Mustang 30 Buyer's Guide
Shopping for a used Mustang 30 means looking at a small British-built fractional sloop from the late 1980s, with fewer than 100 examples launched by Harley Raceboats. She is a 29-foot-6-inch boat with a bulb fin keel and solid fiberglass hull and deck, suited to a buyer who values a low-production coastal cruiser over a mass-market platform. The compact dimensions and limited production run mean each hull should be assessed on its own condition rather than against a large fleet baseline.
What to Inspect
The Mustang 30 uses solid fiberglass for both hull and deck. On a viewing, confirm the hull and deck are fiberglass and look for any non-factory modifications or repairs that might indicate prior impact damage. The bulb fin keel on a loaded boat sits as deep as 5.91 feet and as shallow as 5.61 feet, so inspect the keel-to-hull joint and the bulb for evidence of grounding scars or repair putty keel depth varies with load from 5.61 to 5.91 feet. The spade rudder should be checked for play at the stock and any signs of water ingress at the bearing. Verify the fractional rigging matches the period sheet lengths — jib and genoa sheets of 29.5 feet, mainsheet of 73.8 feet, spinnaker sheets of 65 feet, all 3/8 inch diameter — and look for chafe or UV damage at the ends. With only solid fiberglass present and no cored structure named, sound the hull for soft spots and examine chainplate areas for deck cracking or staining. A Volvo 1010 diesel of 10 horsepower is the recorded power plant, so confirm cold-start behavior and check for unauthorized engine-mount modifications.
Buyer's Takeaway
- Confirm hull and deck are solid fiberglass with no unexplained repairs
- Inspect keel joint and bulb for grounding damage
- Check spade rudder for stock play or water ingress
- Verify sheet lengths and diameters against fractional-rig spec
- Sound the hull and check chainplate bedding for cracks or stains
- Start the Volvo 1010 and inspect mount integrity
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau First 30 (Mauric) | 29.36' | $ 79,533 | 44 | 12 |
| CS Yachts 30 | 30' | $ 24,499 | 27 | 5 |
| Ovington 30 | 30.9' | $ 37,529 | 14 | 2 |
| Sparkman & Stephens 30 | 30.5' | $ 62,500 | 8 | 0 |