This is a small, moderately proportioned racer-cruiser. Its numbers describe a boat intended for club racing and coastal passages rather than bluewater expeditions.
Design and Construction
Petterson designed the Maxi 87 as a fin-keeled masthead sloop, with a solid fiberglass hull and deck and an iron ballast keel. It displaces 7,716 pounds, including 3,306 pounds of ballast. The resulting 43% ballast ratio, combined with a length-to-beam ratio of 2.90, describes a hull that is narrow by modern standards but firmly weighted.
A displacement-to-length ratio of 254 places the Maxi 87 among moderate racers. Its capsize screening value of 1.99 reflects a stability profile acceptable under the standard offshore formula. The boat has 26 square meters of wetted surface and an immersion rate of 855 pounds per inch, figures that indicate a relatively light, easily driven hull that responds to loading without dramatic changes in trim.
Draft is 5.25 feet. That will keep the boat out of most shallow anchorages, though it still permits marina access across normal tidal ranges.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Maxi 87 carries a masthead rig with a 350-square-foot sail plan. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 12.2 using the ISO reference sail and rises to 14.7 with a 135% genoa. Paired with a theoretical hull speed of 6.7 knots and a relative speed performance index of 42, those figures mark the boat as quick for its length without being extreme.
The mast stands 40.68 feet above the waterline, setting the scale for the standing and running rigging. Period estimates call for 26-meter halyards and a 21.8-meter mainsheet.
Auxiliary power comes from a 13 hp Volvo Penta MD7A diesel driving through a saildrive. Under power, the Maxi 87 makes about 7.0 knots.
Accommodations and Tankage
Below, the Maxi 87 has a teak interior, consistent with Scandinavian production practice of the period. Headroom is above average for a 28-footer.
The cabin reflects the boat’s dual racer-cruiser role: there’s enough room to live aboard during a weekend series, without the bulk that would dull its moderate-racer performance. Tankage is modest, with 24 gallons of water and 11 gallons of fuel. Those capacities reinforce the boat’s coastal and short-passage intent rather than suggesting long, independent cruising.
Verdict
The Maxi 87 is a disciplined example of the mid-1970s IOR half-ton concept: narrow, well ballasted, and quick under a masthead rig. Its builder pedigree also ties it directly to Petterson’s early Maxi work.
It should suit an owner who wants the feel of a classic club racer in a manageable 28-foot package. In return, that owner must accept period tankage and a saildrive-era drivetrain.
Pros
- Coherent moderate-racer figures: D/L of 254, a 43% ballast ratio, and SA/D up to 14.7 with a genoa
- Above-average headroom and a teak interior for its length
- Iron fin keel and 5.25-foot draft balance marina access with windward grip
Cons
- Modest 11-gallon fuel and 24-gallon water capacities limit range
- The saildrive transmission paired with a 13 hp diesel is period-specific and demands a careful survey
- The narrow 9.84-foot beam reflects IOR priorities rather than modern expectations for living space
