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Black Soo
Designer: Van De Stadt  ·  Builder: Many  ·  First built: 1957
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About the Black Soo

Designed by renowned Dutch naval architect E.G. van de Stadt in 1957, this 30-foot sloop represents classic European yacht design philosophy adapted for amateur construction. The Black Soo's plywood single-chine hull construction made it an attractive option for home builders during the height of the do-it-yourself boatbuilding movement, contributing to its widespread adoption by multiple builders over the decades. With a displacement of 4,000 pounds and nearly 50% ballast ratio, the Black Soo offers reassuring stability for coastal cruising and club racing. The fin keel with rudder-on-skeg configuration provides good directional control while maintaining reasonable draft for gunkholing. Her masthead sloop rig carries 314 square feet of sail area, delivering spirited performance in moderate conditions with a theoretical hull speed approaching 7 knots. The boat's comfort ratio of 17.1 suggests a relatively stiff motion that favors sailing efficiency over pure comfort, while the capsize screening value of 1.77 indicates good stability margins for coastal and near-offshore sailing. Van de Stadt's design emphasizes seaworthiness and sailing ability over accommodations, making the Black Soo well-suited for day sailing, weekend cruising, and small boat racing where performance matters more than luxury appointments.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 29.70 ft / 9.05 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 25.92 ft / 7.90 m
Beam 7.00 ft / 2.13 m
Max Draft 5.92 ft / 1.80 m
Displacement 4,000.00 lb / 1,814 kg
Ballast 1,965.00 lb / 891 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 314.00 ft² / 29.17 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction Plywood/single chine
Designer Van de Stadt
Builder Many
First Built 1957
Related Sailboats ["Pearson 30" · "Grampian 30" · "Carter 30" · "Formosa 30" · "Olson 29"]
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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 144
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 19.99
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 49.13
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 102.54
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 17.1
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.77
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 6.82 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 4.66
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 648.31 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 19.98
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 30.00 ft / 9.14 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 11.80 ft / 3.60 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 26.30 ft / 8.02 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 10.40 ft / 3.17 m
SA Fore 177.00 ft² / 16.44 m²
SA Main 136.76 ft² / 12.71 m²
SA Total (100%) 313.76 ft² / 29.15 m²
Est. Forestay Length 32.24 ft / 9.83 m
How It Compares

vs. Carter 30, Formosa 30, Grampian 30

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Black Soo ★
29.7 ft
Carter 30
29.8 ft
Formosa 30
29.6 ft
Grampian 30
29.8 ft
LWL
Black Soo ★
25.9 ft
Carter 30
23.0 ft
Formosa 30
25.0 ft
Grampian 30
25.5 ft
Beam
Black Soo ★
7.0 ft
Carter 30
10.1 ft
Formosa 30
10.5 ft
Grampian 30
9.5 ft
Displacement
Black Soo ★
4 lbs
Carter 30
7 lbs
Formosa 30
10 lbs
Grampian 30
8 lbs
Ballast
Black Soo ★
1 lbs
Carter 30
2 lbs
Formosa 30
4 lbs
Grampian 30
3 lbs
Sail Area
Black Soo ★
314 sq ft
Carter 30
384 sq ft
Formosa 30
—
Grampian 30
425 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Black Soo ★
144 s/nm
Carter 30
174 s/nm
Formosa 30
—
Grampian 30
192 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Black Soo ★
20.0
Carter 30
16.4
Formosa 30
—
Grampian 30
16.3
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Black Soo ★
49.1 %
Carter 30
40.8 %
Formosa 30
37.0 %
Grampian 30
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Black Soo ★
17.1
Carter 30
20.8
Formosa 30
—
Grampian 30
24.7
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Black Soo ★
1.77
Carter 30
2.08
Formosa 30
—
Grampian 30
1.86
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Black Soo ★
102
Carter 30
267
Formosa 30
308
Grampian 30
—
Hull Speed
Black Soo ★
6.8 kts
Carter 30
6.4 kts
Formosa 30
—
Grampian 30
6.8 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Black Soo ★
4.7
Carter 30
2.0
Formosa 30
—
Grampian 30
2.1
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