The Moody 33 began as the company’s first design aimed specifically at mass production rather than semi-custom work. The Mk II was the second evolution of that original hull moulding. It refined the accommodation plan while retaining the same moderate-racer character.
Design and Construction
The Mk II has a hand-laid, solid-fibreglass hull and an iron fin keel. Its draft of about 4 feet 5 inches is shallow enough to reach marinas inaccessible to deeper yachts.
At 33 feet overall, with an 11 foot 5 inch beam and a displacement near 10,500 pounds, the Mk II is beamy for its length. Its length-to-beam ratio of 2.87 places it as more spacious below than 79 percent of comparable designs.
Ballast is 3,815 pounds, giving a 36 percent ballast ratio—a figure higher than 27 percent of similar sailboats. The displacement-length ratio of 203 places the boat among moderate racers, with 73 percent of peer designs weighing more.
The hull has about 344 square feet of wetted surface and settles roughly 1,144 pounds per inch of immersion. Those figures describe a substantial cruising hull rather than a featherweight racer.
Rig and Performance
The Mk II is rigged as a masthead sloop with 580 square feet of sail area, including the genoa. Yachtsnet Ltd. described it as a moderately fast centre-cockpit cruiser.
Its sail-handling geometry follows predictable proportions. Jib and genoa sheets are about 33 feet long and half an inch in diameter. The mainsheet is near 82 feet, while the spinnaker sheets are around 73 feet; all are on 12 mm line.
Several engine alternatives were offered. The most common were a 35 horsepower Thorneycroft—often identified as the four-cylinder 90—or a 36 horsepower Thornycroft diesel, both driving through shafts. Period brokers describe the original Thorneycroft as a powerful, reliable, and long-lasting power plant.
With the 36 horsepower diesel, the calculated maximum speed is about 7.3 knots, compared with a theoretical displacement-hull maximum of 7.2 knots. The Perkins-engined variant has an 8 knot top speed.
The Motion Comfort Ratio of 20.9 means the Mk II rides more comfortably than only 27 percent of similar designs. Its capsize screening value of 2.10 falls outside the threshold for ocean-race acceptance. These figures give it the profile of a coastal and family cruiser rather than an offshore racer.
Accommodation
The Mk II’s main changes from the Mk I described here are found below. The Mk I had a full-width heads, with the basin and WC on opposite sides, plus a galley opposite the dinette. On the Mk II, the galley moved aft and the aft-cabin hatch was shifted off-centre to port, with access to the cabin through the cockpit.
A settee extending beyond the main bulkhead shortened the heads compartment. Both the basin and WC are therefore positioned to starboard in the Mk II.
Even with that smaller heads compartment, the layout provides excellent accommodation for the boat’s size, according to Yachtsnet Ltd. The Mk II’s own listing describes two cabins, while the broader archive count gives three. Depending on the count, the layout includes six or seven berths, along with a galley and toilet facility.
The aft cabins themselves hold two single berths and substantial storage, making the Mk II a genuinely roomy family cruiser.
Engine Access and Ownership
Most examples still carry their original 35 bhp four-cylinder Thorneycroft engine beneath the cockpit sole. Routine access is through a large lifting panel in the forward section of the sole. For major work, the aft section—which carries the binnacle—can also be removed.
That access makes mechanical servicing relatively straightforward for a 1970s–80s centre-cockpit design. Combined with the boat’s reputation as an excellent family cruising yacht, it helps make routine ownership approachable.
Known Issues
The available sources do not state any structural defects, osmotic breakdown, or systemic failures specific to the Mk II generation. Its hand-laid, solid-fibreglass hull and iron keel are presented as construction details rather than problem areas.
The known difference between the Mk I and Mk II is the reconfigured accommodation, not a defect.
Verdict
The Moody 33 Mk II is a practical, beamy centre-cockpit motorsailer. Its revised layout moved the galley aft and changed access to the aft cabin without sacrificing the roomy, family-oriented cruising character that defined the line.
Its shallow draft, reliable original engine package, and straightforward mechanical access make it a sensible used-cruiser candidate for sheltered and coastal waters.
Pros
- Beamy, spacious accommodation for its length, with six or seven berths and substantial aft-cabin storage
- Shallow 4 foot 5 inch draft for easier marina access
- Original Thorneycroft engine described as powerful, reliable, and long-lasting
- Good engine access through removable cockpit-sole panels
Cons
- Lower comfort ratio than most similar designs; not a soft-riding offshore hull
- Capsize screening value excludes it from ocean racing
- Smaller heads compartment than the Mk I’s full-width arrangement
