Sun Light 30
Jeanneau · Daniel Andrieu · 1987
Updated
The Sun Light 30 is a 8.88 m heavy displacement racing yacht designed by Daniel Andrieu and built by Jeanneau, first launched in 1987. It races in Class C. Across the measured fleet it goes better than its own numbers promise, ahead of 44% 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 44% of the boats it races against.
90th of 159 in its class.
This design has been found in real race results — 59 starts across 25 events — not only in measurement files.
Length
8.88 m
29′ 2″
Beam
3.22 m
Draft
1.43 m
Displacement
3.1 t
Sail area
51 m²
On the podium
Where a Sun Light 30 finishes when she goes racing.
On the podium
14%
of 59 starts by 3 boats
Wins
2%
Read from 59 starts by 3 boats between 2017 and 2026, counting races with six boats or more.
Recent regattas
The latest events where a Sun Light 30 was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.
9ο Κυπελλο Καλλιθεας2026- "Αγκιστρι 2026"2026
- 43ος Ιστιοπλοικος Αγωνας Κορφος ΄262026
- Aegean Regatta2026
- Ναο Λαυρεωτικης-Ναο Αναβ.& Π Φωκαιας-Ναο Λεγραινων Αρσιδ2026
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
—
Not enough data yet: 3 races of 10 NM or less carry a published distance.
Offshore & coastal
14%
of these races end on the podium
Who she races against
The designs a Sun Light 30 actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.
Also met, too few times for a figure:
Hallberg Rassy 352 (7 meetings), Albin Ballad (7 meetings), Oceanis 331 (7 meetings), Elan 33 (6 meetings), Atlantic 31 (6 meetings), Dufour 30 (6 meetings), Bavaria 31 (6 meetings), Grand Soleil 343 (6 meetings), Sun Odyssey 42.1 (6 meetings), Oceanis 423 (6 meetings), Archambault 40 (6 meetings), Comet 41 (6 meetings), Grand Soleil 45 (Judel/Vrolijk) (6 meetings), First 44.7 (6 meetings), X-372 (6 meetings), Evento 42 (6 meetings), Elan 40 (6 meetings), Fiumanka 33 (6 meetings), First 345 (6 meetings), Bavaria Cruiser 46 (6 meetings), Sun Odyssey 42.2 (6 meetings), Sun Odyssey 410 (6 meetings), Sun Odyssey 45 (6 meetings), Bavaria 40 Cruiser (6 meetings)
Some of the boats it races against
How the Sun Light 30 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
4.26
42°
Beam reach
7.27
90°
Broad reach
8.00
135°
Downwind VMG
7.06
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.
This design is even-tempered. It rewards preparation and crew work more than it rewards picking the right day.
Where it gains
Its best ground is on a broad reach in light air, where it goes better than its measurements say it should. It holds that advantage downwind as well, so the gain is not down to one leg of the course.
Where it pays
It falls short on a broad reach in a strong breeze, 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 broad reach.
How fast is a Sun Light 30
Boat speed in knots, by true wind angle and wind strength.
| Angle | 6 kn | 10 kn | 14 kn | 20 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beat VMG | 2.96 | 4.02 | 4.34 | 4.26 |
| 52° | 4.58 | 5.91 | 6.30 | 6.32 |
| 60° | 4.86 | 6.10 | 6.50 | 6.57 |
| 75° | 5.04 | 6.26 | 6.70 | 6.94 |
| 90° | 4.98 | 6.37 | 6.83 | 7.27 |
| 110° | 5.00 | 6.47 | 7.11 | 7.79 |
| 120° | 4.83 | 6.39 | 7.11 | 8.06 |
| 135° | 4.38 | 6.11 | 6.93 | 8.00 |
| 150° | 3.77 | 5.63 | 6.60 | 7.63 |
| Run VMG | 3.26 | 4.88 | 6.04 | 7.06 |
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
Sun Light 30 rig and sail dimensions
A Sun Light 30 carries 11.00 m of mainsail hoist on a 3.11 m boom, a forestay 12.37 m above the deck and a 3.87 m bowsprit. Typical figures across the 10 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.
Rig
Sails