Design and Construction
What makes the Mega 30 OD distinctive is how deliberately it was shaped to the 8-foot towing limit. The topsides are slab-sided to squeeze maximum waterline beam for stability while staying within that constraint, and the 30-foot hull carries a beam just under 8 feet. Below the waterline the hull is a single-skin laminate; the topsides, deck, and stringers are balsa-cored, which is where age-related trouble tends to show. The hull-to-deck joint is an outward-turning flange fastened with pop rivets and sealant, then covered with a vinyl rub strip. Visually the boat is defined by its bubble-top cabin with dark-tinted wraparound polycarbonate windows (non-opening on stock boats) and a fine waterline entry with a slightly blunt stem top by modern standards. The keel itself is a 2,250-pound bulb on a lifting arrangement, retracting via manual jackscrew with most boats carrying the optional electric screw; retracted, it leaves 21 inches of draft, and fully down it draws 5 feet.
Rig and Handling
The Mega 30 OD is a tiller-steered boat with a transom-hung swing-up rudder beside a large outboard cutout, and the rig is a powerful fractional sloop that moves easily in light air. The single-spreader mast is deck-stepped in a tall tabernacle so it can lie back over the cabin trunk for towing. The forestay attaches about seven-eighths up the mast, with upper shrouds at the same height leading aft to control forestay tension, and lower shrouds sharing 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 quite responsive but noted some excess weather helm unless sail trim is just right; otherwise she tracked straight and tacked quickly, heeling right over as the breeze built before eventually stiffening. The narrow beam gives minimal form stability with little initial resistance to heeling, but makes for predictable handling and an easy motion. Owners with the fixed-keel version report they are much stiffer than the lifting-keel OD. The keel is not meant to be fully retracted except for towing or motoring without sails, though an intermediate 3-foot 6-inch setting allows shoal cruising—best with reduced canvas.
Accommodations
Inside, the Mega 30 is a big trailerable boat you don't have to crawl around in: under the bubble there's more than 6 feet of standing headroom around the workbench/sink counter and opposite stove. The lifting-keel trunk with its two posts and I-beam divides the saloon, and when the keel is fully retracted it nearly touches the overhead. Original settees and furniture were birch plywood that lifts off for storage access, with seatback cushions and pocket bags above; an original OD had no dining table. Four berths over 6 feet long exist in the original layout, the forepeak set aside for a portable toilet and storage. The companionway uses a removable hinged lid and one large board to seal it, aiding access and ventilation, and a steep removable stainless-and-aluminum ladder descends to a cabin with cedar sole boards and a painted fiberglass furniture pan. A port-side transom opening drains water quickly while a high bridge deck keeps it out of the cabin.
Known Issues
Age is the main enemy. Old balsa-cored decks may show soft spots, hull-to-deck joints can leak, and the wraparound windows can weep or crack. The molded overhead liner from the original build is prone to breaking down over time. The retracted keel is awkward to bottom-paint, and regular replacement of the rollers or slides in the lifting-keel frame is recommended. The bubble is somewhat in the way when furling the mainsail, and if the rudder pull-down line isn't tight the rudder will rise and produce very heavy helm pressure.
Refits and Ownership
Practical ownership centers on the keel and deck systems. The electric jackscrew upgrade is common and sensible given the 2,250-pound bulb. The balsa-cored deck demands inspection for softness before any cosmetic refit, and the vinyl rub-strip joint should be checked for leaks. The removable companionway lid and swing-up seat over the motor well show the boat was built for trailering practicality, and the mast tabernacle makes the tow straightforward.
The Verdict
The Mega 30 OD is a focused 1970s experiment: a genuinely trailerable high-performance one-design with a powerful fractional rig, shoal-water flexibility, and standing headroom that belies the beam. It rewards correct trim and careful keel maintenance, and the fixed-keel FK is the stiffer sister if racing lightness isn't the priority.
Pros
- Trailerable with retractable bulb keel and tabernacle mast for towing
- Powerful fractional rig; easy light-air motion and predictable handling
- Standing headroom and four 6-foot berths in a 30-foot trailerable hull
- Intermediate keel setting enables shoal-water cruising
Cons
- Balsa-cored decks prone to soft spots; hull-to-deck joint can leak
- Excess weather helm if sail trim is off; bubble hinders mainsail furling
- Original overhead liner deteriorates; rudder rises if pull-down line slack
- Only 115 built; short production and limited fixed-keel alternative
