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 Huub Vlogs

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 moderate beam gives 22 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 22
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 2.01
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 280
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 16.1
TenderStiff

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

Ballast 47%

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

What the fleet has seen

The Albin Marine Ballad 30, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Albin Marine Ballad 30 is a Masthead Sloop sailboat designed by Rolf Magnusson and built by Albin Marine from 1971 to 1982, with molds later leased to other Swedish yards until 1998. This 9.1-meter (30-foot) vessel, with a 3.0-meter beam and 1.6-meter draft, features a fin keel with a rudder on skeg and displaces 3300 kg.2:19 It was one of Scandinavia's most popular sailing yachts of its size, evolving from the JOKER S30. The Ballad 30 was designed for performance, competing in IOR 1/2 ton races.7:20 Its auxiliary power varied over its production run, starting with a 10 hp Volvo Penta MD 6A and progressing to a 17 hp MD 7B and later an 18 hp VP 2002.

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

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.

Hunter Boats Horizon 309.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA David Thomas-designed fractional sloop with twin keels, offered in kit form for versatile shoal-water cruising
Ultimate Canal Boat Cruising (36 hours in Bruges)0:39from Gone with the Wynns
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
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
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
⛵️ I Tried Boiling Water Out of My Boat... It Actually Worked - sort of?!13:53from Living For Sail
C&C Yachts 30-1 (1-506)9.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthWith a 12-year production run, this masthead sloop stands as the longest-built model in the C&C lineup.
Sailor of the Month - Randy Stafford3:50from American Sailing

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Albin Marine 79A Rolf Magnusson-designed masthead sloop featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder for balanced coastal cruisingAlbin Marine 57A Rolf Magnusson-designed fractional sloop with a swing keel, built for light-displacement performance in shoal waterAlberg 30A classic Carl Alberg long-keeled masthead sloop built for over two decades, offering a stable and comfortable motionAlbin Marine Singoalla 34A Per Brohall-designed masthead sloop intended as a larger, more spacious successor to the iconic Vega 27

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