The Wasa 30 Sailboat

The Wasa 30, a 36' light displacement fractionally rigged sloop, was designed by Leif Angermark and built in Sweden by Wasa Marin A.B.

The Wasa 30 - long, narrow and light - a high performance cruising boat.

There are two versions of the Wasa 30, the 30HR (High Rig) and the 30LR (Low Rig). 'SysterSol' in the image above and described below, is the 30HR which will account for her high performance.

Published Specification for the Wasa 30

Underwater Profile: Fin keel with spade rudder.

Hull Material: GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall: 36'1" (11.0m)

Waterline Length: 29'6" (9.0m)

Beam: 7'3" (2.2m)

Draft: 5'11" (1.8m)

Rig Type: Fractional sloop

Displacement: 5,290lb (2,400kg)

Designer: Leif Angermark

Builder: Wasa Marin A.B. (Sweden)

Year First Built: 1978

Year Last Built: 1980

Number Built: 60

Published Design Ratios for the Wasa 30

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 22.2

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: 56.2

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

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 91.7

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

4. Comfort Ratio: 18.6

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: 1.7

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 Wasa 30

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 22.2 suggests that, in the right hands, the Wasa 30 will have enough performance to leave most other sailboats of similar waterline length well astern.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 56.2 means that the Wasa 30 will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of just 91.7 places her firmly in the ultralight category, making the Wasa 30 more suited for racing than cruising.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 18.6 suggests that the Wasa 30 will have the motion underway to that of a lightweight racing boat. Crew comfort will often be memorable for all the wrong reasons. Upwind in lively conditions the Wasa 30 will be tender and slam enough to shake your fillings out with a motion that most cruising sailors have no desire to get used to.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.7 tells us that a Wasa 30 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.