The C&C Design Group produced the drawings under Rob Ball, with Rob Mazza as project manager. C&C built the OD simultaneously at plants in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario; Middletown, Rhode Island; and Kiel, Germany. The short production run ended in 1980 after only 115 retractable-keel ODs had been completed. A U.S.-built, fixed-keel Mega 30 FK then appeared in an effort to address weak sales, but only 27 were built.
Design and Construction
The Mega 30 OD was deliberately shaped around the 8-foot towing limit. Its slab-sided topsides squeeze in maximum waterline beam for stability while staying within that constraint, and the 30-foot hull has a beam just under 8 feet. A fine waterline entry ends in a stem top that looks slightly blunt by modern standards.
Below the waterline, the hull is a single-skin laminate. The topsides, deck, and stringers are balsa-cored, and that’s where age-related problems tend to appear. The hull-to-deck joint uses an outward-turning flange secured with pop rivets and sealant, then covered by a vinyl rub strip.
Visually, the boat’s defining feature is its bubble-top cabin, with dark-tinted, wraparound polycarbonate windows. On stock boats, the windows don’t open.
The lifting keel carries a 2,250-pound bulb and retracts with a manual jackscrew, although most boats have the optional electric screw. With the keel retracted, the boat has 21 inches of draft; fully lowered, it draws 5 feet.
Rig, Steering, and Handling
The Mega 30 OD is tiller-steered, with a transom-hung, swing-up rudder beside a large outboard cutout. Its powerful fractional sloop rig moves easily in light air.
The single-spreader mast is deck-stepped in a tall tabernacle, allowing it to lie back over the cabin trunk for towing. The forestay attaches about seven-eighths of the way up the mast. Upper shrouds attach at the same height and lead aft to control forestay tension, while the lower shrouds share the chainplates. A split, adjustable backstay flattens the mainsail. The jib originally came on a roller furler, and most boats have a track for a self-tacking working jib.
Test sailors found the helm responsive, though they noted excess weather helm unless the sails were trimmed correctly. Otherwise, the boat tracked straight and tacked quickly. As the breeze built, she heeled well over before eventually stiffening.
The narrow beam provides minimal form stability and little initial resistance to heeling, but it also gives the boat predictable handling and an easy motion. Owners of the fixed-keel version report that it is much stiffer than the lifting-keel OD.
The keel isn’t intended to be fully retracted except when towing or motoring without sails. An intermediate setting of 3 feet 6 inches allows shoal-water cruising, preferably under reduced canvas.
Accommodations
For a large trailerable boat, the Mega 30 doesn’t force the crew to crawl around below. Under the bubble top, there’s more than 6 feet of standing headroom around the workbench and sink counter, with the stove opposite.
The lifting-keel trunk, supported by two posts and an I-beam, divides the saloon. When the keel is fully retracted, it nearly touches the overhead. The original settees and other furniture were made from birch plywood and lift away to provide access to storage. Seatback cushions and pocket bags sit above them. An original OD had no dining table.
The original layout provides four berths more than 6 feet long. The forepeak is reserved for a portable toilet and storage. Cedar sole boards and a painted fiberglass furniture pan finish the cabin.
The companionway has a removable hinged lid and a single large board to close it off, an arrangement that helps both access and ventilation. A steep, removable stainless-steel-and-aluminum ladder leads below. At the stern, a port-side transom opening drains water quickly, while a high bridge deck helps keep it out of the cabin.
Known Issues
Age is the Mega 30’s main enemy. Old balsa-cored decks may develop soft spots, the hull-to-deck joint can leak, and the wraparound windows may weep or crack. The molded overhead liner fitted during the original build is also prone to breaking down over time.
The lifting-keel system requires regular attention. The retracted keel is awkward to bottom-paint, and regular replacement of the rollers or slides in the keel frame is recommended.
There are a couple of practical handling nuisances as well. The bubble top gets somewhat in the way when furling the mainsail. If the rudder’s pull-down line isn’t kept tight, the rudder will rise and create very heavy helm pressure.
Refits and Ownership
Practical ownership revolves around the keel and deck systems. Given the 2,250-pound bulb, the common electric jackscrew upgrade is sensible. Before beginning any cosmetic refit, the balsa-cored deck should be inspected for softness, and the hull-to-deck joint beneath the vinyl rub strip should be checked for leaks.
Several details reflect the boat’s emphasis on trailering practicality, including the removable companionway lid and the swing-up seat over the motor well. The mast tabernacle also makes towing straightforward.
The Verdict
The Mega 30 OD remains a focused 1970s experiment: a genuinely trailerable, high-performance one-design with a powerful fractional rig, shoal-water flexibility, and standing headroom that belies its narrow beam. It rewards correct sail trim and careful keel maintenance. The fixed-keel FK is the stiffer sister if racing lightness isn’t the priority.
Pros
- Trailerable, with a retractable bulb keel and tabernacle mast
- Powerful fractional rig, easy light-air motion, and predictable handling
- Standing headroom and four berths longer than 6 feet in a 30-foot trailerable hull
- Intermediate keel setting for shoal-water cruising
Cons
- Balsa-cored decks are prone to soft spots, and the hull-to-deck joint can leak
- Excess weather helm if sail trim is off; the bubble top hinders mainsail furling
- Original overhead liner deteriorates; the rudder rises if its pull-down line is slack
- Only 115 ODs were built; production was short, and the fixed-keel alternative was also limited
