Design and Construction
The hull and deck are fiberglass, built as a balsa-cored sandwich. The iron fin keel draws between 4.59 and 4.89 feet, depending on load.
On a 21.5-foot waterline, the Nordship 808 displaces 5,733 pounds and carries 2,866 pounds of ballast. That gives her a ballast ratio of 46 percent and a displacement-to-length ratio of 275, placing her firmly among heavy cruisers for her size as reviewers classify.
Her beam is just over nine feet, for a length-to-beam ratio of 2.79. An immersion rate of about 702 pounds per inch describes a narrow, deeply loaded hull that resists heeling forces and settles predictably under stores. Wetted surface is about 226 square feet, a modest footprint suited to her modest sail plan.
Rig and Handling
The fractional rig carries 408 square feet of mainsail and jib. With a 135 percent genoa, the sail-area-to-displacement ratio rises to 19.8, compared with 17.4 using the ISO reference sail. Reviewers noted that she carries more rig than 58 percent of all similar sailboats, a meaningful distinction for a boat under 27 feet.
The theoretical hull speed is 6.2 knots, while the calculated maximum speed is about 3.8 knots. The Relative Speed Performance index is 58. A capsize screening value of 2.01 and a Motion Comfort Ratio of 19.5 to 22.1 frame the Nordship 808 as a stable, comfort-oriented small cruiser rather than a racer.
Accommodations
Below, the teak-trimmed interior provides six berths, a galley, and a toilet facility. Fresh-water capacity is 70 liters, or 18 gallons. The stainless-steel fuel tank holds 25 liters, or about 6 US gallons.
That tankage, considered alongside the six-berth layout, points to short coastal cruising with a small crew rather than long offshore passages without resupply.
Power and Systems
Recorded engine installations include an 8-horsepower Yanmar diesel with saildrive and an 8-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel. The small fuel capacity underlines the auxiliary’s role as a maneuvering aid and calm-weather helper, rather than as a long-range motor-sailer drive.
Verdict
The Nordship 808 is a thoughtfully specified small Danish cruiser that offers considerable accommodation and stability for her length. Its balsa-cored fiberglass sandwich construction and iron fin keel produce a heavy-cruiser displacement profile in a compact hull, while the fractional rig is generous for the class.
She’s best understood as a coastal and sheltered-water weekender. Her modest tankage and 3.8-knot calculated speed set clear limits.
Pros
- Six berths, a galley, and a toilet facility within 26.5 feet
- Heavy-cruiser displacement and a 46 percent ballast ratio for her size
- Generous fractional rig relative to comparable boats
- Balsa-cored fiberglass hull and deck
Cons
- Only 25 liters of diesel and 70 liters of fresh water
- Calculated max speed about 3.8 knots under power
- Construction at multiple yards complicates the documented history
