This light-displacement, beamy multihull combines a fractional sloop rig with a pivoting lifting centerboard. The result is a roomy cruiser-racer with shallow draft and the ability to beach.
Design and Construction
Sail Craft Ltd. built the Mk II in Britain using fiberglass hulls put together by lamination. Compared with the earlier model, the revision raised the freeboard and increased bridgedeck clearance, while giving the coachroof a lower profile.
An aluminum beam spanned the bows and carried the forestay. This structural change also allowed for a less prominent cabin trunk and better hatches than those on the Mk 1. Between the hulls, a trampoline provided space for the crew forward.
The daggerboards changed as well, moving from simple sheet metal to thicker, profiled plywood shapes.
Rig and Handling
The Mk II retained its fractional sloop rig but revised the sail plan to provide more power. It gained an imposing genoa with up to 200% overlap, while the mainsail lost its roach. This trade increased drive from the forward sail area at the cost of mainsail shape.
The pivoting lifting centerboard gives a draft of about 1.25 to 1.55 feet, depending on load. With the board raised, the boat can sail close to a beach. Its shallow draft and light displacement make it a beachable multihull rather than a cruising ballast hull.
Accommodation and Deck Space
The Iroquois 30 Mk II is unusually roomy compared with similar sailing catamarans. Its 13.5-foot beam, carried on a 30-foot hull with a raised bridgedeck, provides substantial space.
Forward, the trampoline and lower coachroof make the deck feel more open than the Mk 1’s. The increased freeboard also adds interior volume without the visual bulk of a taller cabin.
Verdict
The Iroquois 30 Mk II is a purposeful late-sixties cruiser-racer catamaran. It improved on the Mk 1 in measurable ways, with greater bridgedeck clearance, better hatches, a structural bow beam, and a more powerful fractional rig carrying a very large overlapping genoa.
Its light displacement, lifting centerboard, and generous beam make it a beachable and roomy multihull. A few hundred completed hulls have been used by owners since the model’s 1968 launch.
Pros
- Raised freeboard and greater bridgedeck clearance than the Mk 1
- Aluminum bow beam carrying the forestay, along with improved hatches
- Fractional rig with a genoa of up to 200% overlap for strong drive
- Pivoting centerboard and 1.25–1.55 ft draft for beaching
- Exceptionally spacious for a 30-foot catamaran
Cons
- The mainsail lost its roach in the Mk II redesign
- The daggerboards are plywood rather than molded composite
