Design and Construction
Both hull and deck are fiberglass built as a balsa-cored sandwich, while the fin keel itself is iron and draws between 4.59 and 4.89 feet depending on load. The 2,866-pound ballast represents a 46 percent ballast ratio and a displacement-to-length ratio of 275, which places her firmly among heavy cruisers for her size as reviewers classify. Her length-to-beam ratio of 2.79 and an immersion rate of about 702 pounds per inch describe a narrow, deeply loaded hull that resists heeling forces and settles predictably under stores. The wetted surface runs about 226 square feet, a modest footprint that suits her modest sail plan.
Rig and Handling
The 808 carries a fractional rig with a mainsail-and-jib area of 408 square feet, and with a 135 percent genoa her sail-area-to-displacement ratio reaches 19.8, against 17.4 on the ISO reference sail. Reviewers noted that she carries more rig than 58 percent of all similar sailboats, a meaningful statement for a boat under 27 feet. The theoretical hull speed is 6.2 knots, while the calculated maximum speed is about 3.8 knots and the Relative Speed Performance index sits at 58. Her capsize screening value of 2.01 and Motion Comfort Ratio of 19.5 to 22.1 frame a stable, comfort-oriented small cruiser rather than a racer.
Accommodations
Below, the interior is trimmed in teak and laid out for six berths with a galley and a toilet facility. The fresh water tank holds 70 liters in a 18-gallon capacity, and the stainless steel fuel tank carries 25 liters, or about 6 US gallons. That tankage, combined with the six-berth count, shows a boat intended for short coastal cruising with a small crew rather than long offshore passages without resupply.
Power and Systems
Propulsion may be an 8-horsepower Yanmar diesel turning a saildrive, and a Volvo Penta diesel of the same 8 horsepower is another recorded fitment. The small fuel capacity underlines the auxiliary's role as a maneuvering aid and calm-weather helper rather than a long-range motor-sailer drive.
The Verdict
The Nordship 808 is a thoughtfully specified small Danish cruiser that punches above her length in accommodation and stability. The balsa-cored fiberglass sandwich and iron fin keel deliver a heavy-cruiser displacement profile in a compact hull, and the fractional rig is generous for the class. She is best understood as a coastal and sheltered-water weekender whose modest tankage and 3.8-knot calculated speed set clear limits.
Pros
- Six berths with galley and head in 26.5 feet
- Heavy-cruiser displacement and 46 percent ballast ratio for size
- Generous fractional rig relative to peer boats
- Balsa-cored fiberglass hull and deck
Cons
- Only 25 liters of diesel and 70 liters of water
- Calculated max speed about 3.8 knots under power
- Built at multiple yards, complicating documented history
