Cal Yachts are some of the most sought after, preeminent racing yachts found anywhere in the world.  Considering the fact that these boats, manufactured by Jensen Marine in California, have been out of production since the late 1980’s, their continued popularity is a testament to innovative, ahead of its time design and construction practices that emphasized high-quality materials, expert craftsmanship, and wonderful attention to detail.

Built for performance, Cal Yachts were among the first mass-produced lines to feature all-fiberglass hulls, with an eye to ocean racing and cruising.
Jack Jensen, Cal Yachts founder, learned shipbuilding from old school artisans, and was inspired to explore speed sailboats by ocean racing legends like George Griffith. However, his approach once he began building his namesake products was to add some new school ideas to his solid foundation. Jensen brought design guru Bill Lapworth on board as chief architect, with Willis Boyd helming the lofting duties. The results were sleek, elegantly contoured racing vessels that featured an innovative fin keel design, among other modernizations.

Cal Yachts most impressive early model was the Cal 40, a ship that took the ocean sailboat racing world by storm, and a design that continues to prove very competitive in racing competitions around the globe. A win in the 2008 Newport-Bermuda race showed that Cal Yachts have not lost their edge, holding their own and beating most sailboat designs that have come in their wake.

Today, Cal Yachts are still making waves. They continue to have a large presence wherever competitive racing is done, from the Atlantic, around to the Pacific, and in between, with a large fleet still active in the Great Lakes region. Sales of popular models like the Cal 25 and Cal 40 are brisk. While many Cal Yachts still privately owned, some have been turned into luxury cruisers which can be chartered out of California, Hawaii, the Bahamas, and other gorgeous port settings where the waters are easy and the weather is spectacular.

Vacationers leave all the work to the crews and take it easy sailing along for pure pleasure in some of the world’s finest waters. Other sailing enthusiasts consider it the experience of a lifetime to hire Cal Yachts complete with crew for some lively ocean sailing at full speed. They join the crew, do their part, and come away with memories that last a lifetime.

More Sailing Yacht Information