Nonsuch 30

BoatsNonsuch 30

See her sail

The Nonsuch 30, on the water

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

Footage from Lady K Sailing

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 beamy beam gives 20 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 20

CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 2.18

LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 197

EasygoingPowered-up

18.1 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 18.1

TenderStiff

43% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 43%

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

Beamier than ~91% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2569 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Nonsuch 30, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Nonsuch 30 is a Canadian cat-rigged sloop, designed by Mark Ellis and Gordon Fisher, and built by Hinterhoeller Yachts from 1978 to 1989.0:57 It features an unstayed mast, a single 540-square-foot sail on a wishbone boom, and no headsail.3:52 With an LOA of 9.2 meters and a beam of 3.6 meters, the boat offers interior volume comparable to a 35-footer, including a galley, head, and storage.3:21 Tacking is simplified as the sail crosses on its own, making it suitable for shorthanded sailing.5:01 The boat points to approximately 45 degrees and performs best on a reach.7:08 Key considerations for owners include managing the large sail, ensuring the integrity of the mast step and deck partner, and addressing balsa coring in the deck and hull.9:22 Aboard *Lady K Sailing*, the boat is recommended for coastal cruising but not for ocean passages due to potential rig failures.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 3 times across 3 channels of the fleet.

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

42.9%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Cat (unstayed)

Ratios

SA / displacement

18.1

Displacement / length

197.3

Comfort ratio

20.5

Capsize screening

2.18

Hull speed

7.2 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

1225

Hull

Hull type

Fin w/spade rudder

Construction

Fiberglass

Ballast type

Lead

Production

Years built

1978–1989

Units built

1080

Designer

Mark Ellis Design, Gordon Fisher

Builder

Hinterhoeller Yachts Ltd

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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.

Nonsuch 33A 33-foot cruiser with a 39% ballast ratio and a fin keel, designed for stable performance and simple sail handling Nonsuch 26A wide-beamed 26-foot cruiser with a high comfort ratio and a simple, single-sail cat rig for effortless handling Nonsuch 22A Mark Ellis-designed cat-rigged cruiser featuring an unstayed mast and a spacious, easily handled layout Nonsuch 36A 36-foot cruiser featuring a shoal keel option with a 4.42-foot draft for navigating restricted waters Nonsuch 324A rare evolution of the Nonsuch 30 featuring a taller carbon fiber rig, increased sail area, and a shallow winged keel

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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