Design and Construction
Both hull and deck are fibreglass, and the deck is a sandwich construction which improves the indoor climate anchor. The lead keel and solid glass structure give her a ballast ratio of 38 percent and a displacement-length ratio of 276, which places her firmly among heavy cruisers. With a length-to-beam ratio of 3.24 and a beam near 10.7 feet, she carries her volume low and narrow, while the capsize screening value of 1.76 and a motion comfort ratio of 28.5 to 31.4 describe a stable, easy-riding hull in a seaway. The wetted surface of about 333 square feet and an immersion rate of roughly 1,055 pounds per inch speak to a deeply loaded cruising hull that holds her lines under stores and water.
Rig and Handling
The 106 is a masthead sloop carrying 592 square feet of mainsail and jib area, with a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.2 on the ISO reference sail and 19.2 with a 135 percent genoa. The standing and running rigging follow period cruising practice: halyards for main, jib, and spinnaker all run 32.8 meters at 12 mm diameter, sheets for jib and genoa are 10.6 meters at 14 mm, and the mainsheet is 26.5 meters at 14 mm. Her theoretical hull speed is 7.1 knots, while the Relative Speed Performance index reads 24, and the engine speed under Volvo Penta MD17 power is 8.5 knots.
Accommodations
Below, the interior is mahogany, fitted with seven berths, a galley, and a toilet. Fresh water capacity is 250 liters, and the stainless steel fuel tank holds 250 liters. The arrangement favors a cruising crew over a racing skipper, and the seven-berth count suggests a sociable overnight layout rather than a sparse sea-berth plan.
Engine and Tankage
The specified inboard is a Volvo Penta MD17 diesel of 36 horsepower, turning the 106 to a noted 8.5 knots. The stainless steel fuel tank of 250 liters is a robust period choice, and the matching 250 liters of water give long-range autonomy for a boat this size.
The Verdict
The Malö 106 is a thoughtfully engineered small cruiser from the early 1980s, conservative in rig and generous in accommodation, built to the heavy-displacement Scandinavian standard.
Pros
- Lead keel with 38 percent ballast ratio and heavy-cruiser DL of 276
- Sandwich deck improving interior climate
- Seven berths with 250 L water and 250 L stainless fuel
- Masthead sloop with 8.5 kt engine speed
Cons
- Sail-area-to-displacement of 16.2 is modest under reference sail
- Fewer than 100 built limits spares and community support
