Practical Sailorvideo
Would You Buy a Motorsailer? Cape Dory MS300 Explored
20 April 2026 · 11 min · 58K views
The Cape Dory MS300 motorsailer cruising with sails deployed.
What this video covers
The Cape Dory MS300 is a 30-foot full-keel pilothouse motorsailer designed to cruise effectively under both sail and power. At 29 ft 10 in LOA, 11 ft 5 in beam, 3 ft 11 in draft, and 11,500 lb displacement with 4,500 lb of ballast, it is wide, heavy, and stable rather than fast. Sail area is 424 sq ft, yielding a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of about 14 and a capsize screening ratio of 1.7; hull speed is just under 7 knots. Power comes from a Westerbeke 46 diesel, with real-world cruising speeds of 6.5 to 7.5 knots. Air draft is in the mid-40-foot range, making ICW travel feasible without bridge anxiety. The full keel tracks straight under power, reducing helm workload. Under sail, the boat is not a light-air performer—in 5 knots it barely moves—but in 10 to 15 knots it settles into steady, comfortable progress with tacking angles within 90 degrees. The design brief prioritizes predictability and reduced crew workload over speed or athleticism. The 3 ft 11 in draft also enables gunkholing in shallow areas. The MS300 is evaluated as a practical cruising boat for owners who want dependable progress when wind dies rather than a pure sailing experience.
More from Practical Sailor
From Practical Sailor — see the channel’s boat, crew, and every analysed video.