Design and Construction
The Winga 78 measures 25 feet 9 inches overall, with a waterline length of 19 feet 10 inches. Its beam is just under 9 feet 8 inches, giving it a length-to-beam ratio of 2.66. That’s relatively narrow by modern standards and helps keep the wetted surface to about 226 square feet.
The solid fiberglass hull displaces 6,834 pounds and carries 2,205 pounds of iron ballast, for a ballast ratio of 33 percent. Its capsize screening value of 2.06 puts it outside the accepted threshold for ocean racing.
With an immersion rate of about 868 pounds per inch, the hull settles predictably under load. Depending on the boat’s load, the fin keel draws between 4 feet 1 inch and 4 feet 4 inches, allowing access to shallow marinas that deeper-keel boats may not reach.
Rig, Handling, and Power
The fractional rig produces a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 12.34. That figure suggests modest but useful power for light-air sailing rather than an overcanvased, high-performance sail plan.
The standing and running gear follows period dimensions. Jib and genoa sheets are 25.8 feet long and 3/8 inch in diameter. The mainsheet is 64.4 feet long, also with a 3/8-inch diameter. Spinnaker sheets measure 56.7 feet and are likewise 3/8 inch in diameter. These are the published guiding dimensions for the sheets.
A single Volvo Penta diesel drives through a saildrive transmission. The boat’s calculated hull speed is 5.97 knots, setting the practical upper limit under sail or power.
Accommodations
Below, the Winga 78 has three cabins and four berths, along with a galley and toilet facility. That makes for a compact but complete cruising interior in a boat under 26 feet.
Rather than relying on a single open saloon, the three-cabin arrangement divides the limited volume into separate sleeping and stowage spaces. It’s better suited to a couple with children or two short-handed couples on a quiet harbor cruise than to entertaining aboard.
The Verdict
The Winga 78 is a small, honestly built pocket cruiser with a complete interior and a forgiving, shallow-draft fin keel. Its specifications describe a coastal boat that’s handy in light air and easy to park, not a passage-maker. The fractional rig and saildrive date to the original 1976 design, while the number of cabins and berths remains generous for the boat’s length.
Pros
- Three cabins and four berths, plus a galley and head, in under 26 feet
- Shallow fin-keel draft of 4 feet 1 inch to 4 feet 4 inches eases marina access
- Sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 12.34 supports light-air cruising
Cons
- Capsize screening value of 2.06 excludes it from ocean-race acceptance
- Narrow 2.66 length-to-beam ratio limits interior beam
- Saildrive and 1976-era systems require age-appropriate evaluation
