The LM 30 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

Published Specification for the LM 30

Underwater Profile: Fin keel & skeg-hung rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 31'10" (9.7m)

Waterline Length: 26'3" (8.0m)

Beam: 10'0" (3.1m)

Draft: 4'11" (1.5m)

Rig Type: Masthead sloop

Displacement: 11,000lb (4,990kg)

Ballast: Not published

Designer: Bent Juul Andersen

Builder: LM Glasfiber (Denmark)

Year First Built: 1977

Year Last Built: 1990

Number Built: 311

Published Design Ratios for the LM 30

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 11.7

• Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
• 16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
• Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: Not published

• Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
• Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 272

• Under 100: Ultralight
• 100 to 200: Light
• 200 to 275: Moderate
• 275 to 350: Heavy
• Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 28.4

• Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
• 20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
• 30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
• 40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
• Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.8

• Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
• Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

Read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the LM 30

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of just 11.7 suggests that the LM 30 will need a stiff breeze to get her going. In light conditions, unless you've got plenty of time on your hands, motor-sailing may be the way to go.

2. In the absence of published ballast details for the LM 30 we are unable to calculate the Ballast/Displacement Ratio.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 272, tells us the LM 30 is a moderate-to-heavy displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into the moderate displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 28.4 suggests that crew comfort of a LM 30 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not the best of news for anyone prone to seasickness. 

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.8 indicates that a LM 30 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.