Design and Construction
Andersson’s design pairs a 22.97-foot waterline with a 31.69-foot overall length and a 10.14-foot beam, yielding a length-to-beam ratio of 3.13 that is modest rather than racy. The boat’s 7,937-pound displacement and 3,086-pound lead ballast give a 39 percent ballast ratio, and the displacement-length ratio of 293 places her firmly among what reviewers classify as heavy cruisers. That mass is concentrated in a solid fiberglass hull with no core, and the keel itself is lead—a durable, low-center-of-gravity arrangement. Notably, the Compis 97 was also offered as a home-completed kit, so finished-boat quality can vary hull to hull, a point worth weighing against the otherwise standard factory build.
Rig and Sail Plan
The Compis 97 carries a fractional sloop rig, and her sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 16.1 on the ISO reference sail, rising to 18.8 with a 135 percent genoa. By one comparison she carries more rig than 73 percent of similar sailboats, which the review interprets as slightly overrigged. The standing and running rigging dimensions are generous for the size: halyards run 28.8 meters with 10 mm diameter, sheets for jib, genoa, and mainsheet run 9.7 to 24.1 meters in 12 mm, and the cunningham, kicking strap, and clew outhaul are all 10 mm line around 3.5 to 7 meters long. Those sizes suggest a rig built for handling ease rather than minimalism.
Performance Profile
On the water, the Compis 97’s calculated maximum speed is about 4.6 knots, while the theoretical displacement-hull speed for her length is 6.4 knots. Her Motion Comfort Ratio is 21.8, and her capsize screening value is 2.03—a figure that, as the review notes, would bar her from ocean-racing acceptance. The immersion rate of about 811 pounds per inch means she sits heavily and changes trim slowly under load, consistent with the heavy-cruiser categorization. A 5.41-to-5.71-foot draft dependent on load keeps her out of only the shallowest marinas.
Accommodations
Headroom in the Compis 97 is near average for the class, which together with the 10-foot beam suggests a usable interior volume without claiming exaggerated spaciousness. The record does not detail berth count or layout specifics, so the interior must be judged hull by hull—especially given the home-completion history.
The Verdict
The Compis 97 is a plainly built, ballast-stable Swedish cruiser whose heavy-cruiser numbers and lead fin keel suit sheltered-water and coastal passage-making rather than offshore racing. The fractional rig is robust and well-sized, and the modest draft aids marina access. Buyers should treat each example as individual, given the kit-built lineage.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull and lead fin keel for durability
- Heavy-cruiser displacement and 39% ballast ratio for steadiness
- Slightly overrigged fractional sloop with substantial rigging sizes
- Draft under 5.71 ft permits broad marina access
Cons
- Capsize screening of 2.03 excludes ocean-racing use
- Home-completed kits mean variable build quality
- Calculated max speed of 4.6 kt limits spirited passage-making
