Shogun 50 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Hull Form

The Shogun 50's hull reads as slender rather than beamy, with an length-to-beam ratio of 3.92 and a displacement-to-length figure near 75, giving a narrow, easily driven shape. Maximum beam is carried right aft to produce that easily driven hull for confined waters anchor, while broad forward sections hint at more form stability than the slim profile suggests. The reversed bow profile with a sharp forefoot and staggered spray knockers at the bow breaks from conventional cruiser styling; the bow is intended to form a visual extension of the sheerline, and the vertical transom with no camber preserves maximum deck space and sailing length. A low, svelte cabintrunk completes a deck design one reviewer called beautiful.

Keel, Rudder, and Construction

A hydraulic lifting keel operates at the push of a button, dropping the draft from 6 feet 7 inches raised to 11 feet 6 inches down and carrying a 3.5-tonne bulb for a hefty 45 percent ballast ratio anchor; the carbon-fiber keel fin is pinned into position when raised and built by Marstrom Composites, as are the spars. Twin rudders are deeper and larger than usual because the rig's center of effort sits further aft, and the blades carry a forgiving profile intended to maintain laminar flow with substantial lift. The construction is of carbon fiber and vacuum epoxy on a sandwich core anchor, with joinerwork in carbon-fiber cored panels and solid wood detailing—lightness pursued relentlessly, with wood veneer over the sandwich. A thin 3.5 mm teak deck dressing the topsides rounds out the build.

Rig and Sail Plan

The fractional sloop rig is mounted well aft, actually behind the keel, with the mast stepped way aft in the boat. This arrangement opens room for a self-tacking jib of decent size and a square-top mainsail sheeted to a traveler well aft of the twin wheels, maximizing total sail area for a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 27.2. Four adjustable jib tack points—three on the foredeck and one on the sprit—let the crew trim for conditions, while a 110 percent headsail option suits light airs and a self-tacking J3 sets from a removable inner forestay when winds build. The small planned inventory keeps the boat manageable for a short crew across a wide range.

Accommodations

Below, the Shogun 50 trades volume for speed: the main cabin is small for a 50-foot cruiser and the companionway steps look steep, though the finishing details are spectacular. The galley sits forward of the mast on both layouts and is small, with no counter space on either side of the range and sinks. A U-shaped dinette anchors the saloon, one head lies to port of the keeltrunk, and mirror-image quarter cabins aft appear from drawings to hold double berths each. Layouts are client-driven; the first hull placed a large working area by the companionway for packing spinnakers with settee and nav station, heads and galley flanking the keel case forward, and a convertible saloon to master cabin. Above, the deck plan shows a big, comfortable cockpit with bench seats roomy enough to nap on yet leaving space for the working crew, and forward benches nod to the dual-purpose concept.

The Verdict

The Shogun 50 is a purpose-built light-displacement racer-cruiser that compresses racing DNA into a narrow, lifting-keel hull suited to shallow archipelago waters and offshore circuits alike. Its carbon sandwich construction and aft-weighted rig deliver pace and short-handed control, but the interior is unapologetically compact and galley-poor for the length.

Pros

Hydraulic lifting keel with 3.5-tonne bulb yields 45% ballast and 6'7"–11'6" draft range
Aft-mounted rig with self-tacking jib and square-top main enables small-inventory performance
Carbon-epoxy sandwich build with spectacular interior detailing keeps weight low
Big, comfortable cockpit with nap-length benches and dual-purpose forward seating

Cons