Design and Construction
The Ross 780 measures just over 25 feet overall, with a beam of nearly 8 feet and a length-to-beam ratio of 3.17. The hull is solid fibreglass, laid up without a core.
The drop keel carries 1,012 pounds of lead ballast. Against a total displacement of 2,490 pounds, that produces a ballast ratio of 41 percent. The lifting arrangement draws between 0.92 and 1.22 feet depending on load, allowing the boat to be beached or trailered with the keel raised.
A displacement-length ratio of 88 places the Ross 780 among ultra-light racers. Its capsize screening value of 2.38 means it would not meet the threshold for ocean-race acceptance. The motion comfort ratio is 9.9, a low figure consistent with a stiff, lively hull rather than a soft-riding cruiser.
Wetted surface is about 247 square feet, while the immersion rate is roughly 654 pounds per inch. Those figures describe a boat that is easily driven but reacts quickly to added weight.
Rig and Handling
The Ross 780 has a fractional rig and carries 293 square feet of sail on the reference sail plan. That gives it a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 25.5, rising to 28.8 with a 135 percent genoa. The yachtdatabase review notes that the boat carries more rig than 99 percent of similar sailboats, indicating that it is significantly overrigged.
The mainsail, jib, and spinnaker halyards each use 23.2 meters of 8 mm line. Sheets and the kicking strap use 10 mm or 8 mm line, sized according to their loads. Spinnaker gear forms part of the original sail-inventory context.
The theoretical hull speed for a displacement hull of this length is 6.5 knots. Its light build means the boat will readily reach that range in a breeze. The modest wetted surface and length-to-beam ratio of 3.17 also help explain the quick, responsive character implied by the performance ratios.
Accommodations and Cruising Range
The only published living-aboard figure is the boat’s 11-gallon water capacity. That modest supply underscores the Ross 780’s role as a day-sailer and short-trip boat rather than a vessel equipped for extended cruising. Cabin space is subordinate to its sailing character, making this a minimalist coastal racer rather than a cruising boat.
Known Issues and Ownership
The overrigged sail plan calls for careful reefing discipline. Together, the low capsize screening value and low comfort ratio make the boat unsuitable for offshore work.
With fewer than 100 built, the Ross 780 has a small ownership pool. Its solid-fibreglass hull has no core to degrade, but the drop-keel mechanism and heavily sized rig are the systems most likely to require attention over the boat’s service life. The sources identify no specific failure mode. The 23-meter halyards will also require routine replacement as they age.
The Verdict
The Ross 780 is a deliberately extreme small racer: a sub-2,500-pound solid-fibreglass hull with a lifting lead keel, an overrigged fractional sail plan, and performance ratios that place it firmly in the ultra-light category. It is quick, beachable, and simple, but its low capsize screening value and comfort ratio mark it as a sheltered-water boat rather than a passage-maker.
Pros
- Lifting lead keel allows draft as shallow as 0.92 feet and easy access to beaches
- Significantly overrigged for spirited performance in a boat of this size
- Solid-fibreglass hull has no core to degrade
Cons
- Capsize screening value of 2.38 excludes it from ocean racing
- Low motion comfort ratio of 9.9 indicates a hard ride
- Fewer than 100 were built, limiting parts availability and opportunities for owners to share knowledge
