Design and Construction
The hull and deck are solid fiberglass, with iron ballast. The long-keel, double-ended form gives the 33 MS a measured, seakindly footprint rather than a racer’s finesse.
She measures 32 feet 11 inches overall, with a 27-foot 9-inch waterline, a 10-foot 6-inch beam, and a 4-foot 5-inch draft. Displacement is about 15,400 pounds. The comfort ratio of 35 and a capsize screening value near 1.69 place her firmly in the coastal-cruiser camp.
Fjord also built a similarly styled Fjord 28, but the 33 MS is the more substantial expression of the type.
Rig and Handling
Under way, the 33 MS is handy but unspectacular under both sail and power. Her masthead-sloop rig combines a big genoa with a small mainsail, placing much of the emphasis on the forward sail. Neither the underbody nor the rig plan promises sparkling performance.
The helm arrangement is unusual. On some versions, the cockpit is divided, with the helmsman in a separate section aft. From there, the person steering could handle both sheets without leaving the seat. This self-contained command post suits short-handed coastal sailing, although the divided cockpit will not appeal to everyone.
Accommodations
Fjord offered two distinct interior designs, and the differences go well beyond cosmetics.
In one layout, the large wheelhouse contains an inside steering position, navigation area, and galley. A couple of steps lead down to the saloon, which has pilot berths, while the heads and a double forecabin are forward.
The other version combines the cockpit and saloon, with opposing settees arranged for dining. In this plan, the galley and a pilot berth move up into the wheelhouse.
Both layouts reflect the priorities of a motor sailer: sheltered steering and a social interior take precedence over Spartan sailing simplicity. Both provide protected steering and a real navigation station.
Verdict
The Fjord 33 MS is a pragmatic coastal motor sailer with a long-keeled, double-ended hull and two genuinely different approaches to the interior. She won’t win passages to windward, but she provides sheltered steering and a roomy, practical cabin for her length.
Pros
- Built in large numbers by a Norwegian yard to a purposeful Eivind Amble design
- Two interior layouts, both with protected steering and a real navigation station
- Long keel and modest draft suit gunkholing and shallow harbours
Cons
- Unspectacular performance under sail and power
- Divided aft cockpit on some versions is an acquired taste
- Big-genoa, small-main rig limits balance and light-air drive
