Design and Construction
The 860's hull is solid fibreglass, carrying an iron fin keel and a spade rudder. At a length-to-beam ratio of 2.95 she is beamier than 62 percent of comparable designs, and the 39 percent ballast ratio sits higher than 42 percent of similar boats — figures that, together with her stated stability posture, explain her character without implying offshore certification. The capsize screening value of 2.14 places her outside the threshold accepted for ocean racing anchor, a useful boundary for a boat whose 21 m² wetted surface and 266 displacement-length ratio tag her among "moderate racers" rather than bluewater passagemakers.
Rig and Handling
What distinguishes the 860 on paper is her sail plan. She carries significantly more rig than 85 percent of similar sailboats, reading as overrigged for her size anchor, and the sail-area-to-displacement figures bear this out: 16.6 with the reference sail, rising to 19.3 with a 135 percent genoa. That overdrive translates to real light-air pace — she is quicker than 58 percent of similar designs in light wind on the SA/D measure, though her Relative Speed Performance of 34 means she outruns only 34 percent of peers on that broader metric. The fractional rig is paired with a fin keel drawing roughly 4.9 to 5.2 feet depending on load, letting her into most marinas while preserving a turn of speed. Under the optional Volvo Penta 2001 diesel she makes about 4.3 knots max under power, against a theoretical displacement-hull speed of 6.2 knots.
Accommodations
Below, the 860 is laid out for four berths. The beamy hull that ranks her roomier than nearly two-thirds of similar designs is the quiet enabler here; the l/b figure is not a styling accident but the reason the interior reads larger than her 28-foot length suggests. No source details the arrangement beyond berth count, so the plan must be judged on that proportion alone.
Performance Envelope
The Motion Comfort Ratio of 18.6 leaves her more comfortable than 31 percent of similar designs — honest middle-of-the-pack behaviour for a moderate racer, not a soft-riding cruiser. Her immersion rate of about 709 lbs per inch means load changes show quickly on the waterline, and the variable draft quoted across load conditions is a direct consequence of that sensitivity rather than a fixed-keel tolerance.
The Verdict
The Winga 860 is a specialized small Swedish cruiser-racer: beamy, overrigged for sparkling light-air performance, and built in tiny numbers by Winga Marin AB to Rolf Eliasson's late-seventies drawings. She is a coastal and club-racing boat whose numbers flag her plainly as outside the offshore-race eligibility line.
Pros
- Beamy hull ranks roomier than 62% of similar designs
- Overrigged sail plan gives strong light-wind speed
- Iron fin keel and modest draft ease marina access
Cons
- Capsize screening value excludes her from ocean racing
- Motion Comfort Ratio below most similar designs
- Fewer than 200 built, limiting spares and community scale
