BoatsMaxi Yachts Fenix 8.5

Maxi Yachts Fenix 8.5

Fin w/bulb & Spade Rudder · 1981–1988

A 1980s cruiser with a 1.5-metre bulb keel and spade rudder, designed for a balanced, stable coastal experience

Designed by Pelle Petterson.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/bulb & Spade Rudder

See her sail

The Maxi Yachts Fenix 8.5, on the water

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

Footage from SEILmagasinet

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 moderate beam gives 19 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 19
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 2.04
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 193
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 16.5
TenderStiff

35% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 35%

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

What the fleet has seen

The Maxi Yachts Fenix 8.5, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Maxi Yachts FENIX 8.5 is an 8.5-meter sailboat designed by Pelle Petterson and built by Maxi Yachts and Borjesson Brothers between 1981 and 1988. It features a fin keel with a bulb and a spade rudder, measures 2.9 meters in beam, and draws 1.5 meters, displacing 2800 kg.4:58 SEILmagasinet describes the FENIX 8.5 as an entry-level, camping-style cruiser from the late 1970s.4:58 Aboard SEILmagasinet, Tone Jørgensen sails her FENIX 8.5 from Tønsberg to Sandsteig, Harstad, after two years of learning to handle the boat solo.1:31 She converted her boat from regatta racing to cruising, overhauling the electrical system, updating navigation charts, and installing a personal AIS/SART beacon for safety.13:17 Jørgensen's primary concern is maneuvering in busy harbors.16:45

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Maxi Yachts Fenix 8.5 on video

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.

US$70,000Median asking

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
34.8%
Rig & sail area
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.5
Displacement / length
192.5
Comfort ratio
19.1
Capsize screening
2.04
Hull speed
6.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
811
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/bulb & spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1981–1988
Units built
1300
Designer
Pelle Petterson
Builder
Maxi Yachts, Borjesson Brothers

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

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Jeanneau Aquila 278.70 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA Philippe H. Harle-designed masthead sloop offered in both standard and deep-keel Regatta configurations
Sailing Savvy: How to Build a Winning Team with Jon Sverre Høiden12:45from SEILmagasinet
Bristol Yachts 288.53 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn IOR Half Ton racer with reduced stern overhang, serving as the performance-oriented predecessor to the Bristol 29.9
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A little bonus episode14:04from Sailing Magic Carpet
Ranger Yachts 29 (Mull)8.71 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 1970s masthead sloop with a skeg-hung rudder, offering a balanced 1.98 capsize screening for coastal cruising
EP#328 San Diego Sailing with Justin14:43from Sailing Into Oblivion

The family

Boats like this

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

Maxi Yachts 800A lightweight 8.25-metre cruiser featuring a shallow-draft wing keel designed for easy handling in coastal watersMaxi Yachts 909A 9-metre fractional sloop with a 42% ballast ratio, designed for a stiff and responsive sailing experienceMaxi Yachts 87A 1970s masthead sloop with a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder, designed for predictable handling in a compact 8.7-metre frameMaxi Yachts 999A 9.9-metre fractional sloop featuring a 1.7-metre bulb keel and a light, performance-oriented displacementMaxi Yachts RacerA lightweight 7.95-metre fractional sloop with a high sail area-to-displacement ratio built for spirited racingMaxi Yachts 84A 8.5-metre fin-keeler with a 45% ballast ratio, offering a stiff and stable platform for coastal sailing

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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