About Dehler?

[eddystone]

Now I'm getting close to putting in an offer on a boat that fits my requirement for, amongst other things, good in usual British sh*t weather and manageable single handed(not a long keeler see my other thread!), without making me bankrupt, I'm getting a bit of "mission drift" like - maybe a much newer (and smaller)AWB wouldn't be such a bad idea after all or, maybe the dinghy only sailing family will get into this and I won't have to sail alone so a 35ft boat would be OK. And, maybe I could risk a bigger chunk of my savings on this on the basis it will cost less on maintenance/renewal (deluded I know)

Which brings me onto Dehlers because I've seen a couple that meet both of the two options above. I always thought of Dehlers, without any first hand knowledge, as being quality boats but now they are owned by Hanse, not so sure. Nothing against Hanse, I'm sure they are fit for purpose for what they claim to be.

The AWB was a quite recent Dehler 29 - looks a bit like a first or sunfast in u/w profile - any opinions on these?
The 35ft was a Dehler 35CWS - never heard of these before, only the 34, 36 or 38 all of which were supposed to be good seaboats and designed for shorthanded sailing.

 

[paulingreece]

The Dehler 35 CWS, central winch system is a very good sailing boat, good ones tend to go very quickly, if you look up the Dehler cws on the site there were a couple of tests in which they came out very well.

 

[robmcg]

Nothing wrong with Dehlers per se but look for rudder cracking around the stock and stress cracking around the chain plates - not without their issues much like almost all boats. Central winch system is an acquired taste, you will either love it or hate it.

Rob

 

[lpdsn]

There've been a number of generations of Dehlers. Hanse took over after the last bankruptcy.

The CWS are from the late eighties, early nineties. They were designed by the VdS design office and are good seaboats and faster than they look. You need to organise things well to make use of the electric winch in the CWS. Some are duo-CWS which makes things slightly easier.

Reasonably good quality build but with just a few not so good areas of detail. The water-absorbing nylon rudder bearings are one area. If the rudder is at all stiff it'll need rectifying before it jams entirely a few years later.

There's a Dehler 31 crash test video which shows how well they stand up to collisions.

The later Dehlers are nicknamed poor man's X-yachts and more cruiser-racer in design.

 

[rudolph_hart]

I have a Dehler 35CWS, which I bought in 2004. Prior to that I had two Dehler 34s, each for 5 or 6 years, so I am a bit biased

All Dehlers are fast, and while the 34's & 36's sprung from out & out racers, the 35CWS did not but is still fast & some have been raced. However, the gear layout and equipment level is more aimed at the cruising owner.

The dual-winch system on the 35CWS is an great improvement on the single Central Winch pioneered on the earlier 36CWS because:

1. The 36's Central Winch System' is mounted on a transverse 'thwart' just forward of the wheel/binnacle. The 35's winches and their attendant clutches are coaming mounted, either side of the wheel and can be used while seated behind the wheel. The portside clutches control Jibsheet, Reef 1 & Reef 2 (both single line). The starboard side clutches are 'German' Mainsheet, Main Halyard, Jibsheet and Jibfurler.

2. The 35's binnacle/wheel design is better - the wheel is mounted on the forward side of the binnacle & the spokes curve aft. The large wheel is recessed into the cockpit sole. There's a full width upward-facing 'dashboard' for instruments, plotter, compass, autopilot, engine controls - & drinks holders. BTW, this arrangement has been copied by Gunfleet yachts, and Hanse have transplanted the same clutch/dual winch layout accross into their range (a member of the Dehler family designed the new Hanse deck layouts).

This, combined with a standard lazyjack/lazybag/full batten mainsail system and a 100% foresail, makes managing the large-ish sailplan a doddle for a singlehander. I have no qualms about 'going out' single handed within the BLackwater/Colne estuaries in just about any wind strength (I'm in my late 60's so I do draw the line at going out in pi$$ing rain, though)

Nylon rudder bearings: I had to replace them on both of the 34s, but the current 35's bearings are now 19 years old and are still fine.

Other issues: Standard draft is 1.95m - a bit too 'leggy' for us, but we found one with a Wing Keel (1.5m). Keel is iron, so usual maintenance issues. Saloon table has only one drop leaf (cheapskates!) but it was a straightforward job to convert the other side. Freshwater tank (no guage!) takes entire underside of a saloon seat, reducing stowage. Aft cabin is large, but a bit claustrophobic. Dehler fitted stainless toilet holding tanks, which soon go porous & need replacing.

SWMBO and I have been considering upsizing (38-40ft), but we can't find anything that has the combination of speed, comfort, low draft and the same ease of sail handling that we have now, so this will probably be our last boat.

 

[eddystone]

I have a Dehler 35CWS, which I bought in 2004. Prior to that I had two Dehler 34s, each for 5 or 6 years, so I am a bit biased

All Dehlers are fast, and while the 34's & 36's sprung from out & out racers, the 35CWS did not but is still fast & some have been raced. However, the gear layout and equipment level is more aimed at the cruising owner.

The dual-winch system on the 35CWS is an great improvement on the single Central Winch pioneered on the earlier 36CWS because:

1. The 36's Central Winch System' is mounted on a transverse 'thwart' just forward of the wheel/binnacle. The 35's winches and their attendant clutches are coaming mounted, either side of the wheel and can be used while seated behind the wheel. The portside clutches control Jibsheet, Reef 1 & Reef 2 (both single line). The starboard side clutches are 'German' Mainsheet, Main Halyard, Jibsheet and Jibfurler.

2. The 35's binnacle/wheel design is better - the wheel is mounted on the forward side of the binnacle & the spokes curve aft. The large wheel is recessed into the cockpit sole. There's a full width upward-facing 'dashboard' for instruments, plotter, compass, autopilot, engine controls - & drinks holders. BTW, this arrangement has been copied by Gunfleet yachts, and Hanse have transplanted the same clutch/dual winch layout accross into their range (a member of the Dehler family designed the new Hanse deck layouts).

This, combined with a standard lazyjack/lazybag/full batten mainsail system and a 100% foresail, makes managing the large-ish sailplan a doddle for a singlehander. I have no qualms about 'going out' single handed within the BLackwater/Colne estuaries in just about any wind strength (I'm in my late 60's so I do draw the line at going out in pi$$ing rain, though)

Nylon rudder bearings: I had to replace them on both of the 34s, but the current 35's bearings are now 19 years old and are still fine.

Other issues: Standard draft is 1.95m - a bit too 'leggy' for us, but we found one with a Wing Keel (1.5m). Keel is iron, so usual maintenance issues. Saloon table has only one drop leaf (cheapskates!) but it was a straightforward job to convert the other side. Freshwater tank (no guage!) takes entire underside of a saloon seat, reducing stowage. Aft cabin is large, but a bit claustrophobic. Dehler fitted stainless toilet holding tanks, which soon go porous & need replacing.

SWMBO and I have been considering upsizing (38-40ft), but we can't find anything that has the combination of speed, comfort, low draft and the same ease of sail handling that we have now, so this will probably be our last boat.

Thank you - very useful. I think I follow - so from the helm the mainsheet and jibsheets fall easily to hand and you can also reef both sails from that position-amazing. one query, especially relevant to single-handing - how is manoeuvrability under power ahead/astern?

 

[rudolph_hart]

You can also gybe the main from behind the wheel because the top of the wheel is at waist height when standing, so you can reach over, grab the bunt of the mainsheet and haul the main accross. If there's too much wind to do this, I wind in the main on the electric winch until the boom's centred(ish) then flip it over by altering course, then surge the sheet out using the clutch lever to control its rate of surge.

She has a Volvo 3-blade folding prop, but is very manoeuvrable both ahead & astern, because the eliptical balanced rudder is both high aspect and has a long chord. This is very handy in marinas (which we don't use very often) or in locks (e.g. Holland) where a quick blast ahead with the helm over can spin her with very little forward movement. Astern the rudder bites earlier than either of the 34s' did.

 

[eddystone]

You can also gybe the main from behind the wheel because the top of the wheel is at waist height when standing, so you can reach over, grab the bunt of the mainsheet and haul the main accross. If there's too much wind to do this, I wind in the main on the electric winch until the boom's centred(ish) then flip it over by altering course, then surge the sheet out using the clutch lever to control its rate of surge.

She has a Volvo 3-blade folding prop, but is very manoeuvrable both ahead & astern, because the eliptical balanced rudder is both high aspect and has a long chord. This is very handy in marinas (which we don't use very often) or in locks (e.g. Holland) where a quick blast ahead with the helm over can spin her with very little forward movement. Astern the rudder bites earlier than either of the 34s' did.

Sounds easier to sail than my Solo dinghy - why aren't all yachts like that (no please don't answer that!)

 

[PaulR]

we have a dehler 34 which was available (as ours has) with a selftacking jib- makes easy work of singlehanding and having had ours for more than 10yrs remain very impressed with build quality and design - lovely under sail - very easy to manouver under engine - we think looks great - best build and designed of the 6 yachts we have owned so far by a long way

 

[eddystone]

2 things. Firstly I had a look on a Dehler 35 at SIBS yesterday to see if anything like 90s 35CWS - answer no - I asked salesman why they abandoned the CWS and he said it wasn't popular! BTW, don't know if it's Hanse influence but current model very unimpressive to my eyes -joinery particularly cheap and nasty.

Secondly had a look at Sail Data which give a ballast ratio of 39.58 but displacement/length at 265 is pretty lightweight. Sail area/displacement of 22.2 pretty racy though - I think I've got the picture.

 

[lpdsn]

Secondly had a look at Sail Data which give a ballast ratio of 39.58 but displacement/length at 265 is pretty lightweight. Sail area/displacement of 22.2 pretty racy though - I think I've got the picture.

Depends what picture you have in mind when you think racy. They are very well balanced and have a powerful rudder so you'd have to be pretty overcanvassed to round up.

What the sail area really means is that you can crack on when there's a bit of wind and often keep sailing when others decide to motor.

Ironically, the CWS makes them pretty unsuitable for racing, especially round the cans.