Design and Construction
The hull is solid fibreglass, laid up without a core, and the deck follows the same solid-fibreglass approach. With a length-on-waterline of just over 19 feet and a beam of 7.55 feet, the 24-foot hull carries a length-to-beam ratio of 3.12, which places her slimmer than 73% of all comparable sailboat designs anchor. That narrowness is paired with a Displacement Length Ratio of 323, a figure that categorizes the boat among heavy cruisers rather than lightweight racers. Ballast is lead at 2,425 pounds, giving a 50% ballast ratio that exceeds 88% of similar designs, while the fin keel draws between 4.27 and 4.57 feet depending on load. The immersion rate of about 507 pounds per inch speaks to a hull that sits heavily and moves reluctantly when weight is added.
Stability and Performance
Her motion comfort ratio runs 24.2 to 25.5, a band that yachtdatabase.com notes as more comfortable than 96% of all similar sailboat designs anchor. The capsize screening value is 1.77, and the theoretical hull speed is 5.8 knots—modest, as befits a displacement hull of this length. The Relative Speed Performance of 21 means she is quicker than only 21% of similar designs, and the wetted surface of about 172 square feet confirms a boat built for steadiness rather than sprinting. The skeg-hung rudder and fin keel combination is conventional for the era and supports predictable steering under way.
Rig and Sail Plan
Bandholm offered the 24 with more than one rig, and two distinct options reached production: a masthead sloop and a fractional sloop. On the masthead version, the combined mainsail and jib area is 242 square feet, and both rigs share identical sheet specifications—jib and genoa sheets of 23.9 feet at 3/8 inch diameter, a mainsheet of 59.7 feet, and spinnaker sheets of 52.5 feet. The choice between masthead and fractional tuning gives a buyer or original owner latitude in balancing light-air drive against heavy-weather control, though the sail-plan area itself remains within a narrow cruising envelope.
Accommodations
Below, the Bandholm 24 sleeps four across berths that share the cabin with a galley and a 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 resorting to tanks topped daily. The layout is compact but functional, reflecting a Danish interpretation of the small family cruiser rather than a stripped racer with boards for settees.
The 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 leans into narrow proportions and a lead-ballasted fin keel to produce a boat that feels settled well beyond her length, with a teak interior and practical cruising accommodations that suit sheltered-water and coastal use.
Pros
- Comfort ratio superior to 96% of similar designs
- Ballast ratio of 50%, higher than 88% of peers
- Offered in both masthead and fractional rigs
- Solid fibreglass hull and deck, lead ballast
- Sleeps four with galley and head
Cons
- Relative speed performance ahead of only 21% of similar boats
- Narrow beam limits interior volume
- Draft varies with load, up to 4.57 feet
