Design and Construction
Petterson's 800 is a compact, beamy hull at 27.07 feet overall with a 9.35-foot beam, giving her a length-to-beam ratio of 2.94 and marking her as roomier than 62 percent of comparable designs in that regard anchor. The solid fiberglass hull and deck keep off-season maintenance light through the sailing season, and the iron wing keel draws a modest 4.43 feet light, stretching to roughly 4.7 feet under load so she can tuck into shallow marinas. With 4,409 pounds of displacement and 1,653 pounds of ballast, the 39 percent ballast ratio sits higher than 46 percent of similar sailboats, while a displacement-length ratio of 188 places her among "moderate racers" and lighter than 73 percent of her peers. A wing keel rewards speed work but, as the yachtdatabase review noted, is prone to snagging fishing nets and debris in the water anchor.
Rig and Handling
The 800 carries a fractional 7/8 sloop rig with a reported 312 square feet of sail, and the database comparisons are blunt: she is more heavily rigged than 99 percent of similar sailboats, reading as significantly overrigged for her size anchor. That sail plan, combined with the light displacement, produces a Relative Speed Performance of 86, meaning she is faster than 86 percent of comparable designs, and her theoretical hull speed is 6.4 knots with a comfort ratio placing her above only 31 percent of similar boats. The capsize screening value of 2.12 would bar her from ocean-racing acceptance, and the immersion rate of about 732 pounds per inch tells you how little she squats under crew and stores. Under the Volvo Penta 2001 diesel at 9 horsepower through a saildrive, calculated max speed is around 4.6 knots.
Accommodations
Below, the 800 is laid out for six with a 4+2 berth arrangement and 5.75 feet of headroom described as near average for the class. Freshwater capacity is 21 gallons and fuel is 13 gallons, modest but consistent with a 27-foot coastal cruiser. The beamy proportions that help her space comparison translate directly to livable interior volume for a boat of this length, even if the comfort ratio suggests a firm, athletic motion rather than a soft-riding hull.
The Verdict
The Maxi 800 is a scarce, purposefully light and overrigged Petterson design that rewards sailors who want speed and shallow draft in a low-maintenance fiberglass package, at the cost of offshore-race eligibility and a firm motion in a seaway.
Pros
- Wing keel and spade rudder with shallow 4.43-foot draft for marina access
- Significantly overrigged fractional sloop; faster than 86% of similar designs
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck needing minimal seasonal maintenance
- Beam-forward layout roomier than 62% of comparable sailboats
Cons
- Capsize screening value excludes her from ocean racing
- Wing keel readily catches fishing nets and submerged debris
- Comfort ratio better than only 31% of similar designs; firm ride
- Only 43 built, limiting fleet support and spares familiarity
