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Wharram Tiki 30

1985–present · designed by James Wharram + Hanneke Boon · built by Wharram Designs (plans) / owner-built

James Wharram + Hanneke Boon Polynesian-inspired mid-size cruising catamaran — asymmetric-hull modern Tiki series, popular for shorthanded couple-cruising. Plywood-epoxy stitch-and-glue construction from plans sold by Wharram Designs Ltd (Cornwall, UK); owner-built by amateurs over multi-year timelines. Open slatted bridge deck (no solid panel), deck-stepped mast, hulls lashed to crossbeams with synthetic line. Wood-composite hull is repairable anywhere with hand tools, epoxy, and glass cloth. Designed for coastal-to-coastal-passage cruising at modest cost; some documented offshore passages.

This is a general read on the Wharram Tiki 30 class — informed background, not a verdict on any individual boat. Condition, refit history, and how a particular hull was sailed and stored matter far more than class reputation. Use it to know what to look for; for a read on a specific listing, run a free FairKeel report on that boat.

At a glance

Hull form: Multihull Cat
Rudder: Transom Hung
Mast step: Deck Stepped
Hull construction: Wood
Bridgedeck: Open
Production: 1985–present
Built in: UK (plans) / variable (owner-built)

What the Wharram Tiki 30 is known for

Easily repairable anywhere — wood-composite plywood-epoxy + glass cloth hull can be patched with hand tools and locally-available materials.
Affordable entry into mid-size cruising-catamaran ownership; shorthanded-friendly design.
Engaged owner community + Wharram Designs institutional support. Tiki 30 is well-documented across build logs and owner forums.

Known trade-offs

Quality varies hull-by-hull. Build provenance + materials documentation are non-negotiable; build-time hidden defects can persist for decades.
Plywood-epoxy hulls have a finite lifespan dominated by moisture ingress; an old Tiki 30 with weak epoxy schedule may be at end-of-life regardless of cosmetic condition.
Resale market is thin and niche; expect long marketing periods.

Age-related quirks to expect

Owner-built quality variance — every Tiki 30 is bespoke; survey must assess THIS hull, not class priors severity: High affects: all (owner-built)

Plywood-epoxy hull moisture susceptibility — breached epoxy + persistent moisture = plywood rot severity: High affects: all (age + maintenance-driven)

Lashed crossbeam attachment — lashings need annual inspection and replacement every 5-10 years severity: Medium affects: all (architectural)

Wharram-specific gaff or soft-wing rig — riggers unfamiliar with Wharrams may quote inappropriate generic-sloop solutions severity: Low affects: all (architectural)

Systems to check before you buy

Hull-laminate + epoxy condition priority: coastal, offshore, liveaboard

Highest-risk system on any Wharram. Inspect epoxy hot-coat condition (UV chalking), plywood-stitch joint integrity at hull seams, glass-sheathing delamination around through-fittings and waterline. Moisture-meter survey of every hull section. Builder logs + materials provenance matter — often incomplete for older hulls.

Lashings + crossbeam attachment priority: coastal, offshore

Hulls lashed to crossbeams with synthetic line. Annual inspection and replacement every 5-10 years. A failed lashing offshore is catastrophic.

Wharram rig — mast, sails, rigging geometry priority: coastal, offshore

Tiki 30 rig is class-specific in geometry. Consult Wharram Designs or experienced Wharram riggers. Soft-wing sail versions exist on some hulls and add specialist sailmaking knowledge.

Auxiliary propulsion (typically twin outboards) priority: coastal, liveaboard

Typically twin 8-15hp outboards in outboard wells or transom brackets. Outboard wells are a plywood-moisture hotspot; inspect surrounding laminate carefully.

How it fits your plans

Coastal: Designed for it. Shoal-water cruiser, shorthanded-friendly, modest operating cost.
Offshore: Possible for well-built examples with experienced crew, but the Tiki 30 is closer to a coastal-passage cruiser than a dedicated bluewater platform. Owner-built quality variance dominates the risk calculus.
Liveaboard: Workable for couples in protected waters; living is in the hulls, deck-tent / hard-top over open bridge platform.

This guide is the class. A report is that hull. Paste the listing you're looking at and FairKeel grades every claim in it against what's known about the Wharram Tiki 30 — where the evidence is thin, the red flags worth a second look, the costs likely to land in your first season, and whether the boat suits the plans you describe in a few short questions.

It won't read the photos or put a number on the boat — that's the Deep-Dive, and for the real answer, a surveyor. It will tell you when a Deep-Dive isn't worth buying. Free, no account, usually a minute or two.

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