GREAT PELICAN
Specifications
Hull
| LOA | 16 ft |
| Beam | 8 ft |
| Draft | 4 ft/ 0.5 ft min |
| Displacement | 950 lb |
About the GREAT PELICAN
Larger version of the earlier SAN FRANCISCO PELICAN. Kits and completed boats have been available from a number of builders. Plans, building instructions, and other information: Muriel Short San Francisco Pelican Boats 203 Hawthorne Ave. Larkspur, California, 94939,USA Phone/Fax 415-924-0685 email: pelicansailboat@webtv.net Thanks to GP owner Peter Metcalf for providing corrections.
The Great Pelican is a rare 16.0 ft sailing yacht designed by William H. Short and built in 1962. With a displacement of 950.0 lb and a standing lug rig, it represents a unique, lightweight design from the early 1960s.
- Best for:
- This boat is best suited for coastal cruising and daysailing enthusiasts who appreciate traditional rigging and manageable size. Its light displacement and 8.0 ft beam make it ideal for trailerable use and sheltered waters.
- Bluewater capability:
- With a capsize ratio of 3.26 and a displacement of 950.0 lb, the Great Pelican is not designed for offshore bluewater passage making and is strictly limited to coastal and protected waters.
- Comparables:
- Comparable boats include other 16-foot trailerable cruisers from the 1960s, such as the O'Day 16 or early Catalina models, though the Great Pelican is distinct due to its standing lug rig and variable keel configuration.
Performance
Pricing
We don't have market pricing data for the GREAT PELICAN yet. If you own one, help other buyers — what did you pay for it? Reports build a community price estimate over time.
Estimated Cost of Ownership
Based on 16ft LOA. Actual costs vary by condition, usage, and local rates.
Known Issues & Pre-Purchase Inspection
We don't have enough data on the GREAT PELICANyet to publish model-specific findings we'd stand behind — but here's a free general inspection checklist, built from our research into what actually goes wrong on boats of this kind.
Drawn from 7,029 documented issues across 2,391 models, ordered so the areas that most often turn up problems come first.
Own a GREAT PELICAN? Reports from owners are what turn this into a model-specific checklist — and they're the reason the boats above it have one.
Similar Sailboats
Which engine powers your GREAT PELICAN?
We haven't confirmed the engine for this model yet. If you own or know one, tell us — as owners report in, we build an accurate picture over time.
Already know your engine? Search all engines → to find its exact parts.
Used sails that fit the GREAT PELICAN
Checking eBay for sails sized to this boat's rig…