Nonsuch 30 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Hinterhoeller's background at C&C left a clear imprint on the Nonsuch 30. Both hull and deck are balsa-cored fiberglass, a construction method Hinterhoeller understood as well as any production builder of his era. The hull-to-deck joint is through-bolted with butyl tape bedding, capped by an aluminum toerail. The external lead keel is bolted through floor timbers of unidirectional roving, spreading keel loads across a greater area of the hull rather than concentrating them at the garboard.

Because the freestanding mast generates large compressive and bending loads without chainplates to distribute them, the forward six feet of the hull is heavily bulkheaded to absorb mast forces — that same structure also creates substantial storage volume, though not easily accessible storage. The mast base uses a cast aluminum hexagonal step and male counterpart joined by stainless hex-head set screws, with a deck-level pin through a cast aluminum collar providing secondary retention. Construction quality overall sits well above average for the industry.

A few shortcomings were noted even when the design was current. The cockpit seats and coamings contain many sharply-radiused turns where gelcoat cracks develop early. Gate valves rather than seacocks appear on most through-hull fittings below the waterline. The aluminum rudder quadrant stops have sharp edges that can contact and damage the exhaust line if the upper rudder retaining nut loosens.

Rig and Sail Handling

The wishbone cat rig drew on Windsurfer design thinking and delivers its central promise: tacking requires no yelling, releasing of sheets, cranking, or trimming. The helmsperson applies a quarter turn of the wheel, the boat slides through about 85 degrees, and settles on the new tack. All sail controls lead back to the cockpit, making the boat a natural candidate for singlehanding and short-handed crews.

The mainsail measures 540 square feet — comparable to that of a boat nearly twice the LOA — yet it does not handle like a sail of that area. Permanent lazy jacks cradle the sail as it drops, and slab reefing from the cockpit is a one-person operation. Sail shape is managed through a "choker," a line that adjusts the fore-and-aft trim of the wishbone and functions as a clew outhaul: ease it to add belly, tension it to flatten the sail.

The aluminum mast is deliberately flexible. As breeze builds, the top of the mast falls off to leeward about a foot in ten knots, spilling air from the head and depowering automatically. This is disconcerting to sailors expecting a stayed rig, but it largely eliminates the weather helm that bedevils traditional catboats. Practical Sailor's review found the helm surprisingly light in light to moderate winds, with the boat holding course downwind hands-off. Putting in a reef as the upper mast begins to fall off dramatically improves draft control and upwind performance — getting sail off the most flexible upper section allows the lower portion to work efficiently. The boat also accommodates a downwind asymmetrical sail tacked to a bowsprit, though in flat-air conditions some owners have found single-sail sailing limiting.

Accommodations

The interior is the Nonsuch 30's most frequently cited surprise. Waterline length and beam are comparable to a modern 36-foot cruiser-racer, and that beam is carried unusually far forward, combined with high topsides and a highly crowned deckhouse. The result is interior volume that genuinely stuns visitors.

The layout places the saloon at the foot of the companionway, with an L-shaped galley and an enclosed head located amidships at the point of maximum beam — where both have the most room and are least affected by motion. The galley carries a gimballed propane stove with oven, a well-insulated icebox with an insulated, gasketed lid, and a deep sink nearly on centerline that drains on either tack. Twin quarterberths occupy the aft cabin port and starboard; an optional second double berth converts the port side from single to double. An optional slide-up partition and louvered teak bifold door can divide the boat into two separated sleeping compartments. Ventilation is generous: seven opening ports, two hatches, and two dorade boxes. An optional demand propane hot water heater fires on demand, eliminating the complexity of engine heat exchangers or shore-power water heaters.

The forward six feet, consumed by mast bulkheading, becomes hanging lockers and storage space — practical but not easily accessible and likely to become the boat's attic over time. There is no conventional forward V-berth, which Practical Sailor's reviewer considered no real loss given how poorly such spaces work on 30-footers.

Known Issues and Weaknesses

The cockpit design is the Nonsuch 30's most discussed limitation. It is large and deep but not particularly comfortable for long spells — the vertical coamings make extended sitting difficult, and a person of average height cannot see forward over the cabin without cockpit cushions of substantial thickness. More critically, the companionway extends nearly to the level of the cockpit sole, with no bridgedeck between the cockpit and the cabin. Combined with large cockpit volume, this arrangement is incompatible with genuine offshore use despite some marketing language to that effect. The boat's designer, Mark Ellis, was clear in interviews that the Nonsuch was designed, built, and primarily marketed as a lake and coastal vessel.

The original Volvo MD 11C saildrive installation used on the first roughly 125 hulls requires a special Volvo-supplied zinc for the vulnerable aluminum lower unit — not readily available at most yards. The subsequent Westerbeke diesel with conventional shaft arrangement is widely preferred for serviceability. High freeboard makes the Nonsuch 30 susceptible to crosswinds when docking; with most windage forward, the bow tends to blow downwind, demanding confident throttle and gearshift work in tight quarters.

Refits and Owner Priorities

Boats built before spring 1984 had the mast secured at deck level through a pin through the cast aluminum collar. Hinterhoeller initiated a repair program to update these early hulls to a below-deck mast tiedown system, and it is unlikely any boat still carries the original arrangement — but confirming the update on pre-1984 hulls is prudent before purchase.

The absence of a bow pulpit on standard boats creates a feeling of vulnerability when working on the foredeck where no shrouds exist for handholds. A bow pulpit and an anchor bowsprit with hawsepipe to the forepeak are both strongly recommended additions, as without them the anchor must travel from a cockpit locker to the bow for every anchoring. The propane locker drain hose routing should be inspected: if the hose forms a low loop that collects water, propane cannot drain overboard as designed — a potentially hazardous condition. Cockpit cushions of four inches or more are essentially required for comfortable helming and forward visibility.

The Verdict

The Nonsuch 30 rewards owners who value ease of handling, interior volume, and simplicity of rig over outright speed or offshore capability. It remains one of the most shorthanded-friendly production sailboats ever built, and the International Nonsuch Association has maintained active owner support since 1983, providing a resource base that eases the steeper learning curves unique to the design. For a cruising couple or a small family on coastal and lake waters, the boat delivers a genuinely unusual combination: the interior of a larger boat, the handling demands of a smaller one, and a rig that almost any capable sailor can manage alone.

Pros

Genuinely effortless tacking and sail handling; all controls lead to the cockpit
Interior volume matching boats six feet longer
High-quality balsa-cored construction with above-average fit and finish
No standing rigging to maintain; clear, unobstructed side decks
Strong active owner association with sustained technical support
Self-depowering flexible mast reduces weather helm automatically

Cons