Tradewind 33 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Rock drew the Tradewind 33 after quizzing around 20 sailor friends about what they wanted in an offshore boat, and the result is a hull with a counter stern and gently curving sheer line that pleases the eye without resorting to fashion. The construction is robust: a solid encapsulated keel and keel-hung rudder, with the hull built of heavy hand-laid glass reinforced plastic and an encapsulated lead ballast keel. Some were finished by their owners from kits or as bare hull-and-deck shells in the 1970s, which means the quality and condition of individual boats can vary widely depending on who did the fitting out. Original boats carried an almost semi-circular trailing edge to the rudder; later modified examples such as Sea Walker show a straight trailing edge meeting the keel foot to add rudder area low down, much as the later Tradewind 35 did.

Rig and Handling

The Tradewind 33 rewards patience and persistence under sail. She is not the fastest boat on the water, but her stability and tracking ability make her an excellent choice for sailors who value comfort and security above outright speed. Test sailors found her making around 35 degrees to the wind at a leisurely 4 knots in 10–12 knots apparent, rising to 4.5 knots as the breeze built to 14–18 knots, and off the wind she held just below 5 knots until the apparent wind dropped aft of the beam. Like all long-keel yachts her turning circle is not tight, though she can be spun on the spot with bursts of power and helm well over. One character flaw is her excessive weather helm, a trait the later Tradewind 35 was developed to eradicate by extending the ends and altering the rudderpost. A popular upgrade is the addition of a bowsprit, often with a cutter conversion, which moves the centre of effort of the headsails forward to reduce that helm. Going astern, she shows predictable prop walk to port and will weathercock stern into the wind once hull windage overrides the prop.

Accommodations

Despite her 33-foot length, the Tradewind 33 feels surprisingly spacious below, thanks to a split-level living area with the galley and chart table stepped two small steps above the saloon. The saloon itself has no coachroof, relying on two overhead hatches for light, and the deep hull gives 2.1m of headroom at the aft end, dropping to 1.78m forward. The forward vee-berth occupies the entire forward cabin as a 1.87m by 1.83m double with an in-fill, while the saloon settees make two sea berths over 1.87m long. A separate heads sits to port with a large locker opposite to starboard. The small L-shaped galley to port carries a bum strap for safe cooking, and the chart table to starboard is over a metre wide though it lacks fiddles. Yachting Monthly captured the mood well: the interior feels cosy in a way few modern yachts manage, like an old pub with a log fire, a warm invitation that belies her rugged exterior.

Known Issues

Beyond the inherent weather helm, the principal caveats are practical rather than structural. Because some boats were owner-completed, condition varies and a careful survey is essential. On the reviewed Sea Walker, water ingress led to a rudder being split open and its soggy foam replaced, and the gas bottle was stored in a compartment of the port locker draining into the cockpit where drains exit beneath the waterline — a layout the tester would have preferred to see draining outboard. Shrouds are outboard with no granny rails, leaving little to brace against when reefing or handling halyards at the mast, and coaming-top sheet winches can foul a full rotation of the handle on the guardwire. Many owners nonetheless regard the weather helm as an acceptable compromise for her impeccable behaviour at sea.

Refits and Ownership

The Tradewind 33 invites thoughtful upgrading. A bowsprit and cutter rig are common responses to the helm trait. The example Sea Walker was re-engined from a Bukh to a Beta 38hp with a feathering propeller, gained a bow thruster, new standing and running rigging, solar panels, a wind generator, and AIS. Engine access requires removing companionway steps and engine-box panels but then gives excellent all-around reach. Martin Tennant, who has owned Sea Walker since 2022 and calls her his forever boat, notes she does everything well except go astern — a quirk he accepts for her sea-going composure.

The Verdict

The Tradewind 33 is a 50-year-old design people still want because at sea she is surefooted, solid, and undemanding once up to speed, carrying on day and night with little attention. She is best judged offshore rather than in a marina, where her slow pace and awkward reverse gear read as flaws rather than character.

Pros