BoatsYankee 30 MKI

Yankee 30 MKI

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1970–1975

A Sparkman & Stephens design featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder, built for offshore stability and performance

Designed by Sparkman & Stephens.

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

See her sail

The Yankee 30 MKI, 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.

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a narrow beam gives 29 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 29
CoastalBluewater

1.75 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.75
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 319
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 16.3
TenderStiff

47% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 47%

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

  • Narrower than ~75% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2528 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Yankee 30 MKI, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Yankee 30 MKI is a 9.2-meter masthead sloop designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built by Yankee Yachts from 1970 to 1975. It features a fin keel with a skeg-mounted rudder, a moderate displacement of 3946 kg, and a comfort ratio of 28.7.1:52 The MKI, MKII, and MKIII variants primarily differ in rig height and interior layout, with the MKIII adding 454 kg of internal ballast. After Yankee Yachts closed, Heritage Boat Works and Vashon Island Boat Works built a few boats, and the S&S 30 by Swarbrick Brothers in Australia shares the same design.4:20 The Yankee 30 MKI was built during the peak of Midget Ocean Racing Class popularity, offering a balanced, spacious interior with full headroom and a functional galley, making it suitable for club racing and weekend cruising. Repowering original Universal Atomic 4 engines with modern diesels is a common upgrade, indicating a well-maintained vessel.

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
47.5%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.3
Displacement / length
319.2
Comfort ratio
28.7
Capsize screening
1.75
Hull speed
6.4 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
740
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1970–1975
Units built
130
Designer
Sparkman, Stephens
Builder
Yankee Yachts Inc

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

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.

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
🔥 Finally introducing my boat | 1971 Dufour Arpège – SCORPION UNO2:08from NAUTICPIOLI
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
Tartan 30 | Boat Reviewfrom Practical Sailor
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
Catalina Yachts 309.12 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthOne of the most successful production yachts in history, with over 6,000 hulls built during a 32-year run
TOP 5: Cruising, Fastest, Cheapest, Most Modern, & Easiest Sailboats To Buy - Ep 3163:59from Lady K Sailing
Islander Yachts Bahama 309.12 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1973-1985 production masthead sloop sharing its hull with the Islander 30 MKII and featuring a balanced fin keel
Diesel Overheating Dinghy Pump Hack3:07from Practical Sailor
Seafarer Yachts 309.13 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop available with a tall rig and keel centerboard, distinct from the earlier Tripp-designed model
Sailboats at Every Budget: What You Get for $10K, $100K, $500K & $1M3:57from The Sailing Doodles Podcast

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.

Yankee 30 MKIII (3/4 Ton)A Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop featuring a taller rig and increased ballast for competitive IOR performanceYankee 30-MORCA Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop scaled to meet MORC racing rules, featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudderYankee 26A Sparkman & Stephens IOR Quarter Tonner featuring a skeg-hung rudder and a long production run spanning two buildersYankee 28A Robert Finch-designed masthead sloop with a skeg-mounted rudder, built for balanced performance and coastal cruisingYankee 38A Sparkman & Stephens IOR One Ton racer derived from Lightnin, later serving as the foundation for the Catalina 38

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