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. ***
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Yankee 30 MKI
Yankee 30 MKI is a 30 ′ 0 ″ / 9.2 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)
S&S design #1999. After Yankee Yachts went out of business in 1975, a few boats were built by Heritage Boat Works (OR) and Vashon Island Boat Works (WA),USA. From this latter builder also came the VASHON ISLAND 30 or VASHON 30, a Pilot House cruiser that appears to share the same hull.
The MK I, II, and III, were differentiated primarily by incrementally taller rigs as well as a few details in the interior layout. (Hulls after #98 are designated MK II). The MK III, has an additional 1000 lbs. of internal ballast. (Rig dimension as well as other details are not always consistent within a particular version.)
Available engines: Universal Atomic 4 (gas) Albin 2-cyl Diesel Bukh 2-cyl Diesel
The S&S 30, built by Swarbrick Brothers of Australia is based on the same design (S&S No. 1999-C1).
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YANKEE 30 MKIII (3/4 TON)
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Does anyone know about this Sparkman & Stevens design built on the west coast? It seems to be a lot like the Tartan 30. MSL
They have a good reputation. narrower at the beam, and a longer cockpit than the T30 if I''m thinking correct.
Funny you should ask. I used to own one quite some time ago. Obviously they were built in the early 70''s, most of them, so you should get a good survey. I thought it was one of the best 30 foot boats made. 5'' draft, 9'' beam, very well built and sailed extremely well. I sailed mine to Bermuda from the Chesapeake and it handled very well. Strong boat, nicely laid out for off shore, assuming you don''t try to put too many people on it. The longish keel and skeg on the rudder made for excellent tracking and a decent turn of speed. I also raced it some, and it had a good PHRF rating for its size. The interior of mine was a darkish tone of white, so in retrospect I would have hit it with some pure white paint inside. The original motor was junk, and has probably been upgraded since built, so check that out carefully. Motor access is great, but it is a bit loud when running, since it is in the center of the main cabin. I used a Navik wind vane and it handled the boat very well, even when sailing downwind in heavy seas--with only 28" of freeboard aft, it handled much like a submarine--not a lot of windage and tons of boyancy for the size. I loved the boat and would recommend it highly. By the way, I also (at a different time) chartered the Tartan 30 many times and spent lots of time on them. Similar design, by S&S, but the Tartan had a 10'' beam for a little more room down below. Sailing characteristics were similar, but I believe the Yankee handled sea conditions a bit better. If you have more questions, let me know, "[email protected]". BYW, Let me know which one you are looking at--it would be a hoot if it were my old boat. Not too many of them were made and ended up on the east coast. I sold mine on the Chesapeake in Annapolis.
The Yankee 30 owners association can be accessed at: Yankee 30 Owners Association These are great boats that have done numerous offshore races and passanges and they''re still sailing strong after all these years. George Fairlie and Bec Banks are currently sailing their Yankee 30 Avalon from Florida to Australia. Their cruise diary can be accessed at: Avalon's Web Diary and their position tracked at: YOTREPS Offshore Reports
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Fin with rudder on skeg
Specifications YANKEE 30 MKI
Home - Sailboat Listings 1970 - 30.04 ft / 9.16 m - Sparkman $ Stephens - Yankee Yachts Inc. (USA)
YANKEE 30 MKI Sailboat Data
Hull Type: Fin with rudder on skeg Rigging Type: Masthead Sloop LOA: 30.04 ft / 9.16 m LWL: 23.00 ft / 7.01 m S.A. (reported): 430.00 ft² / 39.95 m² Beam: 9.00 ft / 2.74 m Displacement: 8,700.00 lb / 3,946 kg Ballast: 4,130.00 lb / 1,873 kg Max Draft: 5.00 ft / 1.52 m Construction: FG Ballast Type: Lead First Built: 1970 Last Built: 1975 # Built: 130 Builder: Yankee Yachts Inc. (USA) Designer: Sparkman & Stephens
Information from sailboatdata.com .
Type Engine: Gas HP: 30 Water: 22 gals / 83 L Hull Speed: 6.43 kn
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Find detailed information about the YANKEE 30 MKI sailboat, such as LOA, LWL, S.A., ballast, displacement, and more. See also sail and rig particulars, design and builder history, and related sailboats.
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 ...
Yankee 30 MKIII (3/4 Ton) is a 30′ 0″ / 9.2 m monohull sailboat designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built by Yankee Yachts Inc. between 1973 and 1990. ... 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: ...
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.
Yankee 30 MKI is a 30′ 0″ / 9.2 m monohull sailboat designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built by Yankee Yachts Inc. between 1970 and 1975. ... 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: ...
The Yankee 30 mkiii 34 ton is a 30.04ft masthead sloop designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built in fiberglass by Yankee Yachts Inc. (USA) between 1973 and 1990. The Yankee 30 mkiii 34 ton is a moderate weight sailboat which is a reasonably good performer. It is very stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized.
Complete Sail Plan Data for the Yankee 30 Mk Iii Sail Data. Sailrite offers free rig and sail dimensions with featured products and canvas kits that fit the boat. Javascript is disabled on your browser.
Blue Water Surf Value Rank (BWSVR) 3706. Capsize Comfort Value Rank (CCVR)
Sailboats Built By Yankee Yachts Inc. (USA) ... YANKEE 30 MKI: 30.04 ft / 9.16 m: 1970: YANKEE 30 MKII 98+ 30.00 ft / 9.14 m: 1970: ... We use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. We do this to improve browsing experience and to show (non-) personalized ads. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to ...
Blue Water Surf Value Rank (BWSVR) 3021. Capsize Comfort Value Rank (CCVR)
This is the Yankee 30 Owners Association Facebook group. We're enthusiastic sailors of the Yankee 30, a sailboat designed by Sparkman & Stephens (Design 1999) and built by Yankee Yachts from...
YANKEE 30 MKIII (3/4 TON) Sailboat Data Hull Type: Fin with rudder on skeg Rigging Type: Masthead Sloop LOA: 30.04 ft / 9.16 m LWL: 25.00 ft / 7.62 m S.A. (reported): 463.00 ft² / 43.01 m² Beam: 9.00 ft / 2.74 m Displacement: 10,000.00 lb / 4,536 kg Ballast:…
The Yankee 30 owners association can be accessed at: Yankee 30 Owners Association. These are great boats that have done numerous offshore races and passanges and they''re still sailing strong after all these years. George Fairlie and Bec Banks are currently sailing their Yankee 30 Avalon from Florida to Australia.
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 ...
It takes into consideration "reported" sail area, displacement and length at waterline. The higher the number the faster speed prediction for the boat. A cat with a number 0.6 is likely to sail 6kts in 10kts wind, a cat with a number of 0.7 is likely to sail at 7kts in 10kts wind. KSP = (Lwl*SA÷D)^0.5*0.5
The Yankee 30 mkii 98 is a 30.0ft masthead sloop designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built in fiberglass by Yankee Yachts Inc. (USA) between 1970 and 1975. The Yankee 30 mkii 98 is a heavy sailboat which is a reasonably good performer. It is very stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized.
YANKEE 30 MKI Sailboat Data Hull Type: Fin with rudder on skeg Rigging Type: Masthead Sloop LOA: 30.04 ft / 9.16 m LWL: 23.00 ft / 7.01 m S.A. (reported): 430.00 ft² / 39.95 m² Beam: 9.00 ft / 2.74 m Displacement: 8,700.00 lb / 3,946 kg Ballast: 4,130.00 lb…
A boat with a BN of 1.6 or greater is a boat that will be reefed often in offshore cruising. Derek Harvey, "Multihulls for Cruising and Racing", International Marine, Camden, Maine, 1991, states that a BN of 1 is generally accepted as the dividing line between so-called slow and fast multihulls.
Join Date: Mar 2006. Location: Nevada City. CA. Boat: Sceptre 41. Posts: 3,858. Images: 9. Yankee 30 is a nice stiff boat. Sailed one in 35 knots of breeze from Half Moon Bay to SF Bay with a 150% jib and a reefed main. worked out well. I wouldn't have a problem sailing a yankee most places.
The Yankee 30 morc is a 29.98ft masthead sloop designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built in fiberglass by Yankee Yachts Inc. (USA) since 1970. The Yankee 30 morc 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.
Find detailed information about the YANKEE 38 sailboat, such as LOA, LWL, beam, displacement, ballast, rigging, sails, and more. Compare the YANKEE 38 with other sailboats and see the design history and associations.
The Yanmar 20HP diesel engine only has 600 hours on her. She has a full batten main sail and 130% genoa in (racing) excellent condition, as well as a 100% jib, 150% (mylar) genoa, 3 (symmetrical) spinnakers, and a couple of Storm Sails. And she comes with a West Marine row boat ($750 new).