FALCON 16 (MCVAY)

About the FALCON 16 (MCVAY)

The first 35 were built in the late 1950's by Beetle Boats for The Wadawanuck Yacht Club in Stonington, CT. Somewhat later, the designer, G. William McVay, formed his own company and built a number. Paceship Yachts also built the boat for a few years, beginning in the early 1960's. Other builders: (details unknown) Michigan Glassline Products Co. Plymouth, Michigan Sterling Boatbuilding Corp. East Greenwich, RI It's possible that nearly 1000 were built. Thanks to Falcon owner Joseph Haley for providing corrections and photo. Spinnaker permitted for class racing. Class jib dimensions: luff: 12.75'/41.83m leech:11.75'/38.55m foot:6.33'/20.77m Class Main: luff: 18.0'/59.05m leech:20.0'/65.62m foot:10.0'/32.81m

Designed by G. William McVay and built by McVay Fiberglass Yachts/Paceship (CAN), the Falcon 16 is a compact fractional sloop with a production run of 940 hulls starting in 1954. This data-driven synthesis highlights its status as a classic, lightweight daysailer with specific structural vulnerabilities common to its era.

Best for:

This boat is best suited for coastal daysailing and light cruising, appealing to owners seeking a manageable, trailerable vessel with a low draft of 2.58 ft and a displacement of 1650.0 lb.

Bluewater capability:

With a capsize ratio of 1.76 and a comfort ratio of 19.27, the Falcon 16 is not designed for offshore bluewater passage-making but is capable of protected coastal cruising given its stable hull form.

Comparables:

Comparable vessels include other 1950s McVay designs and similarly sized trailerable sloops from the same era, such as the O'Day 16 or early Catalina models, due to their shared fractional rig configurations and emphasis on ease of handling.