Humboldt 30 Buyer's Guide
The Humboldt 30 is a rare 30-foot fractional-sloop that Gary Mull and Jim Donovan drew in the early eighties, with only a few hulls launched by Humboldt Bay Yachts between 1982 and 1984. On the used market she appears infrequently, and a shopper should understand her as a light racer rather than a cruiser before chasing a listing.
Layouts on the Used Market
The cored fibreglass hull with a 10.5-foot beam and 5,050-pound displacement suggests a compact, racing-oriented interior. The 30-liter fresh-water capacity and 5-gallon diesel tank confirm the original brief was day sailing and buoy racing, not liveaboard cruising, so any boat offered as a weekender has likely been modified by its owner.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
With no market data to draw on, equipment must be judged from the design itself. The original rig is significantly overrigged for a 30-footer, so a buyer should verify that standing and running rigging match the 108-foot halyards at 3/8 inch and 75-foot mainsheet at 1/2 inch, and treat any shortened or undersized replacement as a defect. A 10-horsepower Yanmar diesel and 5-gallon tank are the power and fuel as built, meaning a cruising-minded owner will have added jerry cans or a larger bladder; check what energy and water systems are actually fitted rather than assuming factory supply.
What to Inspect
The overrigged fractional rig means mast, chainplates, and deck core around the mast step deserve close reading for compression or delamination, since the sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 31.4 with a 135 percent genoa places loads above those of peer designs anchor. The cored hull and deck should be tapped for soft spots, as foam-core fibreglass hides water ingress that a visual glance will miss. Confirm the fin keel stub and transom-hung rudder bearing for play, and measure the actual draft, which shifts between 5.51 and 5.81 feet with load. Verify the 30-liter water capacity is intact or honestly disclosed as upgraded, because the original supply is minimal by any cruising standard.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
No regional availability data is provided for this model.
- Confirm rigging lengths and diameters match original spec
- Tap hull and deck core for softness
- Check keel stub and rudder bearing for play
- Verify fresh-water capacity as built or upgraded
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau First 30 (Mauric) | 29.36' | $ 78,000 | 45 | 13 |
| Judel/Vrolijk J/30 | 29.83' | $ 14,500 | 26 | 7 |
| Sparkman & Stephens 30 | 30.5' | $ 62,500 | 8 | 0 |