Berg personally laid out the interior for long-distance cruising. The result is a heavy but easily driven hull with a tall cutter rig, practical accommodations, and a traditional profile. The Baba 30 still commands among the highest resale values in its class.
Design and Lineage
Perry’s brief was to take a relatively heavy, traditional double-ender and refine its hull lines for more speed. The Baba 30 reflects that approach. Considerable topside flare contributes stability and a dry ride to weather, while the bottom is flatter than a typical Colin Archer section to reduce hobby-horsing.
The full keel has a cutaway forefoot and tracks well in a straight line. The prismatic coefficient of .50 was chosen specifically for light-air performance. With 12,000 lb. of displacement, a 24-foot 6-inch waterline, a D/L of 379, and a 10-foot 6-inch beam, the Baba 30 is voluminous for its length, though never light on its feet.
Construction and Systems
The uncored hulls were hand-laid with alternating 1.5-ounce mat and 24-ounce woven roving: six layers in general and 10 to 12 through the keel region. Early interiors were gelcoated and covered in quilted vinyl. Later boats gained sprayed foam for insulation and sound deadening, while newer examples carry teak battens in the saloon and forepeak.
The chainplate bolts are visible from below, making their condition straightforward to monitor. Surveyors described the electrical wiring as high-quality, tagged, and bundled, and considered the plumbing system sound.
Ta Shing also built Mason, Panda, Tashiba, and Taswell yachts to designs by Perry and others.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
The Baba 30 carries a tall cutter rig on a 4-foot bowsprit. A stainless-steel pulpit surrounds the bowsprit, which also carries twin bow rollers and a large bronze winch.
Early boats left the yard with a single set of shrouds. After one owner was dismasted, fore and aft lower shrouds were added to the single-spreader rig. Later models also adopted a boom gallows.
Most boats were delivered with self-tending staysails, Lewmar 30 two-speed cabin-top halyard winches, and Lewmar 40 two-speed sheet winches in the cockpit. Practical Sailor’s test found the Baba 30 an under-performer in very light wind, but above that threshold she works all points with an easy helm. Owners confirm a sea-kindly motion in every condition and report a 35-degree apparent-wind angle when the boat is properly trimmed.
Below 10 knots, a large genoa or light-air drifter is needed to unlock better downwind pace. Above 15 knots, the jib and staysail alone will drive her to hull speed. Backing down under power remains an adventure typical of full-keel boats.
Accommodations and Stowage
Two interior versions were offered: a V-berth arrangement favored on the West Coast and a double-berth version popular in the East. Headroom is 6 feet 4 inches. The cabin sole is teak and holly, and nearly every other surface is teak except the galley counters.
The U-shaped galley sits to port below the companionway. It has an icebox aft, a gimbaled two-burner stove, and a sink forward. Opposite, the navigation station carries a 28-by-17-inch table and a quarterberth measuring 68 inches long by 30 inches wide.
The V-berth fills the bow and measures 77 by 60 inches. Stowage is generous, with three 20-by-21-by-16-inch compartments on each side and a port lazarette.
Ventilation came from two hatches, four bronze ports per side, two 34-by-18-inch saloon skylights, a 24-inch forepeak hatch, and a pair of 6-inch Dorades.
Known Issues
Berg acknowledged that some hulls developed blisters near the waterline. Surveyors attributed the problem to the use of isophthalic rather than orthophthalic resin.
Chainplate bolts have shown corrosion on some boats. Surveyor Jerry Edwards identified the steel fuel tank as his main criticism. Owners also report that the advertised 40-gallon fuel tank may hold only 27 gallons, while the two advertised 40-gallon water tanks may provide just 50 gallons combined.
Although the companionway steps provide access to the engine, some owners describe oil-filter changes as an acrobatic challenge. The forepeak also admits water and mud along with the ground tackle.
The earliest boats’ single set of shrouds presents a dismasting risk if it hasn’t been upgraded with fore and aft lowers.
The Verdict
The Baba 30 is a thoughtfully developed small double-ender. Perry’s hull design and Berg’s cruising interior produced a stout, dry boat with a calm motion in a seaway, yet one more willing than its Westsail rival.
It isn’t a strong light-air performer, and buyers must assess the chainplates, blistering, and steel fuel tank. For the right cruiser, however, the Baba 30 remains a benchmark on the used market.
Pros
- Easily driven, sea-kindly hull with a flattened bottom and considerable flare
- Full keel with a cutaway forefoot; tracks well and remains stable and dry to weather
- Well-organized cruising interior with generous stowage and 6-foot 4-inch headroom
- Visible chainplate bolts, accessible systems, and well-organized wiring
Cons
- Sluggish in 5–10 knots; needs a genoa or drifter below 10 knots
- Steel fuel tank and possible tankage shortfalls
- Early single-shroud rig presents a dismasting risk if not upgraded
- Unpredictable when backing under power; minor blistering reported
