Golden Shamrock 30 Buyer's Guide
The Golden Shamrock 30 is a Ron Holland-designed half-tonner built by Southcoast Boat Works of Cork, Ireland, with production starting in 1975 after a 1974 plywood prototype campaigned at La Rochelle. Only a small fiberglass series was made, so any example on the brokerage market is a scarce boat whose racing origins show in a flush deck and crew-divided cockpit rather than cruising comfort first.
Layouts on the Used Market
The interior is not spartan despite the racing brief, with a forward sail stowage area that can take two V-shaped single berths, a main cabin with two single berths per side, a starboard chart table and navigator's berth running under the cockpit, and a port galley block and sink. A mast-base table and a toilet space usable as storage complete the plan. Buyers should expect a defined sea-berth layout built around a working navigator station rather than an open salon.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The original specification centers on a 12-hp Farymann or Yanmar diesel, an anodized alloy mast and boom, about 45 liters of fuel, and about 90 liters of water. The racing-derived sheet-bar cockpit and flush deck are period features rather than upgrades, and any electronics or canvas will be owner-supplied.
What to Inspect
The prototype's mast broke in the Pertuis regatta during its first racing season, so on any viewing pay close attention to mast step condition, rigging terminals, and spar integrity for signs of past overload or unreported repair anchor. Confirm the production hull is the single-piece fiberglass shell and that the balsa-cored deck has no soft non-skid areas indicating core saturation. Check the lead keel joint for past keel-bolt issues and verify the flush-deck scuppers and cockpit division drain correctly, since a racing cockpit that holds water is a flooding path.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are found in Ireland and the United Kingdom. A short checklist for viewing:
- Inspect mast step and rigging for prior failure repair
- Test deck non-skid for soft spots from balsa core wetting
- Examine lead keel bonding and bolt access
- Confirm cockpit and scupper drainage paths are clear
- Verify diesel make and tank condition against original spec
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Golden Shamrock 30. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 1 row
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 26 | 1 | $2,708 | — |
Where they're listed
Golden Shamrock 30 listings appear across 1 country. United Kingdom has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $2,708 | 1 | 1 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau First 30 (Mauric) | 29.36' | $ 78,000 | 45 | 13 |
| Pearson 30 | 29.79' | $ 7,000 | 20 | 8 |
| Tartan 30 | 29.92' | $ 9,950 | 18 | 5 |
| Custom 30 | 29.75' | $ 19,555 | 16 | 1 |
| Golden Shamrock Shamrock 30You are here | — | $ 2,708 | 1 | 1 |