Sabre 30

About the Sabre 30

Researched from public sources for this model. Any individual boat may have been modified or repowered — confirm before relying on any figure.

Built

1979–1993

Builder

Sabre Yachts

Designer

Roger Hewson

Length

29.92 ft

Waterline

24 ft

Beam

10 ft

Displacement

8,600 lb

Ballast

3,400 lb

Hull / keel

fin keel

Rig

sloop

Propulsion

inboard

Fuel

20 gal

Stern thruster

none

Sources disagree on draft — left blank rather than guessed.

Specs shown are the Mk I (sailboatdata 30-1, hulls 1-100, 1979-82). Mk II (1983) had the same dimensions with more ballast; Mk III (1986) grew to 30.58 ft LOA, 10.5 ft beam, 9,400 lb, 3,800 lb ballast, 5.25 ft draft (Good Old Boat saildata). End year disputed: SpinSheet says literature lists it to 1991 but post-1989 boats are rare; Good Old Boat and keelindex say 1993. Shoal-draft version offered. Water tank options ranged 22-70 gal. Hull hand-laid solid glass (GOB: solid below the waterline); deck balsa-cored; hull-deck joint on inward flange, mechanically fastened. Galley and nav station swapped sides in the Mk III. Hull material left null: Good Old Boat saildata says the Mk III is solid below the waterline only, and SpinSheet does not state solid vs cored.

Known problems for this model

• Osmotic blisters on Mk I/II hull
  Blistering, sometimes severe, is common on Mk I and Mk II hulls; the Mk III used vinylester in the outer layers and is less prone.
  spinsheet.com
• Wet balsa deck core at hardware deck
  Some handrails and deck hardware were bolted through the balsa-cored deck without sealing the core, so rotten or delaminated deck sections are commonly found.
  spinsheet.com
• Underpowered 13 hp engines, noisy under power engine
  The 13 hp Volvo/Westerbeke engines of Mk I and early Mk II boats are marginal for a boat of nearly 9,000 lb; later 18 hp Westerbekes are better. Engine-space insulation is poor, so the boat is loud under power.
  spinsheet.com
• Mast step drainage and rot hull
  A forum thread on the Sabre 30 Mk III flags water running down the mast and collecting at the mast step as a key check on these boats.
  forums.sailinganarchy.com

Other Sabre models

• Sabre 28 1971–1986
• Sabre 34 1976–?
• Sabre 36 1985–1990
• Sabre 38 Mk I 1981–1987