Design and Construction
The Starwind 19 is a monohull of fiberglass construction with wood trim, built as a recreational keelboat on a ballasted shoal-draft keel with a centerboard. Her stub keel and centerboard combination gives a working draft of 4.50 feet with the board down and a shoal 1.50 feet with it retracted, a range that suits both coastal moorings and trailer launching. The hull carries 395 pounds of ballast against a modest 1,350-pound displacement, and the profile is defined by a raked stem and reverse transom. A transom-hung rudder on a tiller keeps the steering simple and the underwater profile clean.
Rig and Handling
She is a fractional sloop with a Bermuda rig, a 20-foot foretriangle height on a 6-foot base, and a 21-foot mainsail luff. Total sail area comes to about 153 square feet, split between a 92.6-square-foot main and a 60-square-foot jib. The PHRF handicap averages 288, and the quoted hull speed is 5.5 knots. Sailboat Data describes the design as optimized for spirited coastal cruising and weekending, and notes that the blend of speed, trailerability, and comfort made her popular among solo sailors and couples.
Accommodations
Below, the Starwind 19 sleeps four: a double V-berth forward and two straight settee berths in the main cabin. The galley sits to port at the companionway ladder with a sink, and the head is tucked under the V-berth forward. Cabin headroom is a tight 38 inches, and a 2.5-gallon fresh water tank supports the simplest of cruising. A period assessment praised the good-sized opening forward hatch as rare in a boat this size, useful for ventilation and emergency escape, and noted the on-deck anchor locker as a plus.
Refits and Ownership
The boat is normally fitted with a small 3 to 6 hp outboard for docking and maneuvering, mounted on the transom. Her lightweight construction and trailerable footprint make ownership straightforward for a couple or solo sailor, and the reviewer found no significant worst features worth mentioning for the design.
The Verdict
The Starwind 19 is a thoughtfully laid-out pocket cruiser that punches above her length for weekending, with a shoal-draft centerboard scheme that broadens where she can gunkhole and trail. The forward hatch and anchor locker are genuine conveniences rarely seen at this scale.
Pros
- Shoal 1.5 ft draft with board up, 4.5 ft with it down for trailering and thin water
- Sleeps four with a forward hatch sized for ventilation and emergency egress
- Simple tiller steering and outboard power keep ownership uncomplicated
Cons
- 38-inch cabin headroom limits belowdecks comfort
- 2.5-gallon water capacity restricts anything beyond short weekends
