Petterson was Maxi Yachts’ primary naval architect from the brand’s inception in 1971. His early-1970s designs established the Maxi character: heavy-displacement hulls, flush decks, and spacious cruising layouts. The Maxi 95 sits squarely in that lineage.
Design and Construction
The Maxi 95 measures 31.17 feet overall, with a 25.59-foot waterline and a 10.5-foot beam. It displaces 9,480 pounds and carries 3,527 pounds of ballast in a fin-keel hull with a skeg-hung rudder.
The raised coachroof was a deliberate way to gain interior volume without stretching the deckline. The resulting practical, family-oriented layout became a hallmark of the design. Like other early Maxi models, the 95 follows a heavy-displacement philosophy. It’s a spacious cruiser rather than a featherweight racer, with a ballast-to-displacement relationship that keeps it settled and predictable under cruising load.
Rig and Sail Plan
The Maxi 95 has a masthead-sloop rig, with an I dimension of 38 feet and a J of 10.92 feet. The mainsail has a 34.78-foot luff and an 11.15-foot foot, giving it just over 200 square feet of area.
The working jib measures close to 199 square feet, while genoa options range from about 300 to 308 square feet, depending on the cut. For downwind sailing, the inventory extends to a drifter near 308 square feet, a 542-square-foot asymmetrical kite, and a full spinnaker of 628 square feet. A 71-square-foot storm jib covers heavy going.
The masthead rig keeps the sail plan simple and forgiving for a family crew. Paired with the fin keel, the skeg-hung rudder gives the Maxi 95 a recognizable Petterson cruiser steering profile.
Accommodations
The raised coachroof is central to the Maxi 95’s cabin arrangement. By lifting the trunk rather than widening the hull beyond its 10.5-foot beam, the design preserves a manageable deck footprint while creating standing and lounging room below.
The layout reflects the same practical brief as other early-1970s Maxis: spacious cruising accommodations intended to keep a crew comfortable during extended stays, rather than the minimal interior of a racing boat.
Engine, Tankage, and Cruising Role
The specified engine is a 25-horsepower Volvo Penta MD11 with direct drive. Fuel capacity is 16 gallons, and water capacity is 26 gallons. Those capacities frame the Maxi 95 as a coastal and moderate-distance cruiser rather than a long-range voyager.
Its hull speed is 6.78 knots, placing it firmly in the steady family-cruiser category that Petterson established at the beginning of the Maxi brand.
Known Issues
The Maxi 95 doesn’t exhibit a signature structural weak point in normal service. Even so, buyers and owners should follow the usual used-boat diligence appropriate to a fiberglass cruiser of this age.
Refits and Ownership
About 1,600 Maxi 95s were built over a decade. The boat has a deep owner community, while its long production run makes spares and shared knowledge accessible.
Verdict
The Maxi 95 is a thoroughly considered Scandinavian family cruiser. It combines the volume, stability, and simplicity that made Petterson’s early Maxi designs successful. It suits an owner looking for a forgiving masthead sloop with real cabin space and a large production base, while asking little beyond the ordinary care required by a 1970s fiberglass cruiser.
Pros
- One of the most-produced Maxi models, with around 1,600 hulls built
- Raised coachroof provides genuine interior volume for a 31-footer
- Simple, forgiving masthead rig with a full light-air and heavy-air sail inventory
- Stable cruiser profile, with 3,527 pounds of ballast and 9,480 pounds of displacement
Cons
- Modest 16-gallon fuel capacity limits range under power
- Early-1970s heavy-displacement hull isn’t built for lively light-air performance
