Design and Construction
Van de Stadt laid out a substantial monohull with an aluminum hull and deck, a long keel, and an attached rudder — a conservative underwater profile suited to sustained voyaging. The 49.21-foot length overall carries a 15.09-foot beam, giving a length-to-beam ratio of 3.26 that reads as a roomy, moderate-displacement cruiser rather than a narrow racer. Her displacement of 36,707 pounds is anchored by 14,330 pounds of lead ballast, a 39 percent ballast ratio that, combined with a displacement-length ratio of 223, places her firmly in the heavy-cruiser band. The wetted surface runs about 753 square feet, and the immersion rate of 2,105 pounds per inch tells you how reluctantly she sits down under load — a number that matters when you are stowing provisions for a long passage.
Rig and Handling
The 49 A carries a ketch rig with a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 20.51, a figure that suggests she is built to drive comfortably under canvas without demanding extreme sail loads. Her calculated maximum speed is about 7.5 knots against a theoretical displacement-hull limit of 8.5 knots, and the capsize screening value of 1.90 plus a Motion Comfort Ratio of 30.9 frame her as a stable, forgiving sea boat. The long keel and 5.58-to-5.88-foot draft dependent on load let her enter most marinas while still holding a predictable track. Sheet specifications are generous for a boat this size: jib and genoa sheets run 49.2 feet at 5/8-inch diameter, the mainsheet is 123 feet of the same diameter, and spinnaker sheets are 108.3 feet — dimensions that speak to the leads and winch capacities a buyer should expect.
Accommodations
Below, the standard arrangement is two cabins with four berths, and the headroom is above average for the class — a real asset on a boat intended for liveaboard use. The beamy hull pays off here: the 15-foot beam translates into volume that a narrower design would surrender. The two-cabin, four-berth plan serves as the baseline rather than the only possible layout.
The Verdict
The Trintella 49 A is a low-production, van de Stadt–designed aluminum ketch that wears her cruising intentions openly: heavy ballast, a long keel, and comfort-oriented ratios rather than speed-derived ones. She is a scarce boat, which cuts both ways for an owner who values individuality over fleet support.
Pros
- Aluminum hull and deck in a long-keel configuration for offshore durability
- 39 percent ballast ratio and 30.9 Motion Comfort Ratio signal a stable, easy motion
- Above-average headroom with a two-cabin, four-berth baseline layout
- Moderate draft allows marina access despite the 49-foot length
Cons
- Only a few built, limiting spares-network and owner-community scale
- Modest 7.5-knot calculated top speed versus an 8.5-knot theoretical limit
- Accommodation detail stops at two cabins and four berths
