Maxi 1100 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Petterson drew the 1100 as a direct evolution of the Maxi 34 lineage, and the hull is built from woven fiberglass rovings over a PVC foam core rather than balsa, a method the marque favored for stiffness without rot risk. The deck shares that PVC foam sandwich construction. Bulkheads are bonded directly to the hull and deck, a structural detail that ties the interior into the shell. The keel is lead, paired with a fin-and-bulb profile drawing about 6 feet 7 inches in the standard version, with a 4 feet 11 inches shoal alternative offered. Ballast runs to roughly 41 percent of displacement, and with a displacement-length ratio near 186 she is appreciably heavier than a modern performance cruiser of similar length, yet the capsize screening value of 2.03 would bar her from organized ocean racing.

Rig and Handling

The 1100 carries a double-spreader, keel-stepped Seldén mast under a fractional rig, with a generous sail plan balanced by the lead keel below. Mainsheet and Lewmar 46 primary winches sit within easy reach of the helm, and the wheel is large at 51 inches, turning 1.5 rotations lock to lock and giving clear rudder feedback. Test sailors found her nicely responsive to that wheel, quick and easy to handle, with a comfortable motion and good footing in the compact cockpit. Yachting Monthly found she goes best in a breeze; lighter airs are not her favored mode, particularly upwind, where the wide sheeting angle on the minimal-overlap headsail limits pointing. The wetted surface spans about 441 square feet, and the immersion rate near 1,314 pounds per inch speaks to a settled, volume-bearing hull.

Accommodations

Below, the boat is finished in mahogany rather than the teak common to many contemporaries, with above-average headroom thanks in part to a good window area and a center hatch. A wet locker sits abaft the heads, and the lifting sole boards carry anti-rattle fabric at their edges — a small touch that reflects the builder's attention to detail. Tankage is placed aft, a concession to cruising convenience that keeps weight out of the midbody. Drawers use plastic sides and a tray moulding forms the lower interior, a pragmatic choice some purists note, but the overall joinery reads as considered rather than lavish.

Equipment and Deck Detail

On deck, the 1100 features wide side decks for easy fore-and-aft movement, a wooden toerail, and gunwale strong-points for barber-haulers or spinnaker guys. The bow carries a double stemhead roller and a good anchor well with space for a windlass, backed by a stainless framework whose fastenings warrant occasional checks. Chunky stainless cleats fore, aft, and amidships take thick warps, and cockpit coaming lockers add stowage near the helm.

Ownership Notes

The Volvo Penta MD2030 is a saildrive unit on a Perkins base, smooth and quiet when serviced; the drive leg's rubber gator seal should be renewed about every seven years. Keel fastening torque is worth checking on a fifteen-year cycle, and any loose deck fastenings deserve close attention on a cored deck. The short production run means finding one takes patience, but the foam-cored structure has proven generally reliable.

The Verdict

The Maxi 1100 is a Petterson thoroughbred with the bones of a proper sailor's boat: direct steering, a sensible rig layout, and a quiet, well-finished interior. She is no lightweight rocket, and she will not win a light-air pointing contest, but in a breeze she is quick, comfortable, and forgiving. For the buyer who values build integrity and helm feel over headline speed, she rewards a look.

Pros