yankee 30 sailboat

Graceful, sturdy and seakindly, this Sparkman & Stephens design is an enduring classic

T he Yankee 30 was one of many fiberglass boats that was affected by the global oil crisis of the 1970s, which curtailed production. The cost of resin raised boat prices above the budget of average sailors. In some cases builders simply lacked the raw materials required for construction.

Despite the tough economics, Yankee Yachts in Santa Ana, California, was able to build 132 Yankee 30s between 1971 and 1975. According to yachting industry reports from the mid-1970s, company founder and owner John L. Shumaker Jr. refused to reduce the quality of his boats because of the shortage and instead went out of business in 1975.

Shumaker, who died in 2015, started his boatbuilding career in the 1960s building the Sparkman & Stephens-designed Dolphin 24 at a yard in Marina Del Rey, California. The first boat was owned by his family and named Yankee, inspiring the name of the company. Shumaker moved Yankee Yachts to Inglewood and finally to Santa Ana in 1969, by which time he’d already commissioned Sparkman & Stephens to design a 30-footer.

In an effort to remain competitive on the racecourse and appeal to varying needs, the Yankee 30 underwent three design modifications—minor tweaks that included increasing mast height and more significant ones such as adding 1,000 pounds of ballast. The first series of hulls are classified as MK I. Hulls built after No. 98 are MK II. Boats in the last group, designated MK III, have the additional pounds of internal ballast. Interior layouts were also changed on all three models, usually with two versions offered to buyers simultaneously. 

First impressions

It’s easy to see why sailors interested in both cruising and racing admired the Yankee 30. The 3/4-ton sloop looks ready for sea, with strong lifelines, bow pulpit, eight fixed portals (two large and two smaller on each side), and plenty of heavy-duty deck hardware. Most sailors appreciate the fin keel coupled with a skeg-hung rudder that offers security and tracking. The hull is relatively heavy and narrow, with a deep forefoot, and the reverse transom adds a racy appearance.

There was no skimping on deck hardware. Chocks and cleats are through-bolted where needed, including on the mast. Stainless standing rigging, two-speed sheet winches, a halyard winch on the mast, and a cabintop traveler all point to sail manageability, even when sailing shorthanded. 

Construction

The Yankee 30 has been described over the years as overbuilt, but not in a negative way, perhaps because its weight doesn’t seem to affect its performance. 

The boat is constructed with a solid, hand laid-up hull and a cored deck. The solid construction is again used at the stem, around through-bolted fittings on deck, and for the coachhouse. A bonded flange or lip is used to attach the hull and deck, further supported by a teak toerail that is through-bolted. According to S&S brochures, the boat features double chainplates fitted to single structural knees of glass that are molded into the extensively thickened hull topside. In theory, this system spreads the load over a broader area of the hull. The hull and deck have separate liners. The external, lead-ballasted fin keel is bolted to the stub keel with silicon bronze bolts.

What to look for

Although the boat has a solid fiberglass hull and solid areas around bow and deck fittings, the deck itself is cored and that means the possibility of water intrusion exists. Since these boats are nearly a half-century old, potential buyers should inspect for moisture, delamination and telltale soft spots.

Some of the boats were built with wastewater holding tanks, which could otherwise be costly to install. The boat has several through-hull fittings with bronze valves that should be inspected and tested. 

There’s plenty to admire on deck, starting with the stainless standing rigging with adjustable backstay that supports a tapered aluminum mast and boom. Shrouds are 9/32 inch, considered beefy for a 30-foot boat. A bow pulpit and stem head fitting give the boat a rugged, seagoing appearance. Two Barient sheet winches, a halyard winch and cabintop traveler make sail handling a breeze.

The Yankee 30 has abundant chocks and cleats for securing to the dock. Touches of elegant craftsmanship are evident, with teak toerail and trim, including around the companionway opening. The tiller is oak. 

The sloop boasts eight fixed portlights, two large and two smaller to both port and starboard, which admit natural light and increase visibility. The boat has a comfortable cockpit with high coamings to keep the crew dry. Seating provides room to squeeze six. 

The Yankee 30 isn’t the roomiest 30-footer in its class, but it can sleep five—two forward in the V-berth and three in the cabin on the settee and convertible dinette. 

The two berths in the V-berth compartment are 6 feet 8 inches in length, long enough to accommodate all but the tallest of sailors. The berths share space with an anchor locker. The settees in the cabin create U-shaped seating to port on some models and standard bench seating to starboard. There’s a chart area to port toward the aft end of the cabin, and an enclosed head to port. The galley with stove is to starboard near the foot of the companionway. 

Eight fixed portlights provide plenty of natural illumination. The interior is aesthetically warmed by a holly-and-teak sole and bulkheads of Honduran mahogany.

The boat carries 28 gallons of fresh water. 

The boat’s history is marked by the installation of different engines, including the gasoline-fueled Universal Atomic Four, a Westerbeke Pilot 10 diesel, an 18-horsepower Westerbeke 20B2 diesel, an Albin two-cylinder diesel, and a Bukh two-cylinder diesel. 

The Westerbeke Pilot 10 is a single-cylinder model with counterbalanced weights for smooth operation. It’s located under the convertible dinette table and fitted with hinges at the back to provide service access, an arrangement that has weathered its share of criticism. 

According to one owner, the Albin engine was considered underpowered and required priming with alcohol upon starting before switching over to diesel. Many owners found this burdensome.

The boat carries 17 gallons of fuel and has flexible fuel lines and filters.

The general consensus among owners is the Yankee 30 represents a happy medium between sprightly performance and comfort in a seaway. The boat is sprightly, needing only a light touch on the helm. It accelerates like a light boat, yet shoulders through chop like a heavy one. 

The owner of hull No. 53 described the boat as both graceful and sturdy. “These littler sloops are well suited to both racing and cruising, with a tall, keel-stepped mast and high aspect sailplan to make them go fast in light air, high ballast-to-displacement ratio to make them stiff and dry to weather, and a bustle and skeg-mounted rudder for ideal handling off the wind,” she said.

Yankee 30s can be found sailing off just about every U.S. shoreline and San Francisco sailors report the boat is ideal for windy conditions found on the bay.

The Yankee 30 is a handsome, seaworthy, solidly-constructed sloop that provides cruising comfort while retaining perf ormance capabilities on the race course.

Principal dimensions: LOA  30’; LWL 23’; Beam 9’; Draft 5’; Displacement 8,700 lbs.; Ballast  4,130 lbs.; Sail area 430 sq. ft. 

General Market Price Data

$40,000 1971 California    •    $29,900 1972 Oregon   •    $20,000 1971 Texas

SAILING’s Value Guide

(5-star rating system)

PRICE:  The price of a Yankee 30 can range from approximately $12,000 for a hull in need of TLC to $40,000 for one in turnkey condition. ***

DESIGN QUALITY:  The Yankee 30 was designed by Sparkman & Stephens and is considered a graceful, sturdy, seakindly classic by industry standards. The boat design is S&S No. 1999, the numbers often displayed on sails. ****

CONSTRUCTION QUALITY: Yankee Yachts in Santa Ana, California, built boats to high standards, with one-piece, hand laid-up fiberglass hull and deck. Teak-and-holly cabinsole, mahogany bulkheads and interior cabinetry is used in the cabin. Quality bronze or aluminum was used for valves and fittings. ****

USER-FRIENDLINESS:   Owners say the Yankee 30 is comfortable in a seaway, has an easy-to-manage rig, and is steered with a strong oak tiller. A cabintop traveler helps control the rig. ***

SAFETY:  It has a keel-stepped mast and abundant ballast to ensure the hull remains upright in a heavy blow. It is often described as overbuilt. The interior has overhead grabrails, but there is no bridgedeck in the companionway. ****

TYPICAL CONDITION:   Since these boats are approaching the half-century mark in age, condition tends to run the gamut from boats in need of repairs to those that have been completely refit. **

REFITTING: The owner of the Yankee 30 Vim installed new rigging, chainplates, portlights, head, replaced two bulkheads and all electrical wiring. He replaced lighting fixtures on the mast, added a wind vane, antenna, stove, cushions, and employed a crane for rewiring the 40-foot tapered aluminum mast. Parts are not readily available for the Yankee 30. **

SUPPORT: Sparkman & Stephens plans are on file at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut. Owner’s manuals are available online. Some information can be obtained from the Yankee 30 blog at http://yankee30.blogspot.com and the info link at www.cruisersforum.com.  ***

AVAILABILITY: Approximately 132 boats were constructed over a four-year production run. In late spring, at least eight Yankee 30s were on the U.S. market and others in the UK and Italy. ***

INVESTMENT AND RESALE:   The boat sold new in 1973 for $18,950 without sails. Despite their age, Yankee 30s have a strong following and are still in demand. ***

Also in Used Boat Notebook

• Hunter Passage 42
• Pearson Rhodes 41
• Santa Cruz 52
• Allied Princess 36
• Kelly-Peterson 46

Also from David Liscio

• Chasing a dream
• The wide, wide world of multihulls
• Flares are expired. Now what?
• Saved from the scrap heap
• Pedal to the Medal

Yankee 30 mki

The yankee 30 mki is a 30.04ft masthead sloop designed by sparkman & stephens and built in fiberglass by yankee yachts inc. (usa) between 1970 and 1975., 130 units have been built..

The Yankee 30 mki is a heavy sailboat which is a reasonably good performer. It is very stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a coastal cruiser. There is a very short water supply range.

Yankee 30 mki for sale elsewhere on the web:

Main features

Login or register to personnalize this screen.

You will be able to pin external links of your choice.

See how Sailboatlab works in video

We help you build your own hydraulic steering system - Lecomble & Schmitt

Accommodations

Builder data, other photos.

Modal Title

The content of your modal.

Personalize your sailboat data sheet

Review of Yankee 30 Mk I

Basic specs..

The boat is typically equipped with a Universal Atomic 4 gasoline engine at 30.0 hp (22 kW), which gives a max speed about 6.6 knots.

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Yankee 30 Mk I is 1.75, indicating that this boat could - if evaluated by this formula alone - be accepted to participate in ocean races.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 6.4 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Yankee 30 Mk I is about 128 kg/cm, alternatively 720 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 128 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 720 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

What is SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio)?

Maintenance

Are your sails worn out? You might find your next sail here: Sails for Sale

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section shown boat owner's changes, improvements, etc. Here you might find inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what to look for.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Yankee 30 Mk I it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

• Yacht Brokerage
• Ocean Explorer 60
• Ocean Explorer 64
• Ocean Explorer 72
• Ocean Explorer 78
• Yacht Conveyancing
• Selling your yacht
• Yachts we list and yachts we sell
• Buying a Yacht
• The Yacht Purchase Process
• Yacht VAT, RCD and Registration
• Yacht Finance
• Yacht Insurance
• Further Yacht Services
• +44 (0)1590 673715

New Listing – 1971 Yankee 30

Posted Monday 22nd February 2016

Grabau International is delighted to announce the listing of the  1971 Yankee 30 ‘NALU’.

A Fantastic example of this achingly pretty S&S design. Extensively refitted in recent years, she is the perfect pocket cruiser with broad abilities for off-shore or racing. A huge amount of well-built yacht for not very much money.

The Yankee 30 is a beautiful sailboat, designed by Sparkman & Stephens (S&S design No. 1999) and originally built by Yankee Yachts in Santa Ana, California. The yacht is well suited to both racing and cruising, with a tall keel-stepped mast and high aspect sail plan to improve light airs performance, high ballast to displacement ratio to make them stiff and dry to weather, and a bustle and skeg-mounted rudder for ideal handling off the wind. Unlike highly engineered racing boats, the Yankee 30 is somewhat overbuilt. As a result she’s a very sturdy boat. Stability and an easy motion, whether sailing short-handed or with a crew make the Yankee 30 an ideal boat off-shore passages.

The Yankee 30 was produced from 1971-1975 by Yankee Yachts, during which time 132 of these boats were constructed. As a consequence of the oil crisis and rising cost of fiberglass resins in the mid-1970s and John Shumaker’s refusal to reduce the quality of his boats, Yankee Yachts ceased production in 1975.

Yankee 30 – Nalu – Euro 20,000 VAT paid – full details  here

Do you have a yacht like this to sell? Grabau International are always looking for new high quality cruising yacht listings both in the UK and internationally. For further information about our tailored brokerage services, please  look here  or feel free to contact us .

Back to News

Contact us at

[email protected], subscribe to receive our monthly news updates.

Click here to subscribe

GI Lymington (HQ)

+44 (0)1590 673715 [email protected] Email Lymington

GI South Coast

+44 (0)1590 902210 [email protected] Email South Coast

+44 (0)7973 301668 [email protected] Email London

GI Scotland

+44 (0)7988 763254 [email protected] Email Scotland

+39 333 74 89 281 [email protected] Email Italy

+34 675 236174 [email protected] Email Palma

GI Scandanavia (Finland)

+358 408 098688 [email protected] Email Finland

GI Scandanavia (Sweden)

+358 406 861501 [email protected] Email Sweden

Terms and Conditions | Privacy Notice & Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Contact Us Site Map --> © 2024 Grabau International. All rights reserved. Company Registration Number: 9374773

Terms and Conditions | Privacy Notice & Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Contact Us | Site Map © Grabau International. All rights reserved. Company Registration Number: 9374773

Grabau International Email Newsletter

Enter your details below to receive our monthly email newsletter and further news on upcoming events and services.

Please select your area of interest Sailing     Motor     Both    

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

Home > Find Your Sail > Search by Make and Model > Yankee > Yankee 30

" * " indicates required fields

Step 1 of 3

Let's Get to Know Each Other

Let's connect, why it's important to partner with a designer on your yankee 30 sail.

The design is the most critical part of your new sail. Ensuring the sail fits and performs its best is a must for our crew. The Precision Sails Design team are experts at their craft. Unlike other sail lofts all of our sailors work one-on-one with a designer to perfect their Yankee 30 sail.

No Two Yankee 30 Sails Are Alike

There are many factors that affect the performance and design of your sails. Location, sailing experience, and weather conditions all come into play when picking the perfect sail. Two mainsails made for two Yankee 30’s in California and Florida will have different designs, sailcloth, and options based on what is best for the sailor.

Taking measurements is easy. All sailors work alongside our measurement team to measure and confirm their rig specs. This helps ensure your design is flawless and allows us to extend our Perfect Fit Guarantee to all of our sailors.

Discover the best cloth for your sailing needs, our sail details, or more about how Precision Sails is leading the sail-making industry with innovative new practices.

Proudly offering the largest selection of sailcloth in the industry, our team is always available to help you find your perfect sail. Whether you're a weekend sailor, coastal cruiser, or club racer our team is ready to walk you through the process.

Types of Sails

Precision Sail Loft specializes in producing headsails, mainsails, spinnakers, gennakers, and code zeros. So no matter the type of sail you’re looking for, we can help. Our sails are trusted by cruisers and racers alike from around the globe. Review the sail options and craftsmanship available to customize your dream sail.

Build & Process

Every sail we craft is produced to the highest standards with the best hardware, craftsmanship, and skill-set in the industry. Pair that with Precision Sails' approach to communication and your sailboat will be ready to set sail before you know it.

Unparalleled Commitment To Helping Sailors

As experts in design, communication, and production our team is ready to take on the task of making sails for your boat. Give us a call to get started.

“ I just received my asymmetrical spinnaker, with sock and turtle bag, along with a new 135 Genoa. The entire process was simple and both sales and the design team were in regular contact if there were any questions. The customer portal was easy to use and lets you keep track of where in the process your sails are. Great sails, great service -Graham Edwards (Facebook)

“ The whole team at Precision Sails was fantastic from start to finish. We’ve had a laminate main and genoa made so far and have a spinnaker on the way. They listened carefully to our needs and recommended a great sail cloth. We couldn’t have gotten more bang for our buck! -Noah Regelous (Google)

“ We received our spinnaker and launched it yesterday and I just wanted to let you know how pleased we are with it. The service we received from your company was exceptional and the quality of your product is second to none. We will certainly be return customers in the next few months to replace our main and jib sails and will recommend your company to all our sailing buddies. Once again-thank you.” -Daniel Jackson (Google)

“ we had good communication during the planning stages and the knowledgeable people at precision sails really got me fixed up good! The sails look and work fabulous! my boat sails better than it ever had! couldn’t be more pleased with the product AND the service!” -Fred Jelich (Facebook)

“ Our new furling jib for a Corsair 27 Had to be specially designed due to the height of the furler, but this was accomplished quickly and in short order we had our sail which fits beautifully and has a great shape. It’s everything we could have wanted, high tech design, thoughtfully executed and affordable.” -Nancy Y. (Yelp)

Request a Yankee 30 Quote

Looking to buy a new headsail or mainsail for your Yankee 30? Request a free quote from Precision Sails for a new custom sail. Our team will work with you to design the perfect sail for you.

Great choice! Your favorites are temporarily saved for this session. Sign in to save them permanently, access them on any device, and receive relevant alerts.

• Sailboat Guide

Yankee 30 MKII 98+

Yankee 30 MKII 98+ is a 29 ′ 11 ″ / 9.1 m monohull sailboat designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built by Yankee Yachts Inc. between 1970 and 1975.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Embed this page on your own website by copying and pasting this code.

• About Sailboat Guide

©2024 Sea Time Tech, LLC

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.