Cumulus
Albin · Peter Norlin · 1968
Updated
The Cumulus is a 8.64 m heavy displacement racing yacht designed by Peter Norlin and built by Albin, first launched in 1968. It races in Class C. Across the measured fleet it goes better than its own numbers promise, ahead of 30% of the designs it races against. It is at its best in light air and struggles to hold that once it blows.
Goes better than its own measurements promise, and does it better than 30% of the boats it races against.
112th of 159 in its class.
This design has been found in real race results — 29 starts across 6 events — not only in measurement files.
Length
8.64 m
28′ 4″
Beam
2.86 m
Draft
1.74 m
Displacement
3.6 t
Sail area
45 m²
On the podium
Where a Cumulus finishes when she goes racing.
On the podium
3%
of 29 starts by 5 boats
Wins
0%
Read from 29 starts by 5 boats between 2015 and 2026, counting races with six boats or more.
Recent regattas
The latest events where a Cumulus was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.
Intercity Regattaen og Intercity Cup2026- Isbjørnen2026
- Bundefjorden Onsdagsseilaser2026
- Vårserien2024
- Oktoberfestseilasen2021
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 Cumulus actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.
Also met, too few times for a figure:
X-35 (4 meetings), X-37 (4 meetings), Dehler 34 (Judel/Vrolijk) (4 meetings), Hanse 370 (4 meetings), Sinergia 40 (6 meetings), Sun Fast 3600 (4 meetings), Arcona 370 (4 meetings), X-79 (3 meetings), Hanse 430 (5 meetings), Hanse 371 (3 meetings), J/80 (5 meetings), XR 41 (3 meetings), Farr 30 (3 meetings), Fareast 28 (3 meetings), Aphrodite 101 (3 meetings), Luffe 40 (2 meetings), Salona 34 (2 meetings), Sun Fast 3300 (Andrieu) (2 meetings), Elan 310 (2 meetings), Melges 32 (2 meetings), Grand Soleil 37 (Carkeek) (2 meetings), 11 Metre (2 meetings), Sonata (1 meeting), Omega 34 (1 meeting), Albin Ballad (1 meeting), Skippi 650 (1 meeting), Landmark 43 (1 meeting), Elan 37 (2 meetings), Dufour 34 (1 meeting), Dehler 38 (Judel/Vrolijk) (1 meeting)
Some of the boats it races against
How the Cumulus 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
4.29
39°
Beam reach
6.86
90°
Broad reach
7.46
135°
Downwind VMG
6.71
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 its best work before the breeze fills in. In the light it does more than its numbers promise, and gives some of that back when the wind arrives.
Where it gains
Its best ground is to windward in light air, where it outruns what it looks like on paper, and by a margin worth having. It holds that advantage running deep as well, so the gain is not down to one leg of the course.
Where it pays
It falls short on a broad reach 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 upwind.
How fast is a Cumulus
Boat speed in knots, by true wind angle and wind strength.
| Angle | 6 kn | 10 kn | 14 kn | 20 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beat VMG | 3.00 | 4.02 | 4.28 | 4.29 |
| 52° | 4.54 | 5.76 | 6.05 | 6.11 |
| 60° | 4.76 | 5.92 | 6.21 | 6.29 |
| 75° | 4.88 | 6.04 | 6.41 | 6.58 |
| 90° | 4.78 | 6.12 | 6.49 | 6.86 |
| 110° | 4.79 | 6.20 | 6.74 | 7.21 |
| 120° | 4.62 | 6.13 | 6.72 | 7.47 |
| 135° | 4.17 | 5.87 | 6.56 | 7.46 |
| 150° | 3.59 | 5.38 | 6.31 | 7.17 |
| Run VMG | 3.11 | 4.71 | 5.83 | 6.71 |
How they are set up
The range each sail spans across the fleet.
Roughly half carry a folding propeller. Crew weight is declared around 430 kg.
Rigging
Cumulus rig and sail dimensions
A Cumulus carries 10.70 m of mainsail hoist on a 3.00 m boom, a forestay 10.75 m above the deck. Typical figures across the 4 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.
Rig
Sails