Maxi
Maxi 84
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You put a tape on the Maxi 84 at midships, and on the phone the card still shows a 2.54 m beam and designer Arvid Laurin. Until the numbers on screen match what Sailguide, SEILmagasinet and Practical Boat Owner print - about 2.95 m beam and roughly three tonnes displacement - and until the text says Pelle Petterson, you are not yet looking at the boat this page is about.
Pelle Petterson is the designer on Sailguide, in Curt Gelin’s SEILmagasinet test, in the Practical Boat Owner review, and in the sailboatdata line. The Arvid Laurin substitution in the Maxi catalogue was already caught in an SQL cleanup; if Laurin has resurfaced in a live paragraph, that is a card error, not a second yard. The “S&S-era” takeaway line does not come back here.
On beam, sources converge around 2.95 m. Waterline is 7.20 m. Standard-keel draft is 1.50 m (owner measures of 1.3 m stay a note, not a chip). Displacement is printed differently: about 3,000 kg on PBO/sailboatdata, 3,500–3,610 kg on Maringuiden and SEILmagasinet, 3,600 kg on Sailguide. We do not pick one “correct” kilogram here. The live chip of ~2,200 kg and the 2.54 m beam are not taken into the bank.
At a glance
Quick facts
- Production
- 1977-1983
- LOA
- 8.5 m
- Beam
- 2.95 m
- Model
- Maxi 84
Key takeaways
- Best for: Scandinavian S&S-era cruiser with wide-beam stability
- Common issue: bulkhead tabbing cracks and non-standard repower alignment
- Typical price: niche classic band - condition drives price more than badge
Technical data
- Length overall (LOA)
- 8.5 m
- Beam
- 2.95 m
- L/B
- 2.88
- LWL
- 7.2 m
- Draft
- 1.5 m
- Displacement
- 3,000 kg (light)
- Ballast
- 1,350 kg
- Hulls built
- 1154-1350
- Engine
- 1977-1983 - Volvo Penta MD7 - 13 hp - standard
- Hull
- grp
- Keel
- fin
- Rig
- masthead
- Designer
- Pelle Petterson
- Cockpit
- aft
- Production years
- 1977-1983
Calculations and ratios
Brochure numbers need matching units. Open a FairHelm formula page for the classical form, rule of thumb, and limits before you compare listings.
Design history
Overall length also wanders: 8.07 m on PBO (frame without counting the rudder), 8.25 m on Sailguide, 8.46–8.54 m on SEIL/sailboatdata. Years are usually 1977–1982, with some references ending in 1983. Hull counts print as 1,154, “about 1,200”, or 1,350 - a range, not an arithmetic mean. Yard/build: Maxi Yachts / Erje in Mariestad, the flush-deck Maxi family of the 1970s.
Typical problems
What that means on survey, not in brand romance. Like neighbouring Maxis, the topsides rise to the deck: volume below, a tight foredeck, awkward boarding forward - SEILmagasinet says so outright. The mast stands on deck and bears on a post below; on some hulls that post sags (do not treat “tabernacle” as the only layout). The rudder is a weak point: a single iron in the blade can crack; look for cracks and rust, many owners reinforced the blade. The external iron keel usually survives groundings better than the rudder, but pitting and bolt access still get checked on the hardstanding. ABS cockpit lids crack if you jump on them. The standard engine in Nordic tests is Volvo MD7 / MD7A about 13 hp with a saildrive; live chips that say “D2” or “2002” are not read as the factory norm for the whole run.
Annual ownership costs
The market is deep: even the low hull-count estimate is above a thousand. We do not invent an asking price. The kronor table on the live page can be read as an 8.5 m Swedish marina cost class, not a yard offer and not a substitute for rigging and keel reserves - there is no fresh band verification in this pass. Before a deposit, a short list is enough. Tape or broker measure matches about 2.95 m beam, not 2.54. Text and plate say Pelle Petterson, not Laurin. Under the sole boards: the mast post. On the rudder: cracks and reinforcement marks. On the keel: corrosion and bolts. Standing rigging: by invoices, not by “ready to sail”.
Calculators for this boat
Indicative figure for weekend use. The country supplies berth and winter. The insurance line stays the Swedish planning band - not a Danish, German, or Dutch premium. Maintenance stays Swedish too. Not a marina quote.
- Netherlands (annual contract)€3,700 - €6,312
- Sweden (planning bands)€4,950 - €8,550
- Denmark (two harbours, season)€3,771 - €6,191
Antifouling
24.0 m². 6.6 L - 7.2 L. Medium keel, two coats, 8 m²/L as a planning figure. Replace 8 with the tin.
Open the antifouling calculatorWetted surfaceSail planAll calculators
Pre-purchase survey checklist
Beside this page the site already has Maxi 77, Maxi 95 (its own 95/100/100 PS name fork), Maxi 999, and Maxi 84 vs Hallberg-Rassy HR 38. Those opens are not copied here: first fix this 84’s card.
Expert verdict
FairHelm rating: 7.9/10: Scandinavian S&S-era classic with niche resale; inspect bulkhead tabbing and repower alignment.
Vadim Nareyko, FairHelm Editorial, Last reviewed: 2026-07-12