Maxi 84 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

By modern standards the Maxi 84 is a fairly heavy boat, displacing 6,614lb with a 2,976lb iron ballast locked into a 45% ballast ratio. That mass sits low: the fin keel is bolted to a stepped, moulded stub, which both lowers the centre of gravity and helps the hull shrug off the occasional encounter with a rock. A relatively long keel runs aft into a skeg that stretches to the transom-hung rudder, a combination promising good directional stability. The rudder itself carries a good slice of blade forward of the transom, which gives an agreeably light helm. Above the waterline, raised topsides above the gunwale lead to a near-flush deck with only a modest coachroof, and the two-tone livery makes the profile unmistakable according to Practical Boat Owner's survey. A single window per side sits just above a chunky rubberised rubbing strake capping the hull-to-deck flange, while a moulded lip outboard on deck steadies footing when heeled and anchors the stanchion bases.

Rig and Handling

The period rig is a masthead layout on a Seldén stick, with in-line cap shrouds and a babystay to guard against inversion risk; the babystay is countered by lowers taken to chainplates a foot or so abaft the caps, and the cap shroud chainplates tie into the main bulkhead with angled bars for the aft lowers. In the style of the day the boat carries a small mainsail and a large foretriangle, with genoa tracks set midway along the wide side decks — constrained outboard by spreader length. Test sailors found her notably well balanced, with only modest weather helm and the odd touch of lee helm coming upwind, and she tacks through little over 80°. That balance, plus the rudder blade geometry, makes her a reassuring, responsive and respectably quick boat to sail; owners report stiffness and good seakeeping in heavy weather, and she will carry full canvas upwind in over 20 knots of apparent wind.

Accommodation

Inside, the near-flush deck arrangement pays off with wide decks and generous headroom of 6ft 1in across nearly the full beam without towering topsides. The traditional layout runs forecabin, heads, saloon, galley and quarter berth, with two cabins and five berths in total. A V-berth forward runs 6ft 3in, while the saloon settee to port is 5ft 10in and a longer starboard berth butts against a 6ft quarter berth raised a few inches to clear the fuel tank beneath. The galley makes the most of a small space with a slide-out chopping board and a hinge-up work surface, and a sink that slides out over the heads. Nicely finished woodwork is offset by moulded liners up to bunk level, and a brass plate on the bulkhead still shows registered tonnage on well-kept examples. Stowage tucks under bunks, behind backrests, and in sliding-door lockers above.

Cockpit and Deck Gear

The broad stern gives useful cockpit space, and a port-side coaming locker — rare on later boats — houses the engine pull-stop marked "Stopp" and full-depth stowage. Bow and stern cleats are of distinctive design, and the genoa winches were by Barlow and are not self-tailers. Two deck vents sit abaft the babystay and forward of the hatch garage, and a GRP forehatch moulded to the coachroof admits light through non-pigmented resin. An anchor locker abaft the stemhead rounds out foredeck stowage.

Known Issues

The babystay that stiffens the rig is an irritation through tacks, demanding more winching than a free-footed forestay would. Old hardware is the other worn-edge: when sheaves, blocks, pulleys, tracks and cars no longer move easily, the crew feels it in the arms. A buyer should expect to service or replace running gear on an untouched example.

The Verdict

The Maxi 84 is a Petterson cruiser that earned its production numbers by being genuinely usable: heavy enough to settle in a seaway, light on the helm, and roomy for its length. The rig's period quirks are manageable, and the accommodation still reads as sensible today.

Pros