Design and Construction
The Centurion 59 has a solid fiberglass (GRP) hull built around a fin-keel-and-spade-rudder platform. She measures 18.03 metres overall on a 14.30-metre waterline, with a 5.00-metre—or 16-foot-5—beam and a 2.70-metre, or 8-foot-10, draft.
Displacement is 21,500 kg, including 7,500 kg of lead ballast. Her ballast-to-displacement ratio is 34.2, which the design data describes as a moderate amount of ballast for her weight. A displacement-to-length ratio of 211.9 places her in the moderate-displacement category rather than at the heavy-ocean-trawler end of the spectrum.
The Centurion line included some of the larger offshore yachts Wauquiez offered during the late 1980s to mid-1990s. On the Centurion 59, a comfort ratio of 39.4 marks the design as a moderate bluewater cruising boat, while its capsize screening value of 1.7 is cited as evidence that it is well suited to bluewater sailing.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The cutter rig gives the Centurion 59 much of her performance character. Her sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 20.7 falls within the relatively high-performance range for a yacht of this size and ballast. Paired with moderate displacement and a 16-foot-5 beam, that figure suggests a boat capable of carrying plenty of canvas and making good progress without being a featherweight racer.
The fin keel and spade rudder provide the directional agility expected of a Dubois cruiser rather than the more sluggish tracking of a full-keeled voyager. Her 8-foot-10 draft is a considered compromise: it contributes to offshore stability but restricts access to shallow anchorages.
Verdict
The Wauquiez Centurion 59 is a low-volume, Dubois-designed offshore cutter built during a tight seven-year production run. Her performance ratios place her firmly among moderate-displacement bluewater cruisers with above-average sail drive. With only 22 hulls completed and a specific design brief, she remains an unusual and distinctive find.
Pros
- Ed Dubois design with a fin keel and spade rudder for agile handling
- Relatively high-performance sail-area-to-displacement profile
- Capsize screening value of 1.7 and comfort ratio of 39.4 suit bluewater cruising
- Solid fiberglass hull built by Wauquiez in France
Cons
- Only 22 were built, so spares and comparable sales are scarce
- The 8-foot-10 draft limits shallow-water access
