Design and Construction
The Bandholm 24 has a solid-fibreglass hull without a core, and the deck is also solid fibreglass. Lead ballast weighs 2,425 pounds, producing a 50% ballast ratio—higher than that of 88% of similar designs.
With a waterline length of just over 19 feet and a beam of 7.55 feet, the 24-foot hull has a length-to-beam ratio of 3.12. That makes her slimmer than 73% of comparable sailboat designs. Her narrow hull is paired with a Displacement Length Ratio of 323, placing the boat among heavy cruisers rather than lightweight racers.
The fin keel draws between 4.27 and 4.57 feet, depending on load. An immersion rate of about 507 pounds per inch describes a hull that sits heavily and moves reluctantly when weight is added. The skeg-hung rudder and fin-keel combination was conventional for the era and supports predictable steering under way.
Stability and Performance
The Bandholm 24’s motion comfort ratio ranges from 24.2 to 25.5. Yachtdatabase.com notes that this is more comfortable than 96% of similar sailboat designs. Her capsize screening value is 1.77.
The theoretical hull speed is 5.8 knots, a modest figure appropriate to a displacement hull of this length. A Relative Speed Performance of 21 means she is quicker than only 21% of similar designs. Her wetted surface area of about 172 square feet further reflects a boat designed for steadiness rather than sprinting.
Rig and Sail Plan
Bandholm offered the 24 with two rigs: a masthead sloop and a fractional sloop. On the masthead version, the combined mainsail and jib area is 242 square feet.
Both rigs use the same sheet specifications:
- Jib and genoa sheets: 23.9 feet long and 3/8 inch in diameter
- Mainsheet: 59.7 feet
- Spinnaker sheets: 52.5 feet
The choice between masthead and fractional tuning gave buyers or original owners some latitude in balancing light-air drive against heavy-weather control, although the sail-plan area remained within a narrow cruising envelope.
Accommodations
The Bandholm 24 sleeps four. The berths share the cabin with a galley and toilet facility, and the interior is finished in teak like most boats of her generation. Fresh-water capacity is 90 liters, enough for short coastal cruising without topping up the tanks daily.
The layout is compact but functional. It reflects a Danish interpretation of the small family cruiser rather than a stripped-out racer with boards for settees, although the narrow beam limits interior volume.
Verdict
The Bandholm 24 is a small, heavily ballasted cruiser that trades outright pace for a calm motion and a reassuring stability profile. Olsen’s design combines narrow proportions with a lead-ballasted fin keel to produce a boat that feels settled beyond her length. Its teak interior and practical cruising accommodations suit sheltered-water and coastal use.
Pros
- Comfort ratio higher than that of 96% of similar designs
- 50% ballast ratio, higher than that of 88% of comparable boats
- Offered with masthead and fractional rigs
- Solid-fibreglass hull and deck
- Lead ballast
- Sleeps four, with a galley and head
Cons
- Relative Speed Performance exceeds that of only 21% of similar boats
- Narrow beam limits interior volume
- Draft varies with load and can reach 4.57 feet
