BoatsWatkins Yachts 29

Watkins Yachts 29

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1984–1988

A masthead sloop with a skeg-mounted rudder, later rebranded as the Watkins 30, designed for stable coastal cruising

Designed by Walter Scott & Watkins.

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

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a beamy beam gives 24 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 24
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 2.00
LightHeavy

284 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 284
EasygoingPowered-up

13.9 — modest power for her weight; easygoing rather than lively, and happier with a breeze.

Sail area / displacement 13.9
TenderStiff

44% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 44%

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

  • Draws less than ~84% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2334 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
44.3%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
13.9
Displacement / length
284.2
Comfort ratio
23.8
Capsize screening
2.00
Hull speed
6.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
886
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1984–1988
Units built
60
Designer
Walter Scott, Watkins
Builder
Watkins Yachts Inc

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.

Cal Boats 309.14 mSame hull family0.3 m longerOffered with an optional tall rig, this masthead sloop served as the predecessor to the 2-30 series
Catalina Yachts 309.12 mSame hull family0.3 m longerOne of the most successful production yachts in history, with over 6,000 hulls built during a 32-year run
Shannon Yachts 288.53 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA fin-keeled cutter with a transom-hung rudder, built for coastal cruising with a stiff 38% ballast ratio
Ericson Yachts 298.71 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1970s masthead sloop with a 1.32-meter draft and a 45% ballast ratio, balancing coastal stability with shoal access
Lancer 30-28.99 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA masthead sloop derived from the original C&C 30 molds, offering a stable fin-keel platform for coastal cruising
Dufour Arpege 309.14 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA record-breaking production of over 1500 units, this MORC-compliant racer-cruiser defined a new standard for the 30-foot class

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.

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