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Sovereign 30
Designer: Sovereign Design Team  ·  Builder: Sovereign (Usa)  ·  First built: 1998
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About the Sovereign 30

Built in 1998 as a one-off design by the Sovereign Design Team, this 30-foot cutter represents an interesting specimen in the world of small cruising sailboats. With her moderate displacement of 6,800 pounds and generous beam of 8.33 feet, she offers a comfortable platform for coastal cruising and weekend adventures. The boat's cutter rig configuration provides excellent sail handling flexibility, particularly valuable for short-handed sailing or varying wind conditions. Her fin keel with spade rudder arrangement delivers responsive handling while maintaining a manageable 3.33-foot draft that opens up shallow anchorages and gunkhole exploration. With a comfort ratio of 24.86, the Sovereign 30 strikes a reasonable balance between motion comfort and performance, making her well-suited for coastal passages and protected water sailing. The SA/Displacement ratio of 19.18 suggests moderate power under sail, while the capsize screening value of 1.76 indicates acceptable stability for nearshore cruising. Her fiberglass construction and 18-horsepower auxiliary engine provide reliability for practical cruising needs. While production was limited to a single vessel, the design demonstrates thoughtful proportions for a couple or small family seeking a capable coastal cruiser with good sailing characteristics and comfortable accommodations.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 30.00 ft / 9.14 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 23.00 ft / 7.01 m
Beam 8.33 ft / 2.54 m
Max Draft 3.33 ft / 1.01 m
Displacement 6,800.00 lb / 3,084 kg
Ballast 2,400.00 lb / 1,089 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 429.00 ft² / 39.86 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type Cutter
Construction FG
Designer Sovereign Design Team
Builder Sovereign (USA)
First Built 1998
Number Built 1
Related Sailboats ["Capri 30 Catalina" · "Cs 30" · "Mirage 30 Sx" · "Contour 30" · "Odyssey 30"]
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Performance Ratios
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
 19.18
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
 35.29
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
 249.5
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
 24.86
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
 1.76
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. 6.43 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
 2.38
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. 684.57 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. 19.19
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 38.50 ft / 11.73 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 12.50 ft / 3.81 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 34.60 ft / 10.55 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 10.90 ft / 3.32 m
SA Fore 240.63 ft² / 22.36 m²
SA Main 188.57 ft² / 17.52 m²
SA Total (100%) 429.20 ft² / 39.87 m²
Est. Forestay Length 40.48 ft / 12.34 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Yanmar
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 18
Water Capacity 20 gals / 76 L
How It Compares

vs. Contour 30, Cs 30, Mirage 30 Sx

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Sovereign 30 ★
30.0 ft
Contour 30
30.0 ft
Cs 30
30.0 ft
Mirage 30 Sx
30.0 ft
LWL
Sovereign 30 ★
23.0 ft
Contour 30
23.8 ft
Cs 30
25.4 ft
Mirage 30 Sx
24.1 ft
Beam
Sovereign 30 ★
8.3 ft
Contour 30
23.8 ft
Cs 30
10.3 ft
Mirage 30 Sx
10.5 ft
Displacement
Sovereign 30 ★
6 lbs
Contour 30
3 lbs
Cs 30
8 lbs
Mirage 30 Sx
5 lbs
Ballast
Sovereign 30 ★
2 lbs
Contour 30
—
Cs 30
3 lbs
Mirage 30 Sx
—
Sail Area
Sovereign 30 ★
429 sq ft
Contour 30
—
Cs 30
462 sq ft
Mirage 30 Sx
474 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Sovereign 30 ★
—
Contour 30
—
Cs 30
150 s/nm
Mirage 30 Sx
120 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Sovereign 30 ★
19.2
Contour 30
—
Cs 30
18.5
Mirage 30 Sx
23.3
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Sovereign 30 ★
24.9
Contour 30
2.8
Cs 30
20.8
Mirage 30 Sx
15.4
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Sovereign 30 ★
1.76
Contour 30
6.44
Cs 30
2.05
Mirage 30 Sx
2.33
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Sovereign 30 ★
249
Contour 30
107
Cs 30
—
Mirage 30 Sx
187
Hull Speed
Sovereign 30 ★
6.4 kts
Contour 30
6.5 kts
Cs 30
6.8 kts
Mirage 30 Sx
6.6 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Sovereign 30 ★
2.4
Contour 30
—
Cs 30
2.7
Mirage 30 Sx
3.6
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