The model spans the yard’s transition from traditionally built wooden hulls to glass-reinforced plastic. The Vindö 30 began as a small wooden boat. The yard converted to GRP material in 1965, updating the existing range thereafter, and from 1966 the Vindö 30’s hull was built in GRP. Some boats retained wooden hulls, while others used fiberglass.
Design and Construction
The Vindö 30 has a long keel and shaft drive. With a ballast ratio of around 41 percent and a displacement-length ratio near 269, its numbers describe a heavy, steadfast coastal cruiser rather than a lightweight racer.
Because the model crossed the yard’s change from wood to GRP, individual early boats may fall on either side of that divide. That mix of hull materials can complicate survey expectations.
Rig and Handling
The Vindö 30 carries a masthead rig. Its reference sail plan, comprising mainsail and jib, covers 30.0 square metres. The SA/D ratio is 14.6 with the ISO 8666 reference sail and rises to 17.3 with a 135 percent genoa. The design carries more rig than 79 percent of similar sailboats.
Standing and running rig dimensions are well documented. Halyards are 23.1 metres long and 10 mm in diameter. Jib and genoa sheets are 9.1 metres long and 12 mm in diameter, while the mainsheet is 22.8 metres long.
A capsize screening value of 1.63 and a Motion Comfort Ratio between 28.4 and 29.2 mark the Vindö 30 as a stable, comfort-oriented hull. The theoretical maximum speed for a displacement boat of this length is 6.5 knots, and wetted surface is about 20 square metres.
Accommodation
Below decks, the Vindö 30 has two cabins and four to five berths, along with a galley and toilet facility. Like most boats of its class, the interior is finished in teak.
Headroom is below average for the type, which is worth noting for taller owners. Fresh-water capacity is 60 litres, and the fuel tank holds 30 litres. That modest tankage is better suited to coastal cruising than long offshore passages.
Engines and Performance Under Power
The Vindö 30 may be fitted with a 27-horsepower Volvo Penta MD11C inboard diesel, giving a calculated maximum speed of about 6.7 knots. An alternative 12-horsepower Albin O-22 gasoline engine gives 7.5 knots.
The shaft-drive transmission and an immersion rate of about 652 pounds per inch describe a hull that settles predictably under load. Its Relative Speed Performance index is 4, consistent with a steady cruiser.
Verdict
Designed by Carl Andersson and built in the hundreds, the Vindö 30 reflects a Swedish yard’s transition from wooden boatbuilding to fiberglass production. It combines a masthead sloop rig with a long-keel hull and teak-finished accommodation. Its ballast and comfort-oriented design come with trade-offs, notably below-average headroom and limited tankage.
Pros
- Several hundred built, with a production history beginning in 1963 and GRP hulls from 1966
- Masthead rig with sail area exceeding that of 79 percent of similar boats
- Stable, comfort-oriented figures: capsize screening value of 1.63 and a comfort ratio of about 29
- Choice of diesel or gasoline inboard power
Cons
- Below-average headroom below decks
- Small fresh-water capacity of 60 litres and fuel capacity of 30 litres
- Mixed early hull materials complicate survey expectations
