Fewer than 200 examples were launched. The 850 came early in Maas’s association with the marque, before the center-cockpit 777, 888, and 999 family that would later define the name. It is a small, comparatively light-displacement racer-cruiser with a solid-fibreglass hull, conceived before the vacuum-bagged sandwich hulls of the brand’s later era.
Design and Construction
The 850 has a fin keel and a solid-fibreglass hull. The builder engineered the deck-to-hull joint to form a structural rubbing strake at the widest point of the beam—a practical piece of Dutch marine design typical of the period.
Length overall is just over 28 feet, while the beam is close to 10 feet. Its length-to-beam ratio of 2.80 puts it among the broader boats of its type; the review rated it roomier than 79 percent of similar designs.
Displacement is roughly 6,600 pounds, including about 2,756 pounds of iron ballast. That gives a ballast ratio of 42 percent, which the same source rated higher than 58 percent of comparable sailboats. A displacement-length ratio of 170 places the 850 firmly in the “light racers” category, with 82 percent of similar designs weighing more.
Rig and Handling
Maas gave the 850 a masthead sloop rig and a spade rudder. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 15.15 confirms a lively profile suited to the light-racer classification.
The review records a mast height of 32.8 feet above the waterline. Jib and genoa sheets are specified at 28.1 feet long and 3/8 inch in diameter, while the mainsheet is 70.1 feet long at the same diameter. The spinnaker sheet measures 61.7 feet.
Draft ranges from about 4.27 to 4.57 feet, depending on load, which is shallow enough for modest marinas. An immersion rate of roughly 904 pounds per inch means the boat settles predictably as crew and stores come aboard.
Performance
The theoretical hull speed is 6.8 knots, consistent with the 25.9-foot waterline. With about 279 square feet of wetted surface, the hull should be easily driven.
The capsize screening value is 2.13, a figure that, according to the review, would bar her from ocean races. That positions the 850 as a coastal and shorthanded design rather than a bluewater contender.
Its Motion Comfort Ratio of 17.8 was judged more comfortable than only 27 percent of similar sailboats. In practical terms, the light hull and modest beam-derived stability trade outright sea-kindliness for responsiveness.
Accommodations
The broad beam is the 850’s principal accommodation advantage. Its 2.80 length-to-beam ratio translates into usable cabin volume rather than a lean racing interior, supporting the review’s assessment that the boat is roomier than many of its peers.
Fresh-water capacity is 106 liters (28 US gallons), which is adequate for weekend coastal use on a boat of this size. No berth count or detailed layout survives in the record, however, so the interior plan can only be inferred from the boat’s proportions.
Verdict
The Compromis 850 is a Maas-designed, light-displacement coastal sloop from the mid-seventies. Built in small numbers, it combines a beamy, roomy-for-its-size hull with a high ballast ratio and an easily driven fin-keel form.
It should be quick and responsive under its masthead rig. Its capsize screening and comfort figures, however, point toward sheltered-water and shorthanded sailing rather than offshore work.
Pros
- Beam-driven interior volume rated roomier than 79 percent of similar designs
- High 42 percent ballast ratio, above 58 percent of comparable boats
- Light-racer displacement and a 15.15 sail-area-to-displacement ratio for lively performance
- Shallow 4.27–4.57 ft draft for marina access
Cons
- Capsize screening value of 2.13 excludes ocean-race acceptance
- Motion Comfort Ratio better than only 27 percent of similar boats
- Fewer than 200 built, limiting fleet support and parts commonality
