The Moody 33 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Moody 33, a centre-cockpit sloop, was designed by Angus Primrose and built in the UK by Marine Projects Ltd. The 33S (note the 'S') is the aft-cockpit version.

The centre-cockpit Moody 33 has a separate aft cabin

Published Specification for the Moody 33

Underwater Profile: Fin & Skeg

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 33'0" (10.1m)

Waterline Length: 28'6" (8.7m)

Beam: 11'6" (3.5m)

Draft: 4'5" (1.35m)

Rig Type: Masthead sloop

Displacement: 10,523lb (4,773kg)

Designer: Angus Primrose

Builder: Marine Projects (UK)

Year First Built: 1973

Year Last Built: 1978

Owners Association: Moody Owners Association

'Celtic Warrior II', a Moody 33 Mk1 for Sale

Location: Gibraltar

Asking Price: €30,000

Published Design Ratios for the Moody 33

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 15.1

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: 36.2

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

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 303

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

4. Comfort Ratio: 21.0

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: 2.1

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

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Moody 33

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of just 15.1 suggests that the Moody 33 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. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 36.2 means that a sailboat like the Moody 33 (which doesn't have a stiffness-enhancing bulb keel), is likely to benefit from being reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 303, tells us the Moody 33 is clearly a heavy displacement cruising boat. You can load her down with all your cruising gear and equipment and it will hardly affect her waterline. Not an ideal choice for coastal sailing, but she'll come into her own on an offshore passage in testing conditions.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 21.1 suggests that crew comfort of a Moody 33 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 2.1 indicates that a Moody 33 would not be the wisest choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making owing to the lower resistance to capsize in strong winds and heavy seas that is associated with sailboats with a CSF of 2.0 and above.