As the archetypal Santa Cruz ULDB, the Olson 30 has a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 50 percent. The class association quotes a PHRF range of 99–108, though Practical Sailor found local handicappers stretching that span from 90 to 114.
Design and Construction
The hull and deck are fiberglass vacuum-bagged over a balsa core. The builder claimed to have refined the process until each finished hull weighed within ten pounds of the standard. At the winch mounts, the deck omits plywood inserts and instead relies on external backing plates for local strength.
At the hull-to-deck joint, an inward-turned overlapping flange is glued with Reid’s adhesive. Closely spaced bolts running through a slotted aluminum toerail provide the mechanical fastening. The lead keel is faired with auto-body putty, fully wrapped in fiberglass to seal it from the sea, and then painted. On the boats seen, the keels were remarkably fair.
Stainless straps wrap around the rudder blade and fasten to the post for strength. Tapered aluminum stanchions fit into deck sockets and are glassed to the hull interior, creating a clean, leak-proof boundary. A paint-roller non-skid is molded into the deck, and a deck port sits directly over the bilge lifting eye.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Olson 30 is a masthead sloop, so it needs a broader sail inventory than a fractional-rigged boat. Class rules permit one mainsail, six headsails counting jibs and spinnakers, and a 75 percent storm jib. The 380 square feet of main and 100 percent foretriangle are backed by a 761 square-foot spinnaker—enough sail area to demand that the crew keep the 1,800-pound keel planted.
A tie rod links the deck to the mast and is tensioned by a turnbuckle. The mast step can be moved to set spar prebend. The yoked backstay adjusts from either quarter, with a 2-to-1 gross adjustment on one side and an 8-to-1 fine adjustment on the other. A babystay runs to a ball-bearing track with 4-to-1 purchase.
Like most ULDBs, the Olson 30 races best at the wind extremes: under ten knots and over twenty. The builder claimed that the boat has pegged speedometers at 25 knots in California’s big swells and strong westerlies.
Deck Systems and Equipment
All halyards and pole controls lead aft through Easylock I clutch stoppers; older boats used Howard rope clutches. Barient 22 primary winches were described as barely adequate. Schaefer headsail track cars and a Headfoil II are standard.
The Guzzler 500 bilge pump is mounted in the cockpit. The cockpit itself has two drains of adequate diameter. A man-overboard pole tube in the stern is standard, while the single companionway drop board latches from inside—a real necessity offshore.
Auxiliary Power
Most Olson 30s were sold without inboard power. Only a few carried the 154-pound, 7 hp BMW diesel. A 4–5 hp outboard is the practical maximum for a healthy sailor to handle, while even a 7.5 hp outboard is needed to make 6.5 knots in flat calm.
Accommodations
Belowdecks, weight-saving measures shape the sparse layout. The quarterberths consist of thin cushions sewn to vinyl and hung from pipes. The portable head sits beneath the forward V-berth, a location Practical Sailor judged unsuitable for a sailboat. An Origo 3000 stove rides on tracks, sliding up and out of a seat locker when needed.
The Verdict
The Olson 30 is a purist’s ULDB: brutally light, meticulously built to a tight weight tolerance, and fast at the wind extremes where heavier boats lose their composure. She rewards a racing-minded owner willing to accept sparse cruising accommodations and a demanding spinnaker.
Pros
- Vacuum-bagged balsa construction, tight weight control, and a fair, sealed lead keel
- Explosive downwind and light-air performance as a ULDB
- Cockpit-led controls, an internally latched companionway board, and a standard MOB tube showing offshore intent
Cons
- Portable head beneath the V-berth judged unsuitable, with minimal quarterberths
- Primary winches described as barely adequate; few boats have inboard power
- Masthead rig requires a large sail inventory and skilled spinnaker handling
