Albin Nova
Albin · Peter Norlin · 1981
Updated
The Albin Nova is a 9.90 m heavy displacement racing yacht designed by Peter Norlin and built by Albin, first launched in 1981. It races in Class C. Across the measured fleet it goes better than its own numbers promise, ahead of 28% of the designs it races against.
Goes better than its own measurements promise, and does it better than 28% of the boats it races against.
115th of 159 in its class.
This design has been found in real race results — 34 starts across 14 events — not only in measurement files.
Length
9.90 m
32′ 6″
Beam
3.16 m
Draft
1.71 m
Displacement
4.4 t
Sail area
51 m²
On the podium
Where a Albin Nova finishes when she goes racing.
On the podium
29%
of 34 starts by 7 boats
Wins
6%
Read from 34 starts by 7 boats between 2015 and 2026, counting races with six boats or more.
Recent regattas
The latest events where a Albin Nova was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.
Skagen Offshore Race2026- Tirsdagsregatta ÅSS2026
- Raymarine OneStar2026
Onsdagsserien #72026- Onsdagsserien #22026
Raced one we are missing?
Report a regattaRound the buoys, or offshore
A short windward-leeward and a night at sea ask different things of a boat. Here is how this one does in each.
Round the buoys
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Not enough data yet: no races of 10 NM or less carry a published distance.
Offshore & coastal
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Not enough data yet: no races over 10 NM carry a published distance.
Who she races against
The designs a Albin Nova actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.
Also met, too few times for a figure:
H 323 (7 meetings), Figaro 2 (5 meetings), JPK 10.80 (5 meetings), X-99 (5 meetings), Swan 651 (5 meetings), J/121 (4 meetings), X-302 (4 meetings), J/99 (4 meetings), Arcona 380 (4 meetings), X-95 (4 meetings), Sun Fast 3300 (Andrieu) (4 meetings), Elan 340 (2 meetings), Elan 410 (3 meetings), Sun Fast 35 (2 meetings), Scanmar 33 (7 meetings), Grand Soleil 37 (Carkeek) (1 meeting), Elan 350 (1 meeting), J/80 (1 meeting), Express (4 meetings), First 27.7 (1 meeting), Elan 310 (1 meeting), Aphrodite 101 (3 meetings), Dehler 34 (Stadt) (3 meetings), Bavaria 34 (3 meetings), Hanse 345 (3 meetings), X-35 (2 meetings), J/109 (1 meeting), 11 Metre (1 meeting), Italia 9.98 (1 meeting), J/92 (2 meetings), Diva 34 (1 meeting), Dehler 38 (Judel/Vrolijk) (1 meeting), First 24 (Manuard) (1 meeting), Farr 30 (1 meeting), Seascape 24 (1 meeting)
Some of the boats it races against
How the Albin Nova has fared against each of them, boat against boat on corrected time. Ordered by how often the two meet, not by who wins.
Speed at every angle
The shape of this design's speed, drawn from the measured fleet. Pick a wind and watch it stretch.
Upwind VMG
4.81
38°
Beam reach
7.55
90°
Broad reach
8.25
135°
Downwind VMG
7.31
170°
Speed in knots at 20 knots of true wind. Green marks the angles that pay: the closest useful beat and the deepest run worth sailing.
Where it wins and where it pays
Every boat is judged against its own measurements — length, weight, sail area. The quicker those say it should be, the more it has to deliver just to break even. Going fast is not enough: it has to go faster than its own numbers promised.
It does most things without giving much away. It rewards preparation and crew work more than it rewards picking the right day.
Where it gains
Its best ground is to windward when it blows, where it goes better than its measurements say it should, and by a margin worth having. It holds that advantage on a reach as well, so the gain is not down to one leg of the course.
Where it pays
It falls short cracked off once it pipes up, giving away time it never gets back. That is weight that has to be driven rather than released.
Above the line it delivers more than promised and gains on the fleet. Below, it falls short. Move the wind: plenty of boats sit on one side in the light and the other when it blows.
Full width is 0.4 kn either way.
At 10 knots this design makes back more than its rating asks on the beam reach.
How fast is a Albin Nova
Boat speed in knots, by true wind angle and wind strength.
| Angle | 6 kn | 10 kn | 14 kn | 20 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beat VMG | 3.04 | 4.21 | 4.69 | 4.81 |
| 52° | 4.67 | 6.16 | 6.62 | 6.77 |
| 60° | 4.95 | 6.35 | 6.78 | 6.96 |
| 75° | 5.12 | 6.50 | 6.96 | 7.26 |
| 90° | 5.21 | 6.69 | 7.11 | 7.55 |
| 110° | 5.22 | 6.78 | 7.37 | 8.06 |
| 120° | 5.03 | 6.69 | 7.37 | 8.32 |
| 135° | 4.46 | 6.35 | 7.16 | 8.25 |
| 150° | 3.74 | 5.75 | 6.85 | 7.83 |
| Run VMG | 3.24 | 4.99 | 6.28 | 7.31 |
How they are set up
The range each sail spans across the fleet.
Nearly all carry a folding propeller. Crew weight is declared around 510 kg.
Rigging
Albin Nova rig and sail dimensions
A Albin Nova carries 12.10 m of mainsail hoist on a 4.30 m boom, a forestay 10.73 m above the deck and a 4.20 m bowsprit. Typical figures across the 10 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.
Rig
Sails
The spinnaker spreads widest of all — 51 to 55 m² depending on bowsprit and set-up. Before ordering a sail, read the figure on your own measurement record rather than the typical one for the design.