Quandary
Well-Known Member
P. Magowan has a thread running where he is harvesting things to be avoided. Having had our Finngulf 33 for seven years now I still find it easier to list the positive ideas and thought I might catalogue some of them.
Hull is slim, makes negligible wake, sails really fast and looks pretty (I still think) Downside is narrow beam restricts internal space a bit. Keel and rudder foils are deep and hydrodynamically efficient. (plenty of water in Scotland) The waterline is long but the beam there is narrow with low wetted area which does mean that sails need to be attended on a gusty day.
All hidden internal surfaces, lockers, panels, lids etc. are flowcoated, usually white inside cockpit lockers etc. but brown in the bilges, flowcoat has turned out to be a very durable easy wipe finish, better than paint. the engine sits over a big grp moulded tank with a capacity of about 20 litres which contains all spills. The aft locker around the rudder shaft extends as a tank to above water level though it can be drained to the bilge and the rudder shaft is housed in a grp bearing tube that is waterproof to almost deck level.
The Jefa wheel steering is very direct only half a turn to full lock but a large wheel gives power and precision and allows you to sit out to see well forward.
Big cockpit lockers, space for an outboard mounted up right but covered, liferaft, a dozen fenders warps, etc and two bicycles. Sails have to go under forecabin berths which is a bit od a pain.
The rig is enormous (16m airdraft on a 10m. boat) by Uk standards but with a keel steeped MDS section mast is fast and easy too reef. The through deck furlex does take more effort than a larger drum might but it allows you to set proper headsails. The MDS cars move like silk. 7/8th rig allows enough adjustment to shape with just a 12-1 purchase on the backstay. The spray hood is narrow which looks very neat but I have to use 8" handles to get a full turn on the halyard winches but these are 2 speed so okay.
Ventilation is properly thought out with all windows openable, (Lewmar, no leaks yet, touch wood) a mushroom vent forward, dorade in the middle and two solar extractors at the back.
The hull all the accommodation is lined with teak slats over battens, no bare fibreglass anywhere. All the screws for hull and head linings are exposed but neatly positioned and countersunk, makes access easy. The slats with airspace behind give good insulation and no condensation.
The front leg of the saloon table next the mast foot is hollow with a removable panel. All the cables coming down the mast go up the table leg where the joins are all made in the dry.
The chart table is aft facing (not liked by YM) but consequently is big enough for a 17" laptop to sit clear of a chart spread on a full size Yeoman. The instrument panels over it have stacks of void space behind for instruments, wiring, speakers etc.
Saildrive means cleaning dust out of bone dry bilges with a vacuum cleaner, but the tiny wee anodes on the VP three blade folder struggle to last a year, the 29hp. VP (perkins) engine has gone well so far, 6.3 kts at 2k revs. uses 2l/hr. this goes up to 7 litre per hour flat out. when the speed is not much more than 7.5kts.
I tried to buy the boat without teak on the side decks without success but now I am happy with it, pleasant to walk on in bare feet, terrific grip in the wet, does not get hot if the sun gets to shine on it. The teak lined cockpit is particularly well thought out for light crew, wheel between helmsman's knees, bum on teak moulded into coaming, one hand on continuous traveller line, if the lee genny sheet is led to weather that winch is in easy reach too, as are the lines for the genny cars.
Finngulf made a ss manifold to take all the tank breathers plus the cockpit drains, good idea in reducing holes in the hull but the holding tank vent pipe is long. contorted and therefore prone to blockage.
One drawback peculiar to us is space for the dog, he is not allowed on the cushions and floor space is limited, our Sigma 38 was much better here so the answer is probably a bigger boat. While she is sold as a six berth, four adults or two with a dog is her real capacity.
I think Finngulf were quite successful with this design because with custom making boats to order in a small factory they had time to attend to detail, the guys there were always available to listen to gripes and took all the owner feedback they could harvest, because our was the first in Scotland they wanted to know how it performed here. You did have to pay for it though!
Hull is slim, makes negligible wake, sails really fast and looks pretty (I still think) Downside is narrow beam restricts internal space a bit. Keel and rudder foils are deep and hydrodynamically efficient. (plenty of water in Scotland) The waterline is long but the beam there is narrow with low wetted area which does mean that sails need to be attended on a gusty day.
All hidden internal surfaces, lockers, panels, lids etc. are flowcoated, usually white inside cockpit lockers etc. but brown in the bilges, flowcoat has turned out to be a very durable easy wipe finish, better than paint. the engine sits over a big grp moulded tank with a capacity of about 20 litres which contains all spills. The aft locker around the rudder shaft extends as a tank to above water level though it can be drained to the bilge and the rudder shaft is housed in a grp bearing tube that is waterproof to almost deck level.
The Jefa wheel steering is very direct only half a turn to full lock but a large wheel gives power and precision and allows you to sit out to see well forward.
Big cockpit lockers, space for an outboard mounted up right but covered, liferaft, a dozen fenders warps, etc and two bicycles. Sails have to go under forecabin berths which is a bit od a pain.
The rig is enormous (16m airdraft on a 10m. boat) by Uk standards but with a keel steeped MDS section mast is fast and easy too reef. The through deck furlex does take more effort than a larger drum might but it allows you to set proper headsails. The MDS cars move like silk. 7/8th rig allows enough adjustment to shape with just a 12-1 purchase on the backstay. The spray hood is narrow which looks very neat but I have to use 8" handles to get a full turn on the halyard winches but these are 2 speed so okay.
Ventilation is properly thought out with all windows openable, (Lewmar, no leaks yet, touch wood) a mushroom vent forward, dorade in the middle and two solar extractors at the back.
The hull all the accommodation is lined with teak slats over battens, no bare fibreglass anywhere. All the screws for hull and head linings are exposed but neatly positioned and countersunk, makes access easy. The slats with airspace behind give good insulation and no condensation.
The front leg of the saloon table next the mast foot is hollow with a removable panel. All the cables coming down the mast go up the table leg where the joins are all made in the dry.
The chart table is aft facing (not liked by YM) but consequently is big enough for a 17" laptop to sit clear of a chart spread on a full size Yeoman. The instrument panels over it have stacks of void space behind for instruments, wiring, speakers etc.
Saildrive means cleaning dust out of bone dry bilges with a vacuum cleaner, but the tiny wee anodes on the VP three blade folder struggle to last a year, the 29hp. VP (perkins) engine has gone well so far, 6.3 kts at 2k revs. uses 2l/hr. this goes up to 7 litre per hour flat out. when the speed is not much more than 7.5kts.
I tried to buy the boat without teak on the side decks without success but now I am happy with it, pleasant to walk on in bare feet, terrific grip in the wet, does not get hot if the sun gets to shine on it. The teak lined cockpit is particularly well thought out for light crew, wheel between helmsman's knees, bum on teak moulded into coaming, one hand on continuous traveller line, if the lee genny sheet is led to weather that winch is in easy reach too, as are the lines for the genny cars.
Finngulf made a ss manifold to take all the tank breathers plus the cockpit drains, good idea in reducing holes in the hull but the holding tank vent pipe is long. contorted and therefore prone to blockage.
One drawback peculiar to us is space for the dog, he is not allowed on the cushions and floor space is limited, our Sigma 38 was much better here so the answer is probably a bigger boat. While she is sold as a six berth, four adults or two with a dog is her real capacity.
I think Finngulf were quite successful with this design because with custom making boats to order in a small factory they had time to attend to detail, the guys there were always available to listen to gripes and took all the owner feedback they could harvest, because our was the first in Scotland they wanted to know how it performed here. You did have to pay for it though!
