sigma 33 sailboat

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Sigma 33: one of the most successful one designs ever launched

• David Harding
• January 20, 2023

One of the most successful offshore one-designs ever launched, the Sigma 33 is also becoming widely recognised as a capable and versatile cruising yacht

The Sigma 33’s hull is a strongly built one-piece GRP structure, hand-laid using chopped-strand mat and woven rovings. Credit: David Harding Credit: David Harding

Product Overview

Manufacturer:, price as reviewed:.

The Sigma 33 is known for many things. She’s the boat that was to have been called the Skua 33 until an existing Skua class complained and her name was changed.

She’s the boat that missed out on selection as one of the three ‘official’ one designs following the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s one-design conference in 1978, but which went on to outsell all those that were chosen.

She’s the boat that was known as the ‘six-knots upwind and six-knots downwind ’ boat – rather unkindly, perhaps.

The deck-stepped fractional rig has a single set of well-swept spreaders. Credit: David Harding

But above all she’s known as one of the most outstandingly successful one-design racing yachts the world has ever known, fielding fleets of 70+ boats at Cowes Week in the early 1980s.

Of a total of 364 Sigma 33s built between 1978 and 1991, that’s a remarkably high percentage making the start line.

It proved how precisely she hit the spot. Her designer, David Thomas, had done it again.

He said to me on a number of occasions that the trick wasn’t just to design a boat that people wanted to sail; you also had to design a boat that people wanted to buy.

He was very good at that.

Growing popularity of the Sigma 33

As a racing boat, then, the Sigma 33 was an unqualified success.

She wasn’t the trendiest boat of her size, and today, 45 years on, she’s widely seen as perhaps a little staid and pedestrian in racing circles.

Thomas wanted a boat that was modern yet not extreme; that looked reasonably racy and was easy to sail close to its potential.

The deck layout of the Sigma 33 is conventional for a performance cruiser of the time. Non-skid strips forward of the mast and on the foredeck are helpful for the mastman and bowman. Credit: David Harding

This wasn’t a boat in which the hot-shots would disappear over the horizon while the club sailors were spat out of the back of the fleet.

She’s forgiving and easy to get going; qualities that make her popular in short-handed races to this day.

A lot of race boats are hard to keep on the boil, demanding full concentration all the time.

The Sigma 33 isn’t like that, but getting the last 5% out of her is hard. That’s what made the racing close and made it difficult to win.

David Thomas himself won the nationals more than once in his own Sigma 33, Circe .

Despite her one- design origins, the Sigma 33 makes an excellent fast cruiser. Over 360 were built. Credit: David Harding

It wasn’t just as a one-design that the Sigma excelled, however. Designed towards the end of the International Offshore Rule era, she also proved to be competitive under IOR.

What’s more, though conceived as a race boat, she wasn’t so flighty that leisurely sailing was out of the question, or that sailing from the Solent to Cork Week with a small delivery crew would be a major challenge.

In fact the cruising potential was recognised when, in 1981, Marine Projects started building a cruising version, the 33C, with a shorter masthead rig and longer, shallower keel .

Even this de-tuned Sigma was no slouch.

After a double Atlantic crossing, a 33C won the two-handed class in the breezy 2011 Fastnet.

A Sigma 36 finished second and a 38 came fourth.

Signs of the time

Looking at the Sigma 33 now, it’s not hard to date her as a design.

The raked stem, the relatively low hounds, the narrow stern (by modern standards) and the IOR-shaped keel (longer in the chord at the root than at the tip) all give you a pretty good idea of when she was launched.

A classically proportioned fractional rig and balanced hull lines combine to create an attractive boat. Credit: David Harding

David Thomas later said that she would have been faster if she hadn’t had ‘an upside-down keel’.

That was the shape of the day, because the IOR penalised stability: a low centre of gravity didn’t get you a favourable rating.

Despite all this, and largely because she was (and is) a conservative design in many ways, the Sigma has had a long life both as a racer and as a cruiser.

She proved her offshore capabilities early on, when two boats survived the 1979 Fastnet Race .

One was sailed by David Thomas, with a crew that included Bill Dixon and Sigma surveyor supreme, David ‘Hoppy’ Hopkins.

A full-depth cockpit locker to starboard swallows plenty of warps and fenders. Credit: David Harding

Sigma 33s are still winning today at national level under IRC, one topping its class in Cowes Week in 2021.

They’re also becoming increasingly accepted as good cruising boats.

Some owners, on giving up racing to go cruising, have decided to make a few changes to their Sigma rather than to change boats.

One with whom I sailed 10 years ago had bought a 33 with the intention of racing it. He had raced dinghies and smaller cruisers, but enjoyed the cruising so much that he never actually raced the Sigma.

He frequently sailed past 40-footers, and returned from Cherbourg to Poole on one occasion in 6.5 hours. Of course speed is relative.

A lever backstay tensioner worked well on Sigmas, though some owners added yet more power. Credit: David Harding

Would a Sigma 33 ever get the better of today’s 33ft pace-setters, such as the Sun Fast 3300, J/99 or JPK 1010?

Highly unlikely, even if it was upwind all the way, but the Sigma is still capable of springing surprises on the race course.

In any event, she’s a quick boat for a 33ft cruiser.

One Sigma owner who knows this is Mark Heseltine, who has co-owned Trufflehunter since 1985.

And that’s not the full extent of his involvement in Sigmas, because he had a share in one of the very first boats to leave the factory some years earlier.

Stowage for a liferaft is beneath a lift-out moulding at the forward end of the cockpit. Credit: David Harding

That one had been a move up from a GK 24, both the GK and the first Sigma being named Proven Sharpe after CID detective Chief Superintendent Proven Sharpe, who was based nearby in Devon at the time.

CS Sharpe graciously consented to the use of his name and even popped along to the GK’s launching party.

Before moving into cruisers, Mark had spent many years racing dinghies and had also been involved in an Olympic campaign in the Soling with his brother, Richard, competing against the likes of John Oakeley.

Having joined the offshore world – while continuing to sail dinghies too – Mark did a substantial amount of offshore sailing, including the 1982 Round Britain Race in the first Sigma.

Towing genoa cars are well worth having whether you’re cruising or racing. Credit: David Harding

Entrants on that occasion included Robin Knox-Johnston , Chay Blyth , John Oakeley (again), Rob and Naomi James and Bob Fisher.

Along with Chay Blyth (during his British Steel days) and the late great Mike Birch, Rob and Naomi James were among the big names of the day to spend time in Dartmouth in the 1970s.

Both Mark and I were based on the Dart and doing a lot of sailing – often in different boats, sometimes in the same one – so we were fortunate to find ourselves rubbing shoulders with some of the world’s greatest sailors.

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Little and larger

At various times Mark had the GK 24, a J/24 and the Sigma 33s, all of which I raced with him from Dartmouth and sometimes elsewhere.

We sailed in a distinctly blustery J/24 nationals in Poole in 1984, which preceded the worlds and where the entry list was a veritable Who’s Who of the yacht-racing world.

Another national championship was with the Sigma in Cowes in 1989 – a year when a certain Mr Thomas won – so when we met for a sail last summer it had been over 30 years since I had sailed on Trufflehunter and too long since I had sailed from Dittisham, where I was brought up and where Mark’s family has kept boats since the 1950s.

A nicely finished saloon for a sporty boat, with no interior mouldings, bulkheads bonded directly to hull and deck, and vinyl panels overhead. Credit: David Harding

We chose a stunning day for our sail, with just enough wind after an hour or two to get Trufflehunter powered up nicely and remind me that the Sigma 33 is a thoroughly enjoyable and responsive boat to sail.

At the helm you have a comfortable perch on the coamings abaft the mainsheet traveller.

For fully crewed racing or short-handed cruising, the layout and hardware work well, though if single-handing without an autopilot you need to hop over the traveller to reach the headsail winches on their plinths either side of the companionway.

Mark treated Trufflehunter to a Harken windward-sheeting car while he was still racing (winning the European Championship in 1990 and the nationals in 1995).

Otherwise, most of the hardware is original.

Hanging space with zip-up doors opposite the heads between the saloon and forecabin. Credit: David Harding

As for the ‘software’, cruising sails in Dacron have replaced the racing laminates.

The mainsail has luff sliders rather than a bolt-rope, and the headsail is on a reefing system.

Despite having made these changes for ease of handling, Mark acknowledges that: ‘Sigma 33s are still jolly good cruising boats even with the original sails, because they sail fantastically well with the working jib in any sort of breeze. We had a cracking sail once along the south coast of Brittany, slicing through the 40-footers that were struggling with their roller-reefing headsails. We overtook them with no trouble’.

As we sailed across Start Bay, Mark refreshed my memory on some of the details when he and two other crew were lifted by helicopter from a liferaft after abandoning a 39-footer west of Bermuda.

They had been on a delivery from the UK to Annapolis when the keel started wobbling rather alarmingly and showed every sign of being about to drop off.

They didn’t wait for that to happen. The boat was never seen again.

A good-sized chart table with stowage and instrument space – something rarely found on modern 33-footers. Credit: David Harding

Mark’s account of the incident was published in Yachting Monthly in 1986.

Having not arrived in the USA quite as he had hoped on that occasion, Mark made it more comfortably a few years later as commodore of the Royal Western Yacht Club, to greet the finishers in the 2000 OSTAR (singlehanded trans-Atlantic race) that had been started in Plymouth by the RWYC.

One of the prizes he presented was to Ellen MacArthur, the surprise winner of the Open 60s.

MacArthur returned the favour two years later, presenting Mark with the trophy for winning the Squib class in Cowes Week.

On the subject of comfortable arrivals, let’s take a quick look below decks on the Sigma.

To starboard of the companionway, the galley is basic but perfectly functional. Credit: David Harding

It’s the traditional British layout: forecabin, heads and hanging locker, saloon, galley, chart table and quarter berth.

With no internal mouldings except in the heads, stowage and access to the hull is generally good, though the space under the saloon berths is used for water tankage to centralise the weight.

You can stand up (headroom is 6ft 1in/1.85m), lie down and cook, both in harbour and under way.

For a boat that was conceived as a one-design, it’s pretty civilised.

Verdict on the Sigma 33

Between his sailing bases in Plymouth and on the Dart, Mark’s smaller boats in recent decades have included a Devon Yawl, a Squib and a J/80.

But it’s the Sigma that has proved to have the staying power, and it’s easy to see why.

Whatever sailors of modern, sportier boats might have to say, the Sigma 33 is not a ‘six knots upwind and six knots downwind’ boat.

Six knots is not a bad upwind speed for a 33-footer anyway – as long as the boat points, which the Sigma does – and, while she might not surf downwind as readily as some, she will get up and go.

I remember a lively spinnaker reach back across the English Channel in the pitch black of the early hours during the offshore race of the 1989 nationals, when we were all trimming hard to use every surfable wave.

Although designed as a racing boat, the Sigma 33 has a cockpit that works equally well for leisurely sailing. Credit: David Harding

We managed a lot more than six knots then, and Mark’s maximum to date has been 14.4 knots.

The Sigma 33 has mellowed with age. She’s no longer the boat of the argy-bargy racer, of ‘he who shouts loudest at the leeward mark’.

She did have that reputation for a time.

And while it’s true that some 33s that have been raced hard might look a little worn, on the whole they’re pretty tough boats.

Cosmetics aside, these boats have stood up well when not sailed by crews who went mad with ultra-powerful backstay tensioners.

Mark put Trufflehunter through an extensive refurbishment over the winter of 2021-2022 and she looks remarkably fresh for a 35-year-old boat.

As another Sigma 33 owner put it recently, ‘This is a boat that looks good, looks after you and is fun to be with. Those are three vital elements in any relationship.’

Expert opinion on the Sigma 33

Ben Sutcliffe-Davies, Marine Surveyor and full member of the Yacht Brokers Designers & Surveyors Association (YDSA) www.bensutcliffemarine.co.uk

The longevity of the Sigma 33 is a testament to David Thomas’s design and the build quality of Marine Projects.

When considering a Sigma 33, be mindful of the boat’s background, particularly the kind of sailing she has done.

Several of them have been raced hard, so background checks on racing campaigns and incidents is extremely prudent.

I have surveyed several Sigma 33s as part of damage claims or pre-purchase surveys.

Accommodation plan for a Sigma 33. Credit: Maxine Heath

The common issues are usually the softening of decks, when they are balsa core, and the cracking of areas around deck combining arrangements.

Pay close attention to the hull-to-deck joints; any issues are likely to be caused from previous contact or collisions with other boats, where these joints have been compromised.

One of the classic clues is the condition of her alloy toe rail for impacts; examine the bedding down of the toe rail too for signs of contact.

Look internally for any signs of water damage as a result of impacts.

Sail plan for a Sigma 33. Credit: Maxine Heath

Watch out for any cracks or failing of the main bulkhead; I am aware of many owners who overload the rig when tuning it.

Make sure you take the boat out of the water and carry out a keel tip test; it is important to see the hull with the keel in suspension.

Load the base of the keel to make sure the keel and, in particular the hull, doesn’t deflect.

Then set the craft down and ensure the hull doesn’t sag over the keel which could indicate laminate softening developing around keel root areas.

Alternatives to the Sigma 33

Westerly fulmar.

A rudder that turns through almost 180° makes the Fulmar very manoeuvrable. Credit: Colin Work

Surprising though it might seem in some ways, the Fulmar has much in common with the Sigma 33.

The boats were aimed at different markets when they were launched in the late 1970s, but both came from well-known British builders and designers, some of their vital statistics are not dissimilar, both have fractional rigs, their layouts below decks are fundamentally the same and they both sail very nicely indeed.

The Fulmar is a heavier boat with a higher ballast ratio and shallower draught, and was conceived with more of an emphasis on cruising.

Nonetheless, she quickly established a reputation for being fast, responsive and enjoyable to sail, and is widely regarded as one of the best Westerlys ever built.

After the Westerly Griffon , she was the second design by Ed Dubois, who was commissioned to give Westerly a sportier and more modern image.

Whereas the Griffon replaced the Centaur (eventually, because demand meant the Centaur had to remain in production for a while), the Fulmar replaced the Laurent Giles-designed 31s – Longbow, Renown, Pentland and Berwick.

The Fulmar was offered with a choice of fin or twin keels. Credit: David Harding

In Westerly tradition she was offered with a choice of fin or twin keels, and a few were also built with lifting keels that swung up under the hull.

In fin-keel form she was used for the Royal Lymington Cup for a number of years.

This match-racing series attracted many of the world’s top sailors of the day and did the Fulmar’s reputation no harm at all.

Despite being perhaps a little more cruisey than some of them were used to, she was recognised as a swift boat with few vices and remarkable manoeuvrability, which made her ideally suited to the role.

Few changes were made during the 12-year production run, though a small number of boats were built with aft cabins in place of the quarter berth.

Then in 1992 she was given a sugar-scoop and stretched to become the Fulmar 33.

Only a handful of 33s were built before production finally ended in 1997. Well over 400 Fulmars left the factory in total.

The OOD 34 was later modified to become the Contessa 34. Credit: David Harding

Another design from the same era, the OOD 34 was the largest of the three boats selected by the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s 1978 one-design conference, together with the Impala 28 and the Aphrodite 101.

She came from the board of Doug Peterson, whose Contessa 28 had been launched the year before, in 1977.

Despite her ‘official one-design’ status, the OOD 34 was never destined to sell in large numbers.

While some survived the 1979 Fastnet relatively unscathed, two found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time.

One was abandoned after capsizing, and the other sank following multiple knockdowns.

The design – built, like the Contessa 32, by Jeremy Rogers – was subsequently held up as an example of how relatively light-displacement boats with high-volume hulls were inherently less stable than the likes of the Contessa.

In her defence, many felt that the OOD had been both unlucky and unfairly singled out.

OOD 34s have subsequently been cruised and raced widely, though their masthead rig and large foretriangle can make them physically demanding in racing mode.

The class hasn’t raced as a one-design for some years and the 80-odd boats built (by injection-moulding, of which Rogers was an early adopter) are now widely scattered, with most being in the UK and Holland .

After production of the OOD ended, about 20 more were built as the Contessa 34, with a shorter rig, heavier keel and a different deck and interior.

Albin Nova 33

Fast and well finished, the Albin Nova 33 sold in large numbers in Scandinavia. Credit: David Harding

Designed by Peter Norlin and built in Sweden by Albin Marine, the Nova 33 proved extremely popular in Scandinavia.

Around 500 were built during a production run of 16 years – more than the Sigma 33 or even the Fulmar – though they’re less well known in the UK.

In traditional Scandinavian style, they’re slippery boats with a generous fractional rig.

Even so, they’re generally regarded as well mannered and easy to sail.

The iron fin keel is relatively long and a skeg runs aft to the semi-balanced rudder.

Like most boats of this era, they will struggle to keep up with newer designs downwind in any breeze but are known as exceptional performers to windward.

A keel-stepped rig keeps the mast section reasonably slim.

Unlike many Scandinavian designs the Nova has a keel cast in iron rather than lead.

Below decks the layout is very much of its time and similar to the Sigma and Fulmar, only with the chart table and quarter berth to starboard instead of to port.

It’s a wide berth; sometimes considered a cosy double for two slim people on intimate terms. Interior fit-out is to a high standard.

Well-finished woodwork abounds, and stowage – including plentiful drawers– makes good use of the space.

This feature, together with the pillar handholds by galley and chart table and the coaming locker in the cockpit, set her apart from most modern equivalents.

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• Sigma 33 Sailboat

The Sigma 33 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Sigma 33 sailboat was designed by British naval architect David Thomas and built by Marine Projects at the company's premises in Plymouth, England. Known for its performance and reliability, the Sigma 33 has earned a good reputation within the sailing community since its introduction.

There were two versions of the Sigma 33:

• The cruising version, a masthead sloop sometimes known as the 33C, which is shown here, and...
• The performance version, the Sigma 33 OOD ( O ffshore O ne D esign), which has a taller fractional rig and a deeper fin keel.

Published Specification for the Sigma 33 Sailboat

Keel & Rudder Configuration: Fin keel with a spade rudder Hull Material: Fiberglass (GRP) Length Overall (LOA): 9.8m (32'2") Waterline Length (LWL): 7.7m (25'3") Beam: 3.2m (10'6") Draft: 1.75m (5'9") Rig Type: Masthead sloop Displacement: 4,150kg (9,150lb) Ballast: 1,905kg (4,200lb) Designer: David Thomas Builder: Marine Projects (Plymouth) Ltd. Year First Built: 1979 Year Last Built: 1991 Number Built: Approximately 390

Published Design Ratios for the Sigma 33 Sailboat The Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Sail Area/Displacement Ratio (17.8): This ratio falls within the range of 16 to 20, which suggests that the Sigma 33 has reasonably good sailing performance. It's not a high-performance racing boat but should still have decent power relative to its weight, offering a good balance between performance and handling.
• Ballast/Displacement Ratio (46.0): * With a value above 40, the Sigma 33 is considered to be a stiff and powerful boat. It should be able to stand up well to stronger winds. However, this ratio does not account for the location of the ballast. If the ballast is primarily located lower down (e.g., in a bulb at the foot of the keel), the boat would be stiffer compared to if the ballast were distributed higher up in a shallow draft keel.
• Displacement/Length Ratio (234): Falling within the moderate displacement range (200-275), the Sigma 33 is neither a lightweight nor a heavily built boat. This suggests that it requires a moderate amount of sail area to reach its hull speed. It strikes a balance between stability and performance, being solid enough to handle moderate conditions without being sluggish.
• Comfort Ratio (22.8): ** This value indicates a motion characteristic of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability. It should provide a relatively comfortable ride for coastal cruising and occasional offshore passages, reflecting a level of motion that is not too harsh for most sailing enthusiasts, but it might not be as comfortable as a heavier bluewater cruiser in rough seas.
• Capsize Screening Formula (2.0): The value of 2.0 is right on the threshold for bluewater capability, suggesting that the Sigma 33 has potential for offshore passages. However, boats with a lower value are generally better suited for extended bluewater cruising. This value implies that the Sigma 33 has a reasonable balance between beam and displacement to reduce capsize risk, but it might not be the best choice for extreme conditions.

* Limitations of Ballast/Displacement Ratio: This ratio provides a general idea of a boat's stability and ability to stand up to wind, but it does not consider the distribution of the ballast. The same amount of ballast located lower in the keel (e.g., in a bulb) results in greater stability and stiffness compared to ballast distributed higher up. Understanding the exact configuration of the ballast is crucial for a complete assessment of a boat's stability.

** Comfort Ratio Considerations: Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio tends to favor heavy displacement, narrow-beamed vessels with long overhangs, which may not accurately reflect the comfort of modern light-displacement, beamy cruisers with plumb bows. These modern designs might still provide good crew comfort and bluewater capability but score lower on the Comfort Ratio simply due to their design differences. Therefore, while the Comfort Ratio offers useful insights, it might not fully represent the comfort levels of contemporary yacht designs.

In summary, the Sigma 33 sailboat appears to be a well-balanced cruiser with good performance, reasonable stability, moderate motion comfort, and moderate suitability for bluewater passages. However, the theoretical nature of these ratios means that practical performance can vary, especially considering factors like ballast placement and modern design features that are not fully captured by traditional design ratios.

Here's how to calculate the KPIs yourself -  without having to wrestle with the mathematics...

Yachting Press Reviews for the  Sigma 33 Sailboat

Sailing Today says: " Jake Frith took a 1982 one design cruiser racer for a dash around the central Solent. Would this racing thoroughbred prove too flighty for cruising duties?" Read more...  

Yachting Monthly tells us: " One of the most successful offshore one-designs ever launched, the Sigma 33 is also becoming widely recognised as a capable and versatile cruising yacht." Read more...  

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.

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Welcome to the Sigma 33OOD

The Sigma 33 OOD (Offshore One Design) was designed by David Thomas, and introduced in 1978, becoming an immediate success. The original Sigma 33 OOD has a deep fin keel and a fractional rig.

From 1981 onwards a 'detuned' cruising version was also produced, with less sail area on a shorter masthead rig, and a shallower but heavier fin keel. Although still moderately fast yachts, and excellent boats, these were never as popular as the original OOD versions, which were equally capable as cruising and racing yachts.

About 410 of the two types were built, until production ended in the early 1990s. 'Practical Boat Owner' describe the design as ".... an excellent fast cruiser", and 'Sailing Today' said the design was ".... fast, stable, and of course, a pleasure to sail". Despite being an old design, Sigma 33s still turn up doing well in almost every major offshore event's race results, and have made long passages as pure cruisers - at least one has circumnavigated and several have crossed the Atlantic. Their heavy weather ability was proved early on as two survived the 1979 Fastnet race.

The class is still very active as a one design class with annual Class Championships around the UK and Ireland, as well as one design starts at the Scottish Series, Dun Laoghaire Regatta and Cowes. It is also very competitive under IRC with a OOD class handicap of just 0.912. 

There are active Sigma 33 fleets in:

South West 

Clyde (Scotland)

Belfast Lough (Northern Ireland)

Pwheli and Aberscoch (Wales)

Dublin Bay and Irish Sea

Holland (International)

Class Championships

Held annually, a chance for Sigma 33s  across the world to compete against each other for the Class Championship Trophy. The Class Championships/Nationals are held annually at a different location each year :

 Bangor 2022, Dun Laoghaire 2021, Dartmouth 2019, Helensburgh 2018, Bangor 2016, Cowes 2015, Abersoch 2014, Helensburgh 2013, Dublin Bay (2012), Bangor (2011), Cowes (2010), Tarbert (2009), Dublin Bay (2008), Yarmouth, Isle of Wight (2007), Belfast (2006), Torquay (2005), Cork (2004), Dublin Bay (2003), Clyde (2002), Falmouth (2001), Cork (2000).

The AGM is hosted during the Class Championships with the chance to elect or join the new committee, discuss any issues and agree any proposed rule changes.

Class Measurement Rules

The latest 2022 Class Measurement Rules are available in Documents

The Sigma 33 OOD - about the boat

• Designed by David Thomas, well-known for cruiser / racer designs such as Sonata, Impala, Sigma 33 and 38, as well as the Hunter 707. • The original concept was to design a 35 footer to compete for acceptance at the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s 1978 Offshore One-design Conference, which was to select three one-designs to promote in substitution for the then-prevalent IOR system. The three chosen were the Impala, the 101 (designed by Jan Kjaerulff) and Jeremy Rodgers’ OOD 34. Sensing that the 33 foot 101 was too Scandinavian for British tastes, David Thomas decided to scale down to 33 feet. His intention was to design a moderate displacement yacht that would look racy and be competitive under IOR, but be tractable and easy to sail to near optimum speed. • Initially the class was named the Skua 33, but when a Scottish fleet advised that they were already called Skuas, the name was changed to Sigma 33. • Built by Marine Projects (Plymouth) Limited in Devon. (Tel:01752-203888) • Total number built - 364 Starting in December 1978 with hull no. A3001 Ending in December 1991 with hull no. A3364. (In addition, approximately 44 Sigma 33Cs were built between November 1981 and April 1985, with hull numbers between A4001 and A4212. These have a shorter, masthead rig and a longer, shallower draft keel.) • Builder’s Dimensions: L.O.A. 32’ 6” 9.88m L.W.L. 26’ 3” 8.00m Beam 10’ 6” 3.20m Draft 5’ 9” 1.75m Displacement 9,200lbs 4,182kg • Construction is straightforward GRP with foam-cored floors and integral bulkheads. Early boats had off-white hull gel coats with either blue or cream decks; later ones had white hulls and decks plus aluminium window frames and go-faster stripes along the coachroof. The interior joinery was also altered. • Class sails are by Elstrom Sails, HYS, Port Hamble, Hamble, Southampton, Hampshire SO31 4NN. Tel: 023 8045 0430. The class has adopted relatively high-tech Genesis Platinum sails which incorporate kevlar fibres. • Price when new in 1979 was £16,790 plus VAT. By 1990 this had risen to £37,475 plus VAT.

Jeff Worboys

Saling Area - Solent

Sigma 33 - Workout

Tony Gorman

South Coast Rep

Sigma 33 - Stan the Boat

Our Committee

Toby Claridge

South West Coast Rep

Sigma 33 - Excelle

Irish Sea Rep

Sigma 33 - Partisan

Stephen Mulanney

Dublin Bay Rep

Sigma 33 - Insider

Paul Prentice

Northern Ireland Rep

Sigma 33 - Squawk

Alan Lennox

Scotland Rep

Sigma 33 - Miss Behavin

James Miller

Sigma 33 - Mayrise

Review of Sigma 33

Basic specs..

Both the hull and the deck is made of fibreglass. Generally, a hull made of fibreglass requires only a minimum of maintenance during the sailing season. And outside the sailing season, just bottom cleaning and perhaps anti-fouling painting once a year - a few hours of work, that's all.

The boat equipped with a fractional rig. A fractional rig has smaller headsails which make tacking easier, which is an advantage for cruisers and racers, of course. The downside is that having the wind from behind often requires a genaker or a spinnaker for optimal speed.

The Sigma 33 has been built with different keel alternatives.

One option is a fin keel. The fin keel is the most common keel and provides splendid manoeuvrability. The downside is that it has less directional stability than a long keel.

The keel is made of iron. Many people prefer lead keel in favour of iron. The main argument is that lead is much heavier than iron and a lead keel can therefore be made smaller which again result in less wet surface, i.e. less drag. In fact iron is quite heavy, just 30% less heavy than lead, so the advantage of a lead keel is often overstated. As the surface of a fin type keel is just a fraction of the total wet surface, the difference between an iron keel and a lead keel can in reality be ignored for cruising yachts.

The boat can enter most marinas as the draft is just about 1.75 - 1.85 meter (5.74 - 6.04 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

Another option is a long keel. A full keel provide a better directional stability than a similar boat with a fin keel; on the other hand, better directional stability means also that the boat is more difficult to handle in a harbour with less space.

This keel is also made of iron.

The boat can enter even shallow marinas as the draft is just about 1.46 - 1.56 meter (4.79 - 5.09 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

Sigma 33 is typically equipped with an inboard Volvo Penta 2002 diesel engine at 18 hp (13 kW). Calculated max speed is about 5.2 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 Sigma 33 is 1.98, 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 6.9 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 Sigma 33 is about 171 kg/cm, alternatively 960 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 171 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 960 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 a Ballast Ratio?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

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

What is Relative Speed Performance?

Maintenance

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 30m 2 (322 ft 2 ). Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

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 is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

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

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Sigma 33 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.

• Marine Projects

Sigma 33 - Marine Projects / STW003852

cabin cruiser

Volvo 18 HP

overall length

hull length

waterline length

standard draft

minimum draft

displacement

diesel tank

mast height

Accomodation layouts

standard version

If you find some wrong or lacking data of this boat, you can propose an update.

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Used Test – Sigma 33

The Sigma 33 was the first in a long series of offshore capable cruiser racers produced by Marine Projects from the late ’70s and was the company’s first dalliance with one design yachts, a Sigma forte later consolidated with the benchmark 38. The Sigma 33 was one of the latest must have sporty boats when the ’79 Fastnet wreaked its havoc and, like other notable designs, such as the Contessa 32, this disaster helped seal its reputation. Designer David Thomas was aboard one of the Sigma 33 prototypes in that fateful race and, despite several knockdowns, some cracking around the coachroof, a stove-in window and split washboards, the crew refused rescue from a Dutch Naval vessel and the plucky Sigma continued to Newlyn.

The experience prompted some detail changes to later models of the boat (smaller windows, beefed up washboards, different coachroof layup), but the general design had proved her pedigree in atrocious conditions.

Some might argue that the Sigma 33 was not a runaway success when first launched, because it was designed by Thomas as an answer to a search for three new one design models instigated by RORC’s Offshore One Design Conference in 1978. When the OODC plumped for the OOD 34, Hunter Impala and Aphrodite 101 as its chosen designs, it could have left the Sigma as just a pretty set of lines on the shelf of a design office. However, Marine Projects, who were building Moodys in Plymouth at the time, were persuaded to take the design on, building it under their new Sigma Yachts subsidiary.

Marine Projects’ size meant that the hulls could be built identically, so that there would be opportunity to build a one design fleet should the boat take off, but Thomas had also designed the boat to rate well under the then popular IOR rule, so it had broader appeal. With 408 of the boats being built from 1978 to 1991, it was by far the runaway success of the Sigma family and it gained a strong following as a one design class throughout the 80s and beyond. 44 of the boats were built to the ‘C’ specification to denote Cruising. These had a shorter masthead rig, smaller sails and shallower keel. Boozeroo, the boat that we are testing here comes under a third column, one of several Sigma 33 OODs that have been retired from the racecourse and converted over the years for fast cruising use. She’s now out of class for one design racing and she carries a slightly cut down mainsail, plus her genoa is the size of her old racing number two headsail. Of course, she retains the benefits of the deeper racing keel along with the cruising constraints of having a 1.75m draught.

Tony and Amina Cleal bought Boozeroo in 2006 after 10 years with a much loved Macwester 27. The pair, along with their sailing mad cocker spaniel Aoife spend long periods aboard the boat, hence the home comforts, such as the charcoal heater. Tony and Amina have clocked up something between eight and ten thousand miles with a long term summer cruise most years, taking in many stopovers from Lewis in the north to Ille d’Yeu to the south.

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Search our catalog, go direct, enter a boat reference, sigma 33 ood, £ 17,500.00.

• Boat REF#  ·  334322
• Length  ·  9.88m
• Year  ·  1987
• Construction  ·  GRP
• Underwater profile  ·  Fin
• Sleeping berths  ·  7
• Engine  ·  1 x diesel 18hp, Volvo Penta (2002)
• Lying  ·  Isle of Wight

Boatshed IOW

• Watch in My Boatshed
• Print Print spec sheet Print Boat Photos
• Specification
• Additional Information

Extra Details

2 batteries replaced 2023 Electrical work 2023 including second switch panel and replacement isolator

Sloop rigged Aluminium spars (1987) with Stainless Steel standing rigging ()

Running rigging replaced 2023

Electrical Systems

12 volt battery, 240 shore power voltage, 3 batteries charged by: engine, solar panels

Construction

Accommodation

Head serviced and seals replaced

2 burner propane Stove

2 halyard winches 4 sheet winches 1 anchors Micropower dory (9') dinghy () (Hard Dinghy) Removable stainless davits

Nav Equipment

VHF aerial and cable new 2023

Safety Equipment

2 bilge pumps (1 manual / 1 electric)

New jack stays 2024 (not yet fitted)

Broker's Comments

The Sigma 33 is considered to be one of the most successful cruiser/racer designs ever. Designed by David Thomas and built by Marine Projects, around 400 were produced and most UK sailing clubs have at least a couple turning out for local racing every week as well as a healthy national championship fleet and their own class at Cowes Week.

They were designed as a boat that would be competitive and enjoyable to race without requiring a huge budget (or crew) but equally are great cruising boats, safe and practical on deck, comfortable and bright down below and perfectly manageable short handed or for a family.

This particular boat was surveyed in 2022 and had any defects remedied and a good maintenance schedule since. She has just been relaunched (April 2024) after engine service and is antifouled for the season. She has all kinds of extras, removable davits and a hard dinghy are included and is well presented.

These boat details are subject to contract. Note: Offers on the asking price may be considered.

Owners FAQ's

How long have you owned the boat for, why are you selling her, where have you sailed her.

South coast UK

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Corinne Gillard

Cost Of Ownership

The Sigma 33 c is a 32.5ft masthead sloop designed by David Thomas and built in fiberglass since 1979.

The Sigma 33 c is a moderate weight sailboat which is a reasonably good performer. It is reasonably stable / stiff and has a good righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a coastal cruiser. The fuel capacity is originally very small.

Sigma 33 c for sale elsewhere on the web:

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• Sailboat Guide

1985 Sigma 33 OOD

• Description

Seller's Description

British-built One Ocean Design with an abundance of gear and recently sanded and painted in 2021! Very neat boat in need of some soft good updating and bottom job! Motivated seller! Slip is available with the sale! Schedule your showing today!

Equipment: Deck mounted AC/heating unit Custom wheelhouse Raymarine autopilot and radome Shakespeare Galaxy AIS antenna EPIRB And much more!!!

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)

The SIGMA 33C has a shorter masthead rig and shallow draft (4.83’) (44 built) More than 400 SIGMA 33’s (all versions) have been built.

This listing is presented by SailboatListings.com . Visit their website for more information or to contact the seller.

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£19,950 (tax not applicable).

Monthly (Approx)

£156 (120 months)

Specifications.

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Boat Finance

You can now part exchange your Car, Motorhome & Boat with Burton Waters.

Sigma 33 1988 cruiser / racer with Volvo Penta MD2002 18hp diesel engine on shaft drive. The David Thomas designed Sigma 33  has become a legend in its own lifetime.  This quintessential one design cruiser/racer is fun and easy to sail, great to race, and has plenty of creature comfort below to make them good cruising boats. The vessel offers up to seven berths in two cabins with a full marine head and a manually pumped 100-litre water tank. Vessel currently lying ashore at Ipswich Beacon marina and viewing available 6 days a week. 

Accommodations

The accommodation offers up to seven berths in two cabins.  In forecabin, V berth with infill and stowage under.  Opening hatch to foredeck.  Full-width head compartment with marine toilet and washbasin, with a hanging locker opposite.  In saloon, dinette to port converts to double berth, with single settee berth opposite.  Pilot berth to starboard.  Fixed table with drop leaves. Chart table to port with quarter berth behind and galley opposite.  Two-burner gimballed gas cooker with grill and oven.  Stainless steel sink with a manually pumped water supply.  100-litre freshwater capacity.  Coolbox.

Located behind the companionway. Original Volvo Penta MD2002, twin cylinder, 18hp diesel engine.  Electric start.  Seawater cooled.  Shaft drive to three bladed propeller.  27 litre fuel capacity gives approximately 200 mile range at 5.5 knots cruising speed.  Maximum speed under power 6.5 knots. Please note the figures are only as an estimate. 

Spars & Sails

Fractionally rigged sloop.  Anodised aluminium mast and boom by Kemp Spars.  Stainless steel standing rigging. Terylene and Dyneema running rigging.  Slab reefing mainsail.  Selden headsail furling system.  Spinnaker pole.  Two Lewmar 42 sheet winches.  Two Lewmar 16 halyard winches.  Two Lewmar 16 spinnaker sheet winches.  Adjustable genoa cars.  

• Furling genoa 

The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

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