Olson 30
Olson / Pacific Boats
- Production years
- 1978–1984
- Designer
- George Olson
Dimensions & rating
- LOA
- 30'
- Beam
- 9' 4"
- Displacement
- 3,600 lb
- Draft
- 5' 1"
The quick verdict
The Olson 30 is a 1978–1984 Santa Cruz racer that excels in light air and downwind, but it is cramped below and not a comfortable cruiser. Before buying, have the keel-to-hull joint and keel bolts inspected, since owners report wear and water entry there. Listed used prices run from about $6,200 to $29,950, so budget for a survey and possible keel work.
Excels at light-air sailing; Faster downwind than upwind; Good sea boat in most respects; Commendable interior craftsmanship; Long-lived; many still sailing original configuration
Cramped belowdecks and not a comfortable cruiser; Poor upwind performance in breeze; Not easily trailered; beam needs permit in California; Novice owners often pinch and over-heel; Keel-to-hull joint wear and water entry reported by owners; Keel bolt nuts found loose on class inspection; Keel trailing-edge fairing hard to keep sealed
Find out whether this design suits your sailing plans with The Boat Picker.
Standardized sailing characteristics
Comfort at Sea
Raw Brewer Motion Comfort Ratio, a comparison of design motion at sea. It does not rate cabin space or guarantee comfort.
Measurements
Rig diagram & sailing measurements
| D/L · DISPLACEMENT TO LENGTH | 77 |
|---|---|
| CSF | 2.44 Above 2.0: generally does not meet the traditional offshore screening guideline (not a seaworthiness rating). |
| Waterline length | 27' 6" |
| Ballast | 1,800 lb |
Production history
Number built: 255
Original
Full specifications
Every figure links to the page it came from. Anything not shown is not yet confirmed by a published source.
Identity
Hull measurements
Construction
Rig and sails
Accommodation
Practical ownership
Calculated from the figures above
Surveys and Market Value
No surveys have been contributed for this boat yet.
When owners contribute surveys, we plan to share anonymized recurring issues and used-boat value ranges, helping future buyers know what to inspect and what similar boats are worth. Survey uploads are coming soon.
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