Built by Hopwood Boats, the Ross 930 is a fractional-sloop monohull with a 30.5 ft hull, 9.25 ft beam, and 5.5 ft draft. Displacement is 4,840 lb, including 1,746 lb of lead ballast.
Design and Construction
Murray Ross’s hull form combines a narrow bow with a wide, flat stern. The narrow bow section provides relatively low wave-making resistance and reduces pounding when sailing upwind in waves. Aft, the wide, flat stern section makes the boat easier to control when sailing fast downwind.
These features suit the 930’s light-displacement hull. The design combines low weight with moderate sail area, giving it a displacement-to-length ratio of 98 and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of about 24. It carries 420 sq ft of sail and has a 26.58 ft waterline. Depending on the region, its PHRF rating ranges from 96 to 120.
Both the hull and deck are solid fiberglass. The boat has a lead fin keel and a transom-hung rudder.
Rig and Handling
The Ross 930 has a fractional rig, a conventional spinnaker pole, and a symmetric spinnaker. Its most distinctive rigging feature is required for class racing: the jib sheets to a self-tacking traveler car, keeping foredeck work to a minimum during fleet competition.
In standard form, the 930 performs well in light air and rewards clean upwind sailing. The narrow entry reduces pounding in a chop, while the broad transom lets the boat run under spinnaker without developing a nervous helm.
Accommodations
Below, the Ross 930 has berths for five, a galley with a sink and two-burner stove, and a head. The berth count isn’t merely a cruising convenience: five berths are required for racing, making the accommodation part of class compliance rather than a cruising afterthought.
The result is a layout that can serve both as a weekender and as a crewed race boat.
Propulsion and Variations
Standard power comes from an outboard mounted in a well. Class rules require the engine to remain aboard while racing.
A few boats were instead built with small inboard diesel engines. This departure from the one-design norm is something a buyer should verify against the individual hull’s history. The design’s known variation lies in propulsion choice and later modifications, rather than in the molded hull or deck.
Modifications and Ownership
A lively modification culture has developed around the Ross 930. Some boats have been fitted with prods—occasionally articulating—and gennakers to improve downwind performance. Another common change is a masthead spinnaker halyard, allowing the use of masthead spinnakers and gennakers.
Controlling these more powerful sails also requires heavier, deeper keels. These keels increase heavy-weather upwind performance as well. Carbon fibre masts are also becoming commonplace among modified Ross 930s.
With gennakers and heavier keels, the boats can easily sustain speeds above 20 knots for long periods, given the right wind angle and strength. A box rule is under development for the Ross 930 Modified, which would allow these boats to race as their own class alongside the standard fleet. For now, they sail as a sort of outlaw class.
The Verdict
The Ross 930 is a thoughtful 1980s one-design that punches above its 30 ft length. Its narrow bow and flat stern make it kind upwind and steady downwind, while the self-tacking jib keeps the boat manageable either short-handed or fully crewed.
For sailors who want more performance, the modification path is well established. In stock form, however, the Ross 930 remains a coherent racer-cruiser.
Pros
- Narrow bow reduces upwind pounding and wave-making resistance
- Self-tacking jib traveler simplifies class racing
- Five berths required by class rules provide a functional cruising interior
- Strong modification culture with defined keel and rig upgrades
Cons
- The standard outboard-in-well installation is required to remain aboard for racing
- Only a few boats received inboard diesels, complicating spares for that minority
- Modified boats remain outside the formal class structure pending adoption of the box rule
