Grampian 30 Buyer's Guide
Shopping for a used Grampian 30 means looking at a 29-foot 9-inch McGruer-designed cruiser built in quantity through the late 1970s, with a solid-fiberglass hull and a centerboard or fin-keel option. About 400 were produced, so examples turn up regularly, but each carries its own refit history and a few design-specific weak points that deserve a careful look before you commit.
Layouts on the Used Market
The standard interior holds five berths with an optional sixth and 6 feet 4 inches of headroom. A long quarter berth to port is the preferred sea berth, while the starboard side carries an L-shaped galley and the U-settee that converts to a double via a drop-down table. The forward cabin has a wide V-berth and good stowage. Some boats were built as cutters — roughly 50 of the 400 — and a few have been converted to wheel steering, which changes the cockpit feel but not the underlying layout.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, autopilots and radar are commonly fitted, and many boats also carry heating, spinnaker gear, a dodger, AIS, and a chartplotter. For a buyer, the meaningful clusters are power and energy — an autopilot and radar draw real amps, so check the house bank and charging — and navigation and sail handling, where a chartplotter and AIS paired with a spinnaker and dodger suggest a boat used for extended coastal cruising. Heating is a comfort sign for northern owners. Less common are owner-added refrigeration in the icebox and oven-equipped stoves, which show thoughtful liveaboard upgrades.
What to Inspect
The port-side cap-shroud chainplate bolts to the main bulkhead rather than a molded hull tab, so water leaking there can soften the bulkhead and the damage stays concealed under fiberglass tabbing — press the bulkhead near the port chainplate and look for staining or softness. The original aluminum stemhead fitting should be replaced with stainless steel, so confirm any 1970s example has been upgraded. Check the portlight bedding for leaks, since it may need renewing. The two 1-inch cockpit drains are slow for a boarding wave, so watch for prior flooding or added drains. Finally, the transmission and stuffing box are hard to reach; see whether a watertight sole hatch was cut for access.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Grampian 30s typically appear in the United States, Canada, and Portugal. Before you make an offer:
- Check the port chainplate bedding and bulkhead for softness
- Confirm the stemhead is stainless, not aluminum
- Test portlights for leaks and bedding condition
- Inspect cockpit drains for size and added outlets
- Verify engine transmission access method
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Grampian 30. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 5 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | 1 | $10,000 | — |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $20,977 | +109.8% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $4,000 | -80.9% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $17,000 | +325.0% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $5,500 | -67.6% |
Where they're listed
Grampian 30 listings appear across 3 countries. United States has the most listings with 3 (50.0%), followed by Portugal and Canada.
Country view
6 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $5,000 | 3 | 1 | 50.0% |
| Portugal | $20,977 | 2 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Canada | $17,000 | 1 | 0 | 16.7% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearson 30 | 29.79' | $ 7,000 | 20 | 8 |
| Dufour Arpege 30 | 30' | $ 8,158 | 18 | 2 |
| Tartan 30 | 29.92' | $ 9,950 | 18 | 5 |
| Hinterhoeller 30 | 30' | $ 38,000 | 7 | 7 |
| Grampian 30You are here | — | $ 11,250 | 6 | 1 |