BoatsAlbin Marine Ballad 30

Albin Marine Ballad 30

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1971–1982

A former IOR half-tonner with a 27-year production run that remains a staple of Scandinavian coastal cruising

Designed by Rolf Magnusson.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

See her sail

The Albin Marine Ballad 30, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Practical Sailor

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelyComfort 22Sea-kindly
CoastalCapsize 2.01Bluewater
LightD/L 280Heavy
EasygoingSA/D 16.1Powered-up
TenderBallast 47%Stiff

A balanced, easily-driven cruiser — comfortable and forgiving for coastal work.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
47.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.1
Displacement / length
279.9
Comfort ratio
21.9
Capsize screening
2.01
Hull speed
6.4 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
785
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1971–1982
Units built
1500
Designer
Rolf Magnusson
Builder
Albin Marine, Shipman Marine

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Elvstrom 329.56 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA versatile 1/2 Ton masthead sloop offered in flush deck or coach roof versions, sharing a hull with several other designs
Daniel Alfredsson // Golden Globe Race 20263:28from 59° North Sailing
Hunter Marine 288.54 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterA shoal-draft wing-keel cruiser updated from the 28.5, designed for stability and ease of access to shallow waters
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Dufour Arpege 309.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA record-breaking production of over 1500 units, this MORC-compliant racer-cruiser defined a new standard for the 30-foot class
From plastic to WORK OF ART 🔥 Dufour Arpege door restoration (BEFORE vs AFTER)0:23from NAUTICPIOLI
Newport 30-19.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthThe original 1968 production run of this masthead sloop, featuring a fin keel and spade rudder for coastal sailing
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Cal Boats 309.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthOffered with an optional tall rig, this masthead sloop served as the predecessor to the 2-30 series
Left a multinational, house, and car to live on a 30-foot sailboat | #SAL Clip #1451:32from Hashtag Sal
Contessa 329.75 mSame hull family0.6 m longerA 1973 London Boat Show winner with a skeg-hung rudder and a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 47 percent
Contessa 32 - A Yacht Delivery from Falmouth to Hamble.2:14from Halcyon Yachts - International Yacht Delivery

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Albin Marine 79A Rolf Magnusson-designed masthead sloop featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder for balanced coastal cruisingAlbin Marine 57A lightweight fractional sloop with a swing keel, designed for easy trailering and shoal water explorationAlberg 30A 25-year production classic with a heavy displacement-to-length ratio that remains a capable choice for offshore passagesAlbin Marine Singoalla 34A Per Brohall-designed masthead sloop intended as a larger, more spacious successor to the iconic Vega 27

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