Pauly
Member
Hi All. I am considering ownership of a Kestrel 22 and was wondering if any one knows if there is an owners association or club for these boats.
Kestrel 22
- Thread starter Pauly
- Start date
sailorman
Well-known member
is she a Nunn Bros clinker or a Tupperware jobbie
Pauly
Member
Hehe, she be tupperware, bilge keeled an' all. J Francis Jones design by all accounts. I've done a fair bit of Googling but not turned anything up yet.
sailorman
Well-known member
Based in Woodbridge & Kim Holman worked for him too.
Nunn Bross were in Waldringfield on the Deben
Nicholas123
N/A
My last boat was a fibreglass kestrel & I know fair bit about them.There was an owners association of a sort up until about 7/8 years ago with a forum but it packed up.
I think the keel construction varied so you need to check that out.Mine had wood between the shoe & the hull & that was it's failing.
I think the keel construction varied so you need to check that out.Mine had wood between the shoe & the hull & that was it's failing.
Pauly
Member
Aahh, Nicholas, my new best mate! haha!
I'm assuming the keel/shoe/hull issue will remain a mystery unless the boat is taken out of the water? I did have a look in the cabin underfloor and the keel bolts looked all shiny, as if someone had tinkered in recent years.
I was hoping to find an owners association for all the usual stuff, advice, secondhand spares etc. Do you happen to have any contact details for people who would have been on the now defunct association?
I'm assuming the keel/shoe/hull issue will remain a mystery unless the boat is taken out of the water? I did have a look in the cabin underfloor and the keel bolts looked all shiny, as if someone had tinkered in recent years.
I was hoping to find an owners association for all the usual stuff, advice, secondhand spares etc. Do you happen to have any contact details for people who would have been on the now defunct association?
Nicholas123
N/A
I would'nt buy any boat without being able check it out below the water line Pauly,that could be done on a public slipway if you have one near you.You could ask the owner for
details of the keel construction first to see if it's worth the trouble.
I would'nt buy another one with the wooden buffer but I suppose they could be alright if a thougher enough job was done of replacing the keel bolts.I have glimpsed some that have an entirely different method of construction.Solid plate if I remember rightly.
Sounds as if your one has had something done to it if the keel bolts are shiny.Definitely needs checking out,other wise I really loved mine & had some wonderful adventures in it.Cracking little boats really.
I don't know anyone personally from that old site but I have glimpsed one or two members that used to post here.I expect their name would still come up in a search of Kestrel related stuff.All the best & pm me if you need to.
chrishelen
N/A
Hi Pauly, I had a plastic one about 20 years ago, as said above you need to be aware of any keel related problems, I bought mine with one keel...the other one had dropped off on the mooring in the previous ownership, I took the old cast iron one off and fabricated two new ones, instead of wood buffering I used plastic as I knew someone in the industry and they could get lengths of the stuff.
Great little sailer, we had some fun on her, I still have the other keel in my garden.
Great little sailer, we had some fun on her, I still have the other keel in my garden.
Pauly
Member
That's good to know if I find myself short of a keel in the future, also good to know that the buffer issue can be addressed. I will check the underside before things go too far. There is a concrete pad at it's current marina and I will need to make use of it to remove 3 years worth of growth and mussels etc. I may well take you up on the offer of email traffic Nicholas.
Seajet
...
I know a forumite with a grp Kestrel he is probably selling; very little sailing experience with her due to his changing circumstances, but also due to those he lived aboard at a marina for a fair bit inc all winter a couple of years ago, I stayed for a weekend once, she's very roomy for a 22' but I suspect not an ocean greyhound.
My chums' example has a dodgy Vire inboard, so uses an outboard on the transom; if keeping her I think the Vire would go in favour of stowage space and weight saved, even though the transom mounted outboard is obviously not everyone's ideal.
Seemed a solidly built boat, but I didn't really get to check her over.
My chums' example has a dodgy Vire inboard, so uses an outboard on the transom; if keeping her I think the Vire would go in favour of stowage space and weight saved, even though the transom mounted outboard is obviously not everyone's ideal.
Seemed a solidly built boat, but I didn't really get to check her over.
Pauly
Member
I think you and I are both acquainted with that aforementioned forumite, and indeed, that particular vessel. I have been down to Windy several times over the past couple of weekends to assess how much work is required to make her seaworthy. There is a fair bit.
Seajet
...
Pauly,
agreed, but there didn't seem to be anything an experienced bod couldn't sort out; above all she needs coming ashore even if only between tides, to have a look underneath and remove the garden growing there !
I always tried to push this idea, I'd also like a look at the seacocks.
Hope you can help her and our chum, Windy deserves to be sailed.
agreed, but there didn't seem to be anything an experienced bod couldn't sort out; above all she needs coming ashore even if only between tides, to have a look underneath and remove the garden growing there !
I always tried to push this idea, I'd also like a look at the seacocks.
Hope you can help her and our chum, Windy deserves to be sailed.
Pauly
Member
The seacocks, amongst other things, are on the list of things to change. The plan is to have her lifted out at Weymouth onto a trailer and pressure washed, check all the seacocks, check for osmosis and inspect the keel buffers. Assuming all is good it will then be driven up to Shoreham to the marina and chucked in. Once the seaworthiness issues are resolved she will be sailed. I'm hoping to meet Vern this week to go over all this.
Seajet
...
Pauly,
delighted to hear it. In a perfect world I suppose Windy would like some time out of the water to thoroughly dry out, but it's always down to circumstances.
I've known Vern for a while now and a nicer chap would be hard to meet !
Andy
delighted to hear it. In a perfect world I suppose Windy would like some time out of the water to thoroughly dry out, but it's always down to circumstances.
I've known Vern for a while now and a nicer chap would be hard to meet !
Andy
Old Rhodie
New member
One of our club members is currently replacing the wooden spacer in the keel of his kestrel 22. Not the easiest job.
Ken
Ken
Pauly
Member
Ken, I would like to have a chat with this guy. Would you be able to ask him if he would mind me contacting him?
Thanks
Paul.
Thanks
Paul.
Old Rhodie
New member
Yes - I can try - he is very new to boats, but I can try.
Ken
Ken
Old Rhodie
New member
If you send me a pm with your number - I will pass it on.
Ken
Ken
Nicholas123
N/A
Indeed not.I just had mine off & cleaned up the fit + replaced the bolts on one side (they were not actually bolts just threaded bar set in pitch) & If I were doing it again I would probably replace both keels with new ones made up of welded boiler plate & extend the length/draft by a few inches.
It would probably work out a lot simpler in the long run & do a better job.
Marco-Polo
New member
Hi All. I am considering ownership of a Kestrel 22 and was wondering if any one knows if there is an owners association or club for these boats.
Hi Pauly,
I'm a Kestrell owner, GRP-Version, build in 1969 with the twin keels. I was a member of said association and wanted to take over from the ex-website owner, however I did not succeed in rebuilding the webpage.
The Kestrell is a very nice and forgiving sailing boat. my familly owns one since 1969, GRP, Twinkeels and I use to sail it on the river Elbe and the Baltic.
There are some weak points on such a GRP-Version:
a) the keels : how old are the bolts ? Corrosion might have weaken them. Check if there mounted watertight, i.e. with enough sealant.
b) The basis of the mast: the GRP might be weakened after a long time of service, which means, that the foot of the mast is always surrounded by water (rain). If the shrouds are tightened and the door of WC does not close anymore easily, than you have a weakened base for the mast (can be easily repaired, if you are able to handle Polyester).
c) check also the mast foot on deck. The GRP below it might be weakened. A sign for this is, that around the base of said foot, rain water stays! If the shrouds are tightened, you'll have problems closing the door of the WC.
d) A good thing: The GRP-works were carried out by seamaster and the quality is such, that osmosis is not an issue. However, check the hull carefully.
If you need further information, do not hesitate to contact me by mail.
