keeps the structure simple and repairable. Schöchl offered the Manta 19 with different keel alternatives, including a fin keel and a daggerboard keel, each made of iron. The fin-keel version draws about 2.95 to 3.25 feet depending on load, while the daggerboard variant sits at roughly 1.61 to 1.91 feet, letting the boat reach shallow marinas that deeper rivals cannot. A length-to-beam ratio of 2.73 and a ballast ratio of 34 percent describe a narrow, moderately ballasted hull, and the wetted surface measures about 118 square feet.

Rig and Handling

The Manta 19 was delivered with more than one rig option, including a masthead rig and an alternative masthead rig. Period data shows the design carries more rig than 96% of all similar sailboats, which marks it as significantly overrigged for its length. With the ISO 8666 reference sail the sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 18.1, rising to 21.9 with a 135 percent genoa, figures that place the boat firmly in light-racer territory with a displacement-length ratio of 149. A small outboard of 1 to 2 horsepower, or 30 to 36 pounds of thrust if electric, is typically used for docking and maneuvering. The capsize screening value is 2.37, a number that would bar it from ocean races, and the theoretical displacement-hull speed is 5.4 knots.

Accommodations

Below, the Manta 19 provides one cabin with four berths and a galley, finished in mahogany like many boats of its era. Headroom is below average for the class, a constraint dictated by the compact deck profile rather than any later modification. The CE certification covers Class C operation with up to four persons aboard, aligning the interior plan with its rated coastal-and-waterway brief.

Performance Profile

The Motion Comfort Ratio comes in at 10.5 and the immersion rate is about 390 pounds per inch, so the hull settles noticeably under load but remains easy to drive. The overrigged sail plan and light-racer displacement-length ratio suggest a boat that accelerates readily in breeze yet demands reefing discipline when the genoa is hoisted.

Ownership Notes

Production spanned from the early seventies under Miglitsch's design, and because the design was also built at other yards, owners should confirm the originating builder when assessing a specific hull. The hand-laid fibreglass and iron keels are straightforward to survey, and the modest outboard requirement keeps propulsion costs low.

The Verdict

The Manta 19 is a compact, overrigged Austrian cruiser with genuine configurability in keel and rig, built in volume and suited to sheltered waters and shallow drafts. Its small size and low headroom limit liveaboard appeal, but the variety of factory options makes a careful survey worthwhile.

Pros