Design and Construction
The 302 is a solid-fiberglass monohull with a fiberglass deck, built by the French yard Gibert Marine. It measures just under 30 feet overall and has an 11-foot beam, giving it a length-to-beam ratio of 2.67.
Displacement is 7,060 pounds, including 2,400 pounds of iron ballast, for a ballast ratio of 35 percent. Wetted surface is about 312 square feet. An immersion rate of roughly 1,136 pounds per inch describes a hull with moderate reserve that responds visibly to added load.
Keel Options and Draft
One of the 302’s defining features is its choice of three iron keels. The drop-keel version draws about 2.3 to 2.6 feet, depending on load, allowing access to shallow marinas.
Two fin-keel versions were also offered. The deeper option draws roughly 6.0 to 6.3 feet, limiting the boat to major marinas. The shallower fin draws about 5.4 to 5.7 feet and suits most marinas. These choices let a used-boat buyer favor either gunkholing or better windward bite without leaving the same mold line.
Rig and Sail Plan
The 302 is a masthead sloop, and its rig is the boat’s most unusual feature. It carries more sail rig than 90 percent of comparable sailboats and is described in the review as significantly overrigged. The mast rises about 46 feet above the waterline, reinforcing the impression of a small hull carrying a large sail plan.
That scale also shows in the running rigging. The mainsail, jib or genoa, and spinnaker halyards are each 93.8 feet long and 5/16 inch in diameter. The sheets increase to 3/8 inch: the mainsheet is 73.7 feet long, while the spinnaker sheets are 64.9 feet. A 12.8-foot cunningham, a 25.5-foot kicking strap, and a 25.5-foot clew outhaul complete a control setup sized for a boat expected to carry plenty of canvas.
Accommodations and Machinery
The available review doesn’t describe the interior arrangement in detail, so the accommodations can only be considered in light of the known figures: a 29-foot hull with an 11-foot beam, 47 gallons of water, 16 gallons of diesel, and a single 18-horsepower Yanmar diesel.
Those proportions suggest a compact cruiser aimed at short-handed sailing rather than charter-scale volume. The range of keel choices also implies an owner balancing draft against access to moorings and marinas.
Verdict
The Gib'Sea 302 is a small French cruiser with a distinct character. This modest-production Joubert-Nivelt design pairs a masthead rig that outclasses most peers its size with keel options that allow the same basic boat to explore shallow creeks or stand up to a breeze on a deeper fin.
Construction is straightforward solid fiberglass from Gibert Marine’s early-1990s era. Overall, the figures describe a boat for an owner who values rig power and draft flexibility more than interior square footage.
Pros
- Three iron keel options, including a shallow drop keel for marina access
- Significantly overrigged masthead sail plan for a 29-foot hull
- Solid-fiberglass hull and fiberglass deck from period Gibert Marine practice
Cons
- Deep fin-keel version is limited to major marinas by its draft of more than 6 feet
- Modest production run limits broad familiarity in the used-boat market
- Accommodation details aren’t documented in the available review material
