Trapper 300 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The hull and deck mouldings are glass-reinforced polyester, hand laid with woven rovings and chopped fiberglass mat in high-grade marine resin anchor, while the deck and coachroof are reinforced with balsa core and plywood stiffening to take loads without flexing. Below, the accommodation rests on two fiberglass modules bonded directly to the hull for massive structural strength, and a double-skin headliner runs throughout to resist both condensation and noise. Underwater hull fittings are approved bronze seacocks with stainless hose clips, and the standard fin keel is 2,028 pounds of cast iron through-bolted with 20 mm stainless studs and plates, though a lead replacement keel was offered at extra cost. The spade rudder carries a 35 mm solid stainless stock inside a strongly built GRP blade, with heavy stainless and bronze tiller fittings for confidence in severe weather.

Rig and Handling

The 300 carries a masthead rig on an anodised aluminium mast with streamlined spreaders and a spinnaker pole track, paired with a boom set up for slab reefing. Wire rigging is 5 mm 1x19 stainless with swaged terminals, and the sail plan is generous for the size: with a 135% genoa the sail-area-to-displacement ratio reaches 17.6, and the design carries more rig than 82% of comparable sailboats anchor. The standard sail set is a 111 sq ft mainsail and 112 sq ft working jib, both in 8 oz terylene. Under power, the optional Yanmar YSE 8 diesel — about 125 kg and fitted on flexible mountings with alternator and dual starting — gives a calculated maximum speed near 4.2 knots, while the theoretical hull speed of a displacement boat this length is about 6.1 knots. The fin keel draws roughly 4.9 to 5.2 feet depending on load, letting the boat reach shallow marinas.

Accommodations

Below, the forward cabin holds a double berth with stowage beneath and shelves to port and starboard, and the heads can be fully enclosed with a marine toilet and wet locker to starboard and a dry locker to port. The saloon dinette to starboard sits above deep bins and lockers, while the port galley runs with a deep sink, gimballed gas cooker with grill, extensive counters, and a deck-mounted flexible ventilator overhead. A permanent chart table gives the navigator stowage and instrument space, and an ice box tucks under the quarter berth. The boat sleeps five on 3-inch foam cushions in water-resistant fabric, and all interior and exterior teak is lightly oiled to a matt finish with a varnished hardwood tiller.

Equipment and Systems

Deck gear includes an anodised aluminium toerail, stainless pushpit and pulpit, and an aluminium stemhead with bow roller. Two Lewmar 16a two-speed sheet winches and two Lewmar 6a halyard winches handle the lines, with alloy genoa tracks and a mainsheet track with slider and stops. Electric trim is a 55 amp-hour 12v battery behind a fused panel and isolating switch, feeding six interior lights and international nav lights plus a steaming light with engine. A 20-gallon double-skinned flexible water tank and a 4-gallon vented fuel tank sit with deck fillers, and ground tackle is a 20 lb COR anchor with chain, warp, and fenders.

The Verdict

The Trapper 300 is a thoughtfully engineered small cruiser-racer that translates a Kirby quarter-ton racer into a practical coastal cruiser without losing the lively rig and shallow-draft flexibility. Its bonded interior modules and cored deck give real structural integrity for the length, and the enclosed heads and proper chart table are uncommon in this size bracket. The modest engine speed and light-displacement character suit sheltered-water and coastal use rather than offshore passage making.

Pros