BoatsBristol Yachts 30

Bristol Yachts 30

Masthead Sloop · Fin Keel · 1968–1978

A versatile masthead sloop offered with both fixed keel and centerboard configurations to suit varying draft needs

Designed by Halsey C. Herreshoff.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin Keel

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 28 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 28
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.79
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 331
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 15.3
TenderStiff

40% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 40%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

  • Draws less than ~75% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2507 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
39.9%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.3
Displacement / length
331.4
Comfort ratio
28.1
Capsize screening
1.79
Hull speed
6.4 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
743
Hull
Hull type
Fin Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1968–1978
Units built
174
Designer
Halsey C. Herreshoff
Builder
Bristol 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.

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
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
Dufour Yachts 319.40 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA 1973 masthead sloop featuring a skeg-mounted rudder and a comfortable, stable design for coastal 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
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
Contest 319.50 mSame hull family0.4 m longerA U. van Essen-designed masthead sloop with a high ballast ratio, built for stability and comfort in a compact hull

The family

Boats like this

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

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. Every week, everywhere.

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

Report an issue