Halmatic 30

[oz-1]

Hello everyone. I am pleased with my home built sailboat, it is just under 22 feet in length and displaces 3.5 tons. I sometimes wonder what it would be like to have a slightly larger boat with an inboard diesel engine ( i am getting on in age 67 ). Iv'e always liked the look of the Halmatic 30 ( similar shape to my boat ), and wanted to ask if any body on the forum owns or has owned one, what are they like in build quality and how they sail and how comfortable they are. I am only dreaming at the moment, but maybe one day ..... Best regards to all.

 

[grumpy_o_g]

Halmatic 30 is a lovely boat and built like a brick outhouse. Fitting out standards can vary as I believe some were amateur builds (and some of those amateur are also the best) but at this age it's all dependant on maintenance anyway. Buy a nice condition one with newish sails and electronics, etc. for a few thousand or so more than an older one. If you really want a nice one look out for a good condition Barbican 30 (same hull) but expect £20K+ I would think. Not heard of any osmosis issues (which would just be cosmetic anyway). Halmatic 30 Mark II has much nicer windows both to look at from outside and to get light to the inside.

They sail much as you would expect, not light on the helm for the size but can be very well balanced if the rig is set up correctly. Long keel so going astern can be a challenge sometimes but they're a long way from the worst and you can learn to compensate for it. Heavyish displacement but go surprisingly well in light winds once they're moving - lovely motion most of the time and a great boat for crossing the channel and cruising areas where the sea can be a bit choppy or confused.

Pretty much exactly what you'd expect from looking at it really.

 

[alahol2]

Same hull used, I believe, on an Anderson 30. Supposed to be a slightly improved version of the Hurley.

 

[Poignard]

I haven't owned one but I have a very experienced friend who owned one for many years. It was a good strong seaworthy boat. I think you could do a lot worse.

 

[Jim@sea]

The hulls were moulded in the same factory as the Nicolson 32 to the same quality,

 

[STOL71]

......it is just under 22 feet in length and displaces 3.5 tons ....

The above numbers defy physics... You are probably replacing a ton, if that. A Halmatic 30 replaces slightly more than 3.5 tons.

The Halmatic 30 has an encapsulated iron keel, whereby the Nicholson 31 which is made form the same mould, has a lead encapsulated keel. Probably preferable as higher ballast-displacement ratio and no problem of corroding iron.

 

[doug748]

I nearly bought one myself once. Look out for mast compression problems on the coachroof. I was very impressed with the standard of fit out below, on the production boat.
I think a few of the remarks, so far, are wayward of the mark in linking this design to this or that. In particular it stands apart from the Nicholson 31, Anderson and Hurley; though the design did become the Barbican 30. Check out sailboatdata.

 

[biscuit]

I had one for several years., sailed by my wife and myself, mainly. It sailed beautifully, fast and close winded. Nice fine entry, so no slamming in head seas. Easily reefed at the mast, a very stable platform. I didnt find her heavy to steer. Mine had an anchor windlass, anchor on chocks on the foredeck. Accomodation is necessarily limited, with no pilot berth. I really liked the lateral facing chart table, and the heads are spacious for a boat of this size and type. There is enormous stowage inside, with big cockpit lockers, but the wooden locker lids are a bit basic. There was always some water in the deep bilges, and battery space is limited by the GRP mouldings. The engine access hatch in the cockpit sole is a bit quirky, only giving limited access. The Barbican 30 as mentioned has a very classy fit out, but command top prices. I have sailed a Nic 32 for several weeks, which was much heavier to steer, especially down wind, and the cockpit was too deep for us. I havent sailed the Nic 31, but it seems very similar to the Hal. 30 and looks nice. I sold my Hal. 30 to get a bigger boat with wheel steering, as I got fed up with unreliable tiller pilots when sailing & motoring shorthanded.

 

[fredrussell]

I sail on my mates one now and then. It’s great. It’s truly in its element beating into a force 5 or 6, where it feels surefooted and close winded. A proper boat, and no mistaking it.

 

[oz-1]

Thanks to everyone for the helpful replies. There are a few Halmatics for sale at the moment, i'll keep looking.

 

[Bajansailor]

Here is a copy of a catalogue that I obtained in the early 80's, along with a boat test report from Yachting World (in the days when they still covered 'small' yachts).

 

[oz-1]

Hi Bajansailor, thank you very much for a copy of the Halmatic information, and for going to so much trouble. I will read through it with great interest. Best regards.

 

[Goldie]

Sorry, I'm a bit late to the party on this one but as an ex-Halmatic 30 owner, may I add a few comments of my own?

Firstly, AFAIK the hull (designed by John Sharp) has no connection to any of the Anderson, Hurley or Nicholson designs mentioned previously (aren't the first two of those classes fin keel rather than long keel?) and the ballast is NOT encapsulated it's an external iron keel - or at least, that was the case on my Mk1 Halmatic (built '79/'80). Also, I'm not aware of any differences in the windows between the Mk1 and the Mk2 - although there was a radical change when Mike Spry (Barbican Yachts) started building the boat (very nicely!) as the Barbican 30.

One thing to be aware of - certainly in the Mk1 - is the inadequate fastening of the chainplates. Most will have been upgraded by now with substantial SS fittings through bolted inside. I speak from first hand experience there as after an all night beat across the Golfe de Lyon during a Tramontana with 45kts apparent wind, there were a few cracks in the deck caused by movement of the chainplates. Apart from that, the boat did fantastically well.

As to the differences between the Mk 1 and the Mk2, the Mk1 has the layout shown in Bajansailor's brochure and has a bigger mainsail with the end of the boom sheeting to a bridle on the transom. The Mk2 has a smaller main (about 30 sq ft less IIRC) and a shorter boom which sheets to a track on the bridge deck. Internally the Mk2 has a different seating and table arrangement but also does away with the starboard side pilot berth. None had quarter berths. Just to confuse the issue, there were some (we knew them as Mk 1 and a half) which had a mixture of features of the Mk 1 and the Mk 2. It was either the Mk2 internal layout with the Mk1 rig or vice versa, I'm afraid I can't remember which. The Halmatic 30 sails very well indeed and given the correct sail plan can be trimmed to sail herself to windward; ours did when the steering line on the Aries chafed through and nobody noticed for some time - it was blowing a good F6 plus at the time too.

One big plus is the heads compartment - exceptional for a boat of that size.

All in all, a highly recommended cruiser quite capable of crossing oceans. Many have, and at least one has circumnavigated all but the last 'easy' bit along the Med from the Red Sea to cross the outbound track in Gib' (due health reasons, nothing to do with the boat).

Edit: if you want to see pics of a Mk 2 for comparison, there is a good set of pics on yachtsnet.co.uk

 

[oz-1]

Thanks for the great information, Goldie. With all the help iv'e received on this forum i have a better idea of what to look for in a Halmatic. Overall, it sounds like just the boat i would like to own.

 

[andyj301]

I am a current owner and really enjoy sailing her. The only thing I can add to the above is the solid laminate cabin roof (about an inch thick), this was a huge deciding factor for me having suffered water ingress into balsa core on a previous boat. It's no surprise to me that Halmatic went on to build boats for the RNLI.

 

[oz-1]

Hi andyj301 and thanks for the info, i am really starting to persuade myself that i need to get myself one of these boats!

 

[Randolph]

Just a few points:
Sideways seating to chart table may be annoying if your left handed (I’m reliably informed) - for right handed it’s surprisingly comfortable to work at.
Small fuel tank from the days of small engines. If you find one that’s been upgraded to a thirstier engine from the original MD7, then you could do with more. You could actually do with more anyway.
Don’t even think about leading lines aft, the coach roof coaming makes it impractical.
With those out of the way, a terrific cruiser and a joy to sail. Nice lines, uncluttered non slip decks (no tread master/deck paint). Comfortable cockpit.
Very spacious accommodation for her size thanks to her beam and low cabin sole. Heads compartment is luxurious for a 30 footer. Oh and joy of joys, an extra cockpit locker instead of a b****** quarter berth - still sleeps six with the pilot berth, though why would anyone want to?
Late seventies Formica in the galley is a bit icky.
Motoring astern is, shall we say, a challenge, but you wanted a long keel right?
Long ago I owned a Nic32. In my opinion the Halmatic is a better boat to sail and certainly to live on.

 

[oz-1]

Hi Randolph, thanks for your info regarding the Halmatic. So far it all points to a good cruising boat. My current boat, ( a flicka designed by Bruce Bingham, but enlarged to 21 feet 9 inches with the help of his father, Fred, and built by me 25 years ago. ), looks similar in hull shape to the Halmatic, hence my interest. My boat has a mind of it's own when it comes to going astern. I only have an 8hp outboard for power, and coming onto my berth is awkward with having to hang over the stern to change gear or alter the throttle, while at the same time using the tiller to direct the boat to her berth and avoiding nudging my neighbour's boat. The idea of a boat that is so similar to mine, but with a bit more room and an inboard diesel sounds really apealing as i am getting too old for acrobatics. Best regards.

 

[andyj301]

Don’t even think about leading lines aft, the coach roof coaming makes it impractical.

It's possible, the PO drilled holes in either side of the coaming to let in plastic pipe and then seal in place. Admittedly UV is getting to the ends of the pipe now. As I still have the roller boom my only lines aft are topping lift, spinnaker pole lift, and cruising chute tack line.

 

[timmygobang]

Great boats, owned one for nearly 10 years. Sailed it to the Caribbean Great small offshore boat!