Design and Construction
Maas's 999 sits on a solid GRP hull laminated with vinyl ester resin, a method the builder described as unique in yacht building for its extremely dense structure that contributes toward greater hull strength. YACHT's survey of the class confirms the hand lay-up and spray process, partly with sandwich core and vinyl ester, and rates the boat very solidly built. The deck-to-hull joint is engineered to form a functional rubbing strake at the widest beam, and the keel suspension is built to guarantee optimal power transmission into the hull. Against her peers she is heavy, a trade-off that underpins the solid cruising character noted by period reviewers.
Rig and Handling
All halyards and sheets lead to the cockpit so a smaller crew can work her without leaving the helm. The center cockpit and good-natured handling score points on deck, and the builder's own notes praise her smooth, easy maneuvering even short-handed. That good nature has limits: YACHT testers found the controls very imprecise and the rig offers hardly any trimming options. In around 12 knots of wind the nearly ten-meter hull simply did not get going, failing to reach five knots upwind with sticky steering, though the same magazine's 1991 delivery-condition test was impressed by her performance in roughly double that breeze.
Accommodations
Below, the 999 is surprisingly spacious and luxuriously furnished for her length, with optimum use of space that YACHT nonetheless calls somewhat dark. The saloon wraps a comfortable sofa around the walls, though testers found the port-side seating depth too short. A roomy charting area with a swivel chair—another Compromis signature—sits opposite the galley, which carries modern conveniences. The forward berth is huge at 2.54 by 1.80 meters but begins right at the saloon door when fully extended. Aft, a corridor on the starboard side past the galley reaches a 2.15 by 1.40 meter berth with a rowing coker between the feet and headroom that drops abruptly aft; the wet room is fine but has no shower. Five berths are specified, and the boat reads as a solid cruising boat for two despite the six-crew brief.
Known Issues
The shortcomings are concentrated in ergonomics rather than structure. The imprecise steering and minimal trim control are inherent to the design, and the aft berth's rowing coker with its abrupt headroom loss limits livability for a second couple. The forward berth's intrusion into the saloon doorway is a spatial compromise of the short mid-cockpit layout. The heavy displacement slows her in light air.
The Verdict
The Compromis 999 is a strongly built, weatherly center-cockpit cruiser that punches above her nine-and-a-half meters in accommodation and sea-kindly composure, yet asks for wind and forgives few tuning errors. She suits a couple or small family who value solid Dutch construction and a protected helm over racing sparkle.
Pros
- Vinyl ester solid hull with dense, strong laminate and rubbing-strake deck joint
- Center-cockpit layout with all lines to the helm and easy short-handed maneuvering
- Spacious, well-fitted interior with signature nav stool and large forward berth
- High ballast ratio and solid build for open-water passage comfort
Cons
- Imprecise controls and almost no trim range
- Sluggish and sticky steering in light winds near 12 knots
- Aft berth compromised by rowing coker and dropping headroom; no shower in wet room
- Heavy relative to class, limiting light-air performance
