Karlsson drew a moderate-displacement fin-keel sloop for coastal and offshore cruising, not a stripped-out racer. She displaces 10,370 pounds and carries 4,850 pounds of iron ballast. That 45-percent ballast ratio, paired with a length-to-beam ratio of 3.08, gives her beamy, stable proportions.
Design and Construction
The hull is solid fibreglass above and below the waterline, and the deck is made from the same material. Below, the mahogany interior follows the familiar Scandinavian cruising style of the period.
The 5-foot-3-inch fin keel carries iron ballast. With a waterline length of 26.9 feet, the 320 has a theoretical hull speed of 7.0 knots. Wetted surface is about 312 square feet.
Her displacement-to-length ratio of 257 puts her among what period analysis called “moderate racers,” but the other figures tell more of the story. A motion comfort ratio of 26.0 to 27.9 and an immersion rate of about 969 pounds per inch describe a steady cruiser able to carry useful volume. Her capsize screening value is 1.83, a figure that evaluation by that formula alone would accept for offshore participation.
Rig, Sailing and Power
The Najad 320 has a masthead sloop rig, with 477 square feet of working sail between the mainsail and jib. Her sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 15.0 using the ISO reference sail, rising to 17.8 with a 135-percent genoa. A relative speed performance value of 24 describes a boat that is neither sluggish nor hot.
The standard running-rigging dimensions are thoroughly documented:
- Mainsail halyard: 29.3 meters by 10 millimeters
- Jib/genoa and spinnaker halyards: matching dimensions
- Mainsheet: 24.2 meters by 12 millimeters
- Genoa sheets: 9.7 meters by 12 millimeters
- Cunningham, kicking strap and clew outhaul: 10 millimeters
Power comes from a 28-horsepower Volvo Penta MD2003 diesel driving through a saildrive transmission. Maximum speed under power is 7.0 knots. The saildrive is a period detail that shapes both propulsion and below-water servicing.
Accommodations and Tankage
The 10-foot-4-inch beam gives the 320 useful space below without the sprawl of a centre-cockpit design. The layout provides two cabins and five berths, along with a galley and toilet facility. Headroom is described as above average for the class.
Mahogany joinery defines the interior, while the two-cabin arrangement gives a short-handed cruising couple or small family a practical sleeping plan rather than a promotional berth count. Tankage comprises 61 gallons of fresh water and 22 gallons of fuel in a stainless-steel tank, supporting extended stays aboard.
Refit and Ownership Considerations
With fewer than 200 boats built before production ended in 1994, the Najad 320 is a limited-production marque boat with a small ownership and used-market pool.
On any used example, the history of the 28-horsepower diesel and saildrive will be central to ownership. The saildrive leg requires disciplined seal servicing, while the iron keel needs routine anticorrosion care. The solid-fibreglass hull and deck, however, remove the sandwich-core moisture questions that plague later Najads.
Because the running-rigging lengths and diameters are fully specified, replacing halyards and sheets is a known, bounded job.
The Verdict
The Najad 320 is a thoughtfully proportioned Karlsson cruiser: beamy, comfortably ballasted and documented well enough for a buyer to plan around its dimensions and rigging. She isn’t a performance boat, and both the saildrive and iron keel demand disciplined maintenance. Even so, her solid-glass construction, above-average headroom and practical accommodations make her a sensible small-cruiser choice.
Pros
- Solid-fibreglass hull and deck, with no core-moisture risk
- Above-average headroom
- Practical two-cabin, five-berth layout
- Fully documented rigging sizes for straightforward renewal
Cons
- Saildrive leg requires disciplined seal servicing
- Iron keel needs routine anticorrosion care
- Limited production means a small used-market pool
