Hurley 30/90 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The 30/90 is a robust, weighty yacht for her length, with a solid fiberglass hull and lead keel. Hurley offered two fin-keel alternatives. One draws about 4.92 to 5.22 feet, depending on load; the slightly shallower option draws about 4.49 to 4.79 feet, allowing the boat to enter even shallow marinas.

Her displacement-to-length ratio places her among heavy cruisers, while her ballast ratio is higher than that of 69% of similar designs. She carries her lead low and authoritative.

The 30/90 has a capsize screening value of 1.80, which meant that, by that formula alone, she could be accepted for participation in ocean races. Her Motion Comfort Ratio of 28.9 ranks her as more comfortable than 79% of comparable sailboat designs.

Rig and Sailing Characteristics

The 30/90 has a masthead sloop rig and a workmanlike sail plan. Sheet specifications call for 12 mm line throughout: about 30 feet for the jib and genoa sheets, 75 feet for the mainsheet, and 66 feet for the spinnaker sheet.

Owners and marque records describe her as stiff and dry, particularly well suited to moderate or heavy air and a bit of a sea. She isn’t a light-air rocket.

Earlier tiller-steered Hurleys were known for heavy weather helm. The later Anderson 30 development, built in Dartmouth by Ian Anderson’s own company, Western Approaches Ltd., during the late 1970s and early 1980s, adopted Whitlock wheel steering as standard. Whitlock wheel steering as standard reduced the heavy weather helm. The Anderson 30 also changed to an in-line propeller, which provided better handling under power than the earlier boat’s offset arrangement.

Accommodation and Capacity

Below decks, the 30/90 has six berths, a galley, a toilet facility, and above-average headroom. Her fiberglass interior is unlike that of many other boats, and the Yacht Database review notes that her length-to-beam ratio makes her roomier than 54% of all other designs.

Fresh-water capacity is 100 liters. An immersion rate of about 815 pounds per inch reflects a substantial hull that doesn’t readily squat under the weight of added stores.

Engine and Propulsion

The 30/90 was available with different inboard diesel engines, both driving through shafts. A 14 hp Yanmar delivers a maximum speed of 6.0 knots, while the figures for an 18 hp Volvo Penta 2002 calculate to about 4.9 knots. The hull’s theoretical maximum speed is 6.6 knots.

Builder specifications give a fuel capacity of 12 gallons, consistent with a boat intended primarily for passage-making under sail rather than extended motoring range.

The Anderson 30 Development

The Anderson 30 was a direct development of the Hurley 30 design. Its changes included modifications to the hull between the fin and skeg, along with a restyled interior.

Only somewhere around 23 Anderson 30s were built. They were offered in factory-finished or kit form and in standard or deluxe versions; the deluxe model had teak decks. The limited production of both the 30/90 and its Anderson successor shows just how specialized this heavy-cruising Hurley line remained.

Verdict

The Hurley 30/90 is a scarce, heavily built British cruiser with a solid fiberglass hull, substantial lead ballast, and genuine offshore credentials by the numbers. Owner and marque records describe a dry, stiff boat in a breeze, though she isn’t intended to be a light-air rocket.

Her modest fuel capacity and shallow-ish fin-keel options frame her as a sailor’s boat first. For buyers who value solid fiberglass construction, lead ballast, and an unusual interior, she rewards the search.

Pros

Largest and heaviest Hurley design
Solid fiberglass hull, lead keel, and strong ballast ratio
Stiff and dry in moderate to heavy air, according to owners and marque records
Capsize screening and comfort ratios indicate an offshore-capable, comfortable hull
Choice of fin-keel drafts suitable for marina access
Six berths and above-average headroom

Cons