CS 30 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The CS 30 came as a masthead sloop with a fin-with-spade-rudder hull, offered with three keel options: the standard 5-foot-6-inch lead fin, a 4-foot-6-inch wing keel, and a 4-foot-3-inch shoal keel. All share the same cabin plan — a U-shaped port galley, starboard nav station with pull-out stool, a long open quarter berth aft of the engine, a starboard settee that converts to a double, and a forward V-berth with separate head opposite a hanging locker. The deep and secure cockpit carries long seating around a 36-inch wheel, and a full-height bridge deck separates it from the cabin. Ventilation runs through four opening portlights per side, a large hatch over the V-berth, a main-cabin hatch, a smaller head hatch, and a single Dorade vent.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

On the used market, CS 30s commonly carry a bimini, dodger, autopilot, chartplotter, solar, and an asymmetric spinnaker; spinnaker and hot water are often seen, while lithium batteries and dinghy davits appear only as occasional owner upgrades. The original Volvo Penta 2002 18-hp diesel with an 18-gallon aluminum tank behind the engine remains the standard powerplant, and the factory Whitlock geared steering, Lewmar 30 self-tailing winches at the coach-roof trailing edge, and Lewmar 40 self-tailing genoa winches on the coamings are typical. The molded anchor-locker arch and cast-aluminum stem fitting with single bow roller are as built, and the stainless cabintop handrails are a period distinction from teak.

What to Inspect

The most load-bearing inspection points are the documented known issues. The bilge sump is too shallow for a standard immersion-style bilge pump, so confirm the factory manual pump in the cockpit locker is present and free. Check the chainplates — bolted to the internal bulkhead behind removable fiberglass covers — for any evidence of water leaks, since sealant there should be checked regularly. The rig has no lower shrouds spaced fore and aft, so verify the jackstay preventive measure is intact and look for any mast-pumping history. The spinnaker car lacks bearings and is hard to move under load, and the anchor locker does not lend itself to windlass installation; the backstay chainplate low on the reversed transom is nearly out of reach for an adjuster. Finally, note the absence of a galley opening port for cooking-moisture ventilation.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

CS 30s typically appear on the used market in Canada and the United States. For a buyer, the checklist is short and concrete: verify keel-bolt integrity on all three variants, confirm chainplate sealant condition, test the manual bilge pump, inspect the mast jackstay and spinnaker car, and assess the galley ventilation gap against your own cooking plans. A sound example rewards with nimble handling and a secure cockpit.