BoatsNicholson 303

Nicholson 303

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · First built 1979

A masthead sloop featuring a fin keel and spade rudder, built on the race-proven hull of the Nicholson 1/2 Ton

Designed by Ron Holland, built by Camper.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 21 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 21
CoastalBluewater

2.07 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.07
LightHeavy

248 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 248
EasygoingPowered-up

15.8 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 15.8

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

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.8
Displacement / length
247.9
Comfort ratio
21.0
Capsize screening
2.07
Hull speed
6.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
885
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1979
Units built
35
Designer
Ron Holland
Builder
Camper, Nicholson, Nicholsons

Boats like this, on the water

Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Spirit 329.48 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Jacques De Ridder-designed IOR 23-footer built for nearly two decades as a stiff, masthead-rigged fin-keel sloop
C&C Yachts 30-29.12 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA performance-oriented masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, designed by C&C for balanced club racing
Maxi Yachts 959.50 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA 9.5-metre masthead sloop produced for a decade, featuring a skeg-hung rudder for predictable coastal handling
Granada Yachts 309.18 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 30-foot fractional sloop with a 1.65-meter draft, designed for balanced, performance-oriented cruising
Tartan Marine 309.12 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop offering versatile interior configurations and a choice of standard or tall rigs
Hunter Marine 319.55 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Cortland Steck design featuring a B&R rig and a fin keel, built for coastal cruising between 1983 and 1987

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.

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

Two ways to keep looking — both search what the fleet has actually recorded.

The newsletter

New boats, new stories, from everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analyzed. No noise.

Report an issue