| Development | |
|---|---|
| Designer | André Bénéteau |
| Location | France |
| Year | 1981 |
| No. built | 950 |
| Builder(s) | Beneteau |
| Role | Fishing boat, day sailer, cruiser |
| Name | Beneteau California 5.50 |
| Boat | |
| Displacement | 1,433 lb (650 kg) |
| Draft | 1.31 ft (0.40 m) |
| Hull | |
| Type | monohull |
| Construction | glassfibre |
| LOA | 18.04 ft (5.50 m) |
| LWL | 14.44 ft (4.40 m) |
| Beam | 7.55 ft (2.30 m) |
| Engine type | outboard motor |
| Hull appendages | |
| Keel/board type | Long keel |
| Rudder(s) | Transom-mounted rudder |
| Rig | |
| Rig type | Bermuda rig |
| Sails | |
| Sailplan | Fractional rigged sloop |
| Total sail area | 150.00 sq ft (13.935 m2) |
The Beneteau California 5.50, or 550, is a French trailerable sailboat that was designed by André Bénéteau as a fishing boat, day sailer and pocket cruiser. The design is named for its length overall in metres and was first built in 1981.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Production
The design was built by Beneteau in France, from 1981 to 1988, with 950 boats completed, but it is now out of production.[1][2][3][8][9]
Design
The California 5.50 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of glassfibre, with wood trim. It has a fractional sloop rig, with a deck-stepped mast and aluminium spars with stainless steel wire standing rigging. The hull has a raked stem, an angled transom, a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed long keel or optional twin keels. It displaces 1,433 lb (650 kg).[1][2][3][7]
The boat has a draft of 1.31 ft (0.40 m) with the standard long keel and 1.64 ft (0.50 m) with the optional twin keel configuration.[1][2][3]
The boat is normally fitted with a small 9.8 to 14.7 hp (7 to 11 kW) outboard motor for docking and maneuvering. It has sleeping accommodation for two people, with a double "V"-berth in the cabin.[7]
The design has a hull speed of 5.09 kn (9.43 km/h).[1][2][3]
See also
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 McArthur, Bruce (2023). "California 550 (Beneteau)". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Sea Time Tech, LLC (2023). "Beneteau California 550". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Ulladulla. "California 550 beneteau". Sailboat Lab. Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ↑ McArthur, Bruce (2023). "André Bénéteau". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ↑ Sea Time Tech, LLC (2023). "André Bénéteau". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 22 June 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ↑ Beneteau. "California 5.50". beneteau.com. Archived from the original on 30 May 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- 1 2 3 Beneteau. "Beneteau California 5.50" (PDF). beneteau.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ↑ McArthur, Bruce (2023). "Beneteau". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- ↑ Sea Time Tech, LLC (2023). "Beneteau". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.