Design and Construction
The Optima 92 carries a length-to-beam ratio of 3.08 against a displacement-length figure of 284, which places her among the heavy cruisers anchor. At roughly 8,600 pounds displacement with a 33 percent ballast ratio in iron, her hull is single-skin fiberglass. The keel is iron, and the design was offered with different keel alternatives — one drawing 1.65 to 1.75 meters dependent on load and a deeper variant at 1.80 to 1.90 meters. The wetted surface runs about 279 square feet, and the immersion rate of 821 pounds per inch speaks to a hull that settles meaningfully with payload.
Rig and Handling
She is built with a fractional sloop rig and a spade rudder, and the theoretical hull speed works out to 6.6 knots. The capsize screening value is 1.89 and the Motion Comfort Ratio lands between 25.1 and 25.7, a stable, damped motion profile. The Relative Speed Performance of 38 describes a boat quick enough for her weight class but fundamentally a cruiser. With a ballast ratio near a third and a loaded draft that varies by keel choice, she behaves as a predictable coastal vessel.
Known Issues
The known variable for an owner is draft behavior: the boat's immersion rate means load changes the drawn depth by a measurable band, and the two keel options were built to different drafts, so a specific hull must be identified before any marina claim. The iron keel is corrosion-prone in bilge or grounding scenarios.
Refits and Ownership
The Optima 92 may be equipped with an inboard Volvo Penta diesel engine. The boat's 1974 start year and Van de Stadt parentage place it among Dehler's early fixed-keel cruisers, meaning any surviving example is a long-service hull.
The Verdict
The Optima 92 is a quietly competent heavy-displacement cruiser of the Van de Stadt-Dehler classic period. She rewards an owner who values motion comfort over speed and accepts a draft that shifts with load.
Pros
- Stable, comfort-biased motion profile (Motion Comfort Ratio 25.1–25.7)
- Offered in two keel drafts to suit marina constraints
Cons
- Heavy-cruiser displacement limits outright performance
- Iron keel invites corrosion vigilance
- Load-dependent draft complicates fixed-marinas planning
