Ready to sail, she displaces just 2.4 tonnes. A cast-iron fin keel with a substantial bulb gives her a 40 per cent ballast ratio, so she’s a lightweight boat stiffened by ballast rather than beam alone.
Design and Construction
Peter Bosgraaf revised and optimised the design in Medemblik. The hull has relatively low freeboard, a clearly raised stem and an elongated cabin superstructure that gives the Pointer 30 a distinctive profile. Pronounced chines in the afterbody lead to a bulky-looking stern with a fold-down bathing platform.
Structurally, the Pointer 30 uses hand-laid GRP sandwich construction and is built entirely in Heeg. The hull uses osmosis-resistant vinyl ester resin. Around the keel flange, stainless steel profiles act as floor beams; these are glued and laminated into place. A continuous inner shell carries the furniture foundations and berth supports, while a second large inner shell suspends the coachroof inside.
The yard moulds Esthec synthetic teak directly into the deck before lamination begins. It also laminates the railing-support bushes into an all-round bulwark that doubles as a foot rail. Period reviews noted flawless gelcoat on both deck and hull, along with high-quality fittings. They described the basic fit-out as extremely neat and completed to a high standard.
Rig, Sail Plan and Handling
The standard Pointer 30 has tiller steering and twin rudders. A single canting Jefa wheel is optional; on the test boat, its swivelling steering column could be locked in the centre or folded aside.
The fractional sloop rig carries a 27 m² mainsail. Buyers can add either a self-tacking 18 m² jib or a 106 per cent genoa of 19.5 m², and the deck fittings for both are already installed. A moulded bowsprit carries either a 44 m² Code Zero or a 63 m² gennaker.
The mainsheet has coarse and fine adjustment, and its controls lead aft to the helm along with the powerful cascade backstay and the Code Zero furling lines. This puts the principal sail controls within easy reach of the person steering.
Writing in YACHT, testers found that the light hull quickly reached good speed in fickle two-Beaufort conditions and was easy to turn upwind. In seven knots of breeze, the boat tacked through 90 degrees at 4.2 knots. With the furling Code Zero set on a half wind, she exceeded six knots.
The same testers found that the fingertip-light steering remained crisp. They credited the 40 per cent ballast ratio with making the Pointer 30 a stiff boat that could hold her own in a blow. The optional deep keel, with a draught of 1.75 m, would make her stiffer still.
Accommodation
Below decks, the Pointer 30 feels open and bright. Perspex washboards admit plenty of light to the saloon, where headroom is 160 cm. In the forward heads, it drops to 130 cm.
The saloon layout is unusual. Two leather swivel armchairs and a coffee table occupy the main space. The chairs are comfortable only when the boat is level and become impractical when she heels; they also wobble on their GRP foundations. The starboard settee offers better support and is the more secure place to sit.
Aft, two generous quarter-berths each measure 205 cm by 80 cm. Each comfortably sleeps one person, even underway, although access is narrow. Forward, the 210 cm V-berth narrows to 130 cm at its aft end. It shares a door with the heads, which limits privacy, while the heads compartment itself has neither a sink nor a shower.
Other interior features include a small moulded workstation with a fold-out desk, canvas stowage pockets tensioned along the hull sides, and a Nespresso machine recessed below. Together, they make for a compact but considered interior. A newer Performance layout places the galley and heads on opposite sides of the companionway.
Construction and Finish Issues
On construction number one, reviewers found that some interior components had not yet been fitted precisely. Inconsistent gaps had been concealed rather than resolved. The swivel armchairs were also relatively wobbly on the inner-shell floor, despite having solid plates beneath them.
These concerns relate to finish and detailing rather than structural defects. The vinyl ester hull carries a five-year osmosis warranty.
Power, Options and Ownership
Motorisation is never included in the base price. Buyers can choose a Torqeedo 6.0 pod drive with two 48 V lithium batteries or a Yanmar 15 hp diesel saildrive with a 70-litre tank. The diesel can also be specified with optional 20 or 30 hp engines. Both propulsion choices are offered at a fixed surcharge.
Sails are also extra, with a Dacron mainsail-and-jib set priced separately. Other available upgrades include a deck shower, an artificial-teak extension and an autopilot.
With the standard short keel, which gives a draught of 1.25 m, and a beam of 2.9 m, the Pointer 30 can be trailered without a permit. The electric version adds 100 kg, while the diesel installation adds about 150 kg.
The Verdict
The Pointer 30 is a thoughtfully engineered Dutch sport-cruiser that exchanges conventional cruising polish for light-displacement sparkle, trailerability and a genuinely clever deck layout. She suits sailors who put responsive handling and sound construction ahead of galley comfort. Her modular rig and propulsion options also allow buyers to tailor the boat to their preferences.
Pros
- Stiff, quick hull with fingertip-light twin-rudder steering
- Robust, hand-laid sandwich construction using osmosis-resistant resin
- Trailerable with the standard keel; shallow 1.25 m draught suits inland waters
- Bright, open interior with generous aft berths and clever stowage
Cons
- Saloon armchairs are impractical and wobbly when the boat heels
- Heads compartment lacks a sink and shower, and privacy forward is limited
- Motor and sails always cost extra
- Fit-out was basic on early hulls
