Design and Construction
The Trio 96's hull is fiberglass (FG), described in Swedish sources simply as plastic, with a solid layup rather than a cored structure. Lead ballast is housed in a fin keel, and the rudder is a spade type hung on the transom, which the Swedish survey notes as an inner-mounted (transom-hung) arrangement beneath a negative transom. The 15.5-meter overall height from the waterline reflects a deck-stepped mast carried on a 7/8 fractional rig, a configuration that keeps the rig modest in scale relative to the 9.6-meter hull. The 1,800 kg keel weight is a meaningful share of the 3,900 kg displacement, and the documented ballast-to-displacement relationship places her firmly in the cruiser bracket rather than the ultralight racer class.
Rig and Handling
The fractional 7/8 sloop rig is deck-stepped and carries a mainsail of 30 square meters with a self-tacking jib of 20 square meters and a genoa of 32 square meters; a 70-square-meter spinnaker is documented for downwind work. Rig dimensions are precise: I 11.1 m, J 3.6 m, P 12.4 m, E 3.9 m. The sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 25.44 and the documented SRS rating of 0.933 (0.914 without downwind sails) describe a boat tuned for controlled cruising performance rather than outright speed. The fin keel with spade rudder hull type gives predictable maneuvering authority within the 5.74-foot draft envelope.
Accommodations
Below, the interior is finished in teak and laid out for five to six berths. The galley sits to starboard, with the navigation station to port; behind that station is a double berth that doubles as seating at the nav table. The saloon is a slightly U-shaped settee paired with a longitudinal sofa, and the head is placed between the saloon and the forepeak. The forepeak itself holds two full-length berths. This arrangement puts the working stations on opposite sides amidships and reserves the extremities for sleeping, a compact but legible cruising plan.
Known Issues
The available records document no structural defects, osmotic hull problems, or systemic rigging failures for the Trio 96. The principal cautions are definitional rather than fault-based: the builder's own spec listed fuel and water tank capacities at 0 liters, meaning original documentation describes no built-in tankage, and any cruising setup depends on owner-fitted systems. The diesel is a Yanmar 2GM rated at 15 horsepower on a fixed shaft, a modest auxiliary that suits the hull speed but is not a substitute for sail power.
Refits and Ownership
Ownership considerations begin with the 1982 start of manufacture and the availability that year of both a fully finished boat and a half-fabricated kit, which means surviving examples may vary in completion quality depending on who finished them. The 15 hp Yanmar 2GM with fixed shaft is a straightforward unit to service, and the deck-stepped mast simplifies rig inspection. Because the original spec listed 0-liter fuel and water tankage, prospective owners should verify how fuel and water are carried aboard any individual boat.
The Verdict
The Trio 96 is a coherent Scandinavian cruiser-racer of modest size: a lead-ballasted fin keel with spade rudder, a deck-stepped fractional rig, and a teak interior laid out for six. She is documented from 1982 onward with a clear specification and a known designer, and the absence of recorded systemic faults makes her a sensible used candidate where the individual boat's completion and tankage are confirmed.
Pros
- Lead fin keel with spade rudder and 46 percent ballast ratio on a 8,598 lb displacement
- Documented 7/8 fractional rig with self-tacking jib and spinnaker options
- Teak interior with port/starboard working stations and six berths
Cons
- Original spec lists 0-liter fuel and water tankage, implying owner-dependent systems
- 15 hp auxiliary is minimal for motoring in adverse conditions
- Kit-built examples may show variable finish quality
