Design and Construction
Monk's mid-seventies design pairs a 50.33-foot overall length with a 43-foot waterline and a beam of 13.5 feet, yielding a length-to-beam ratio of 3.73 that marks her as a narrow, sea-kindly hull rather than a beamy modern cruiser. The 38,000-pound displacement and 12,000 pounds of lead ballast give a ballast-displacement ratio near 31.6 percent, and the displacement-length ratio of 213 places her firmly in the heavy, volume-laden cruising category. Both the hull and the deck are laid up in solid fiberglass, and the long keel carries the attached rudder in a configuration that favors directional stability over quick turning. The wetted surface runs about 645 square feet, a consequence of the full-length keel and generous hull form, and the capsize screening value of 1.60 together with a Motion Comfort Ratio of 40.3 describes a boat built to stand up to rough water and to spare her crew the sharp motion of a lighter hull.
Rig and Handling
The Searaker 50 is built with a ketch rig, a sensible choice for a boat of this size and weight because it splits the sail plan into manageable pieces. The sail-area-displacement ratio of 14.96 is modest, confirming that she is no light-air flyer but a steady performer under load. Period calculations list the working sheets at substantial dimensions: the jib and genoa sheets each run about 50.3 feet with a 5/8-inch diameter, the mainsheet stretches to 125.8 feet, and the spinnaker sheet to 110.7 feet, all at the same 16 mm diameter ketch rig with substantial sheet dimensions. The theoretical hull speed of 8.8 knots and an immersion rate of about 2,021 pounds per inch describe a vessel that sits deep and resists being driven past her natural stride, while the long keel and attached rudder reward patient helmsmanship in close quarters.
Accommodations and Tankage
Windward Marine equipped the Searaker 50 with 757 liters of fresh water capacity and an equal 757 liters of diesel fuel, a balanced 199-gallon arrangement that supports long independent cruising. The ketch rig and the heavy hull are matched to that tankage, letting a couple or small crew roam well beyond frequent resupply. The cabin volume implied by the 38,000-pound displacement and the 13.5-foot beam gives room for the layouts seen in the fleet, though the sources address only capacity and not specific interior joinery.
The Verdict
The Searaker 50 is a serious bluewater ketch from the mid seventies, designed by Edwin Monk and built by Windward Marine Ltd. in Canada. Her heavy displacement, long keel, and solid fiberglass construction make her a stable and reassuring passage-maker, while the ketch rig keeps individual sail loads manageable. She is not quick in light air and will not win races, but her comfort ratios and tankage suit her to extended cruising.
Pros
- Heavy 38,000-pound displacement with 12,000 pounds lead ballast for offshore stability
- Long keel and attached rudder for directional steadiness
- Generous 199-gallon water and diesel capacity for self-sufficient voyaging
- Ketch rig splits sail area into manageable loads
Cons
- Modest sail-area-displacement ratio of 14.96 limits light-air performance
- Large wetted surface and full keel cap theoretical speed near 8.8 knots
- Narrow beam and heavy hull favor passage-making over dock-side agility
