The size of sailboats offered by shipyards continues to grow. Today, it is increasingly difficult to find mass-produced 8-meter sailboats. Some niche shipyards, French or foreign, have taken advantage of this to carve out a place for themselves. I’m thinking of the Breton brands Marée Haute, Idb Marine, La Pabook Compagnie, or the Austrian Winner Yachts, for example.
However, these new 8-meter sailboats are not affordable for everyone. Today, many households cannot afford to invest more than €50,000 in a boat. Fortunately, the used market is full of “small sailboats” of 8 meters. And these sailboats are generally very affordable, starting from €5,000, well-built, and very seaworthy.
I propose a list of the 10 best 8-meter sailboats, in my opinion. The goal of this list is to cater to all budgets and sailing programs. To make my selection, I used the following criteria:
- Sufficient number of units produced to have reliable feedback from owners on build quality and sailing performance.
- Boats available on the used market (except for one, but it’s really good 😊).
- Opinions from professionals (journalists and experts) that align with those of owners when they were on the market.
- Ability to maintain the boat today without any difficulty.
So, here we go. Here is my list, which you can complete and/or criticize in the comments.
Folkboat, the most built sailboat in the world
The Folkboat is a legendary sailboat, born in 1942 from a design competition in Scandinavia. It is the most built sailboat in the world. It is renowned for its robustness and excellent sailing qualities, especially when close-hauled. Its classic construction in wood or fiberglass makes it a timeless boat, much appreciated by traditional sailing enthusiasts.
- Length: 7.64 m
- Width: 2.20 m
- Draft: 1.20 m
- Weight: 1,940 kg
- Ballast: 1,050 kg
—
Écume de Mer, the first sailboat in the Tour de France à la Voile
The Écume de Mer, designed in 1969 by Jean-Marie Finot, is one of the first French mass-produced fiberglass sailboats. Fast and seaworthy, it is still popular among regatta and coastal cruising enthusiasts. Its deep cockpit and functional interior make it a pleasant boat for couples. Its very reasonable budget makes it a good first sailboat for a young couple. But be sure to anticipate any potential refurbishment work.
- Length: 8.00 m
- Width: 2.75 m
- Draft: 1.50 m
- Weight: 2,100 kg
- Ballast: 1,100 kg
—
Hallberg-Rassy 29, a Nordic star
The Hallberg-Rassy 29, launched in 1982, is a high-quality Swedish sailboat designed for offshore cruising. It combines comfort, elegance, and sailing performance, with a refined interior typical of the brand. Its excellent behavior at sea makes it a safe choice for long-distance sailing.
- Length: 8.90 m
- Width: 2.83 m
- Draft: 1.60 m
- Weight: 3,600 kg
- Ballast: 1,650 kg
—
Dufour 2800, the classic, sober, and efficient sailboat
The Dufour 2800 is one of the best-sellers from the Dufour shipyard. Designed in 1977 by Michel Dufour, this versatile sailboat is appreciated for its generous living space, stability, and reassuring behavior at sea. It is ideal for coastal cruising as a couple. While its style is clearly outdated, the boat is reliable.
- Length: 8.25 m
- Width: 2.93 m
- Draft: 1.55 m
- Weight: 2,600 kg
- Ballast: 1,100 kg
—
Contessa 28, the English class
The Contessa 28, built in the UK by Jeremy Rogers, is a robust and well-finished sailboat. It is appreciated for its upwind performance and its ability to handle rough seas. Its classic and well-laid-out interior offers good comfort for cruising. This Doug Peterson design is a sailboat that performs exceptionally well when close-hauled. Pay special attention to the deck, which is sandwich-structured.
- Length: 8.50 m
- Width: 2.82 m
- Draft: 1.55 m
- Weight: 3,175 kg
- Ballast: 1,500 kg
—
Kelt 8.50, the full-keel sailboat that goes anywhere
The Kelt 8.50 is a fast cruising sailboat designed by Gilles Vaton (in my opinion, one of the best naval architects of his generation). Named Sailboat of the Year upon its release, the Kelt 8.50 is considered one of the best sailboats of its generation. It stands out for its spacious and bright interior, comfortable cockpit, and excellent sailing performance. With its deep ballast, it performs well even in rough seas.
- Length: 8.50 m
- Width: 3.00 m
- Draft: 1.65 m
- Weight: 2,900 kg
- Ballast: 1,200 kg
—
Feeling 286, the clever little sailboat
The Feeling 286, built by Kirie and also designed by Gilles Vaton, is a modern and comfortable sailboat, ideal for family cruising. It offers a well-laid-out interior with good headroom and a hull that ensures smooth sailing. But this sailboat also hides some great innovations, such as its rounded bow, the engine position under the saloon table, and the version with two aft cabins.
- Length: 8.60 m
- Width: 3.10 m
- Draft: 1.55 m
- Weight: 2,800 kg
- Ballast: 1,000 kg
—
Sun Dream 28, the character cruiser
The Sun Dream 28, designed by Tony Castro for Jeanneau, is a high-performance and pleasant cruising sailboat. It is appreciated for its balance under sail and ease of handling. Its warm interior makes it a boat suitable for extended outings. Beneath its calm cruiser appearance, it hides an excellent hull with exceptional sailing qualities.
- Length: 8.50 m
- Width: 2.98 m
- Draft: 1.55 m
- Weight: 2,800 kg
- Ballast: 1,000 kg
—
Pogo 8.50, the seaworthy race-cruiser
The Pogo 8.50, designed by Pierre Rolland and built by Pogo Structures, is a race-cruiser type sailboat. Its planing hull and low weight allow it to plane quickly under sail, providing thrilling sensations for speed enthusiasts.
- Length: 8.50 m
- Width: 3.60 m
- Draft: 1.95 m
- Weight: 2,300 kg
- Ballast: 950 kg
—
Mojito 888, the sailboat that gets everything right
The Mojito 888 is a modern sailboat that combines design and performance. Built in small series, it is aimed at sailors looking for a lively and well-designed boat, ideal for fast cruising or coastal racing.
- Length: 8.88 m
- Width: 3.00 m
- Draft: 1.75 m
- Weight: 2,800 kg
- Ballast: 1,100 kg
—
Of course, these boats are not the only ones deserving a place on your list. But making a top 10 requires making choices, sometimes subjective. And I accept that other 8-meter boats are also very good, such as the First 27.7, First 29, Arcadia, Gib Sea 80, Sun 2500, First 30, Aquila, Gib Sea 84, or even the Gib Sea 28. But I’ll let you complete the list.