Design and Construction
The hull is hand-laminated, vacuum-bonded polyester with a PVC foam core above the waterline, and the liner is laid up with carbon fiber in high-stress areas. Load management runs through an integral stainless-steel grid set below the cabin sole and just above the keel, tying together and spreading the stresses of keel, rig, and hull. Fore and aft bulkheads are watertight, a detail that matters more than usual in a light-displacement boat asked to do both club racing and overnight cruising. At just under 11,000 pounds displacement with roughly 3,250 pounds of ballast in a T-shaped bulb, the 33 sits at a ballast ratio near a quarter of her weight and a displacement-length ratio in the mid-180s — figures that place her firmly in the modern lightweight performance-cruiser camp rather than the heavy-bluewater tradition.
Rig and Handling
Her 9/10ths fractional rig carries double, aft-swept spreaders over a keel-stepped Seldén aluminium mast, with a carbon mast available for those chasing rating or feel. Rigging is discontinuous wire with a split, cascading backstay, and the working sail plan of 747 square feet divides between an overlapping genoa and a fully battened main. Four Harken winches — two primaries and two cabintop — manage the lines, and a belowdecks Harken furler keeps the bow clean; an optional recessed bowsprit extends the offwind options. The recessed traveler bisects the cockpit sole for end-boom sheeting, and tight sheeting angles follow from the inboard genoa tracks. A single deep elliptical spade rudder grips well and makes the boat very responsive, with a standard tiller or optional twin wheels. Writing in Cruising World, one reviewer counted the sail selection, cockpit layout, and gear storage all positioned perfectly, and found her handling proof that compact cruisers have a tough act to follow impressive sailing prowess. On the water, testers tacked through 80 degrees in 8–12 knots, touched 5.8 knots at 45 degrees in 9 knots, and made 6.4 knots on a beam reach in 12 — pace that matches the publication's closehauled 6.4 knots in 6–8 knots.
Accommodations
Salona packed two cabins, one head, and a compact galley into 33 feet. Two straight settees face one another over a drop-leaf table with built-in bottle stowage, and the table folds neatly away when not in use. Aft to port, an L-shaped galley holds a two-burner gimbaled stove-oven, a sink, and a top-loading fridge; the head opposite to starboard has no stand-up shower but adds a useful combination wet locker and bin. Forward, the stateroom gives a hanging locker fronted by a seat. Light comes from two hatches, cabin-trunk opening ports, and six fixed hull ports. The standard interior is mahogany veneer, though the test boat wore a bleached-oak finish. Tankage is modest — 26 gallons water, 24 fuel, 11 waste — in keeping with the boat's coastal brief.
Auxiliary and Systems
A 21 hp Yanmar diesel with a saildrive sits under the companionway steps, which rise and lower on gas-assist shocks for access. A layer of insulation in the engine compartment keeps the small motor at comfortable decibels, and a two-blade Gori folding propeller is standard. On flat water with little breeze, testers motored back at 5.7 knots at 2,900 rpm; Cruising World recorded 6.1 knots cruise at 2,500 rpm and 6.5 knots fast at 3,100. B&G electronics can be specified as an option.
The Verdict
The Salona 33 is a genuinely dual-persona 33-footer: quick enough upwind and down to reward a racing helm, yet arranged with two cabins and a real galley for weekend cruising. The structural grid and watertight bulkheads give confidence in a light hull, and the rudder-and-rig package makes her feel larger than her length. The trade-offs are inherent to the concept — modest tankage and a head without a shower stall — but for the sailor who wants one boat to both score well and sleep two couples, she makes a coherent case.
Pros
- Responsive deep spade rudder and 9/10ths fractional rig with tight sheeting angles
- Integral stainless-steel grid and watertight bulkheads in a lightweight hull
- Two-cabin layout with folding table and practical L-shaped galley
- Strong sailing numbers across light to moderate breeze
Cons
- Only 26 gallons water and 24 fuel limit range under the coastal brief
- Head lacks a stand-up shower stall
- Modest 11-gallon waste capacity
