Sadler 29

[Daydream believer]

I never take much notice of the comments of a boat owner on his boat - we are all in love with our boat until we fall out of love and sell it. The Sadler 29 is a slowish boat - my club has three Sadler 29 bilgies at the moment and has had 4 in the recent past so I have seen how they did in races under various ownerships ( club boats often change hands within the club). Yes they are good sea boats and yes they do get a lot nearer their handicap in 30kn than in 10kn. But to someone coming from a dinghy they are likely to be on the slow and stodgy side of the spectrum. And at the risk of repeating myself, having crewed and cruised on them, I would not consider owning one because of the side decks which IMO are too narrow and angled to be safe.

How about a Hunter? More sporty and dinghy like.

Now you have said that, & risked the wrath of the forum, I will put my head over the parapet & say that we have a chap in our club who was an excellent helm & did well sailing international canoes. He went from a Sadler 26 to a 29 & is really disappointed with the lack of speed improvement, compared with the 26, which he says- size for size -was actually a better boat

 

[johnalison]

Now you have said that, & risked the wrath of the forum, I will put my head over the parapet & say that we have a chap in our club who was an excellent helm & did well sailing international canoes. He went from a Sadler 26 to a 29 & is really disappointed with the lack of speed improvement, compared with the 26, which he says- size for size -was actually a better boat

I'm surprised by that as I have always thought the old 25 was a better sailer than the 26. The 29 should leave a 26 behind with ease and in most conditions is close to the 32. David Sadler thought the 29 was his best design, according to one report I read.

 

[Cantata]

I'm surprised by that as I have always thought the old 25 was a better sailer than the 26. The 29 should leave a 26 behind with ease and in most conditions is close to the 32. David Sadler thought the 29 was his best design, according to one report I read.

I had a bilge keel 29 for several years. Sailed like a witch in lighter airs, very quick, although not so good to windward in a blow. And I'm a fussy sailor, raced dinghies for 40 years. I thought the 29 is a smashing boat.

 

[GPS2]

I had a bilge keel 29 for several years. Sailed like a witch in lighter airs, very quick, although not so good to windward in a blow. And I'm a fussy sailor, raced dinghies for 40 years. I thought the 29 is a smashing boat.

I suppose that speed and agility will always devide opinion, I felt the Sadler 25 was exactly what I wanted comming up froma dinghy, mainly because it felt manageable. When I looked around one ashore, it looked big and intimidating for the ground, perfect feel from the cockpit and once in the cabin, far to small. The 26 much better with reasonable headroom but still cosy, the 29 too big initially but as suggested by a broker, better to grow into a boat than grow out of it!

I feel that a 29 is a great compromise And will hopefully see me through for many a year, like some on here.

 

[TangaraToo]

As another who has come from dingy racing to yachts I also though 30' looked huge when on the hard. Feels so much smaller when out of sight of land!

 

[vyv_cox]

Maybe reference to handicaps would shed a little light on the argument. Taken from http://www.byronsoftware.org.uk/bycn/byboat.htm

Keel type: f=fin, ff = flared fin(?) p=drop plate

1052 Sadler 25 f
1120 Sadler 25 2k
1054 Sadler 26 f
1038 Sadler 29 2k
1032 Sadler 32 2kf
976 Sadler 32 DD f
1012 Sadler 32 SD f
952 Sadler 34 ff
988 Sadler 34 p
962 Sadler 34 SD ff

964 Hunter Impala 28 f has been mentioned and seems to be similar in performance to a Sadler 34. However, I remember looking at, and rejecting, one as a cruising boat. Far too sparse in our opinion. Instead we bought a Westerly GK29, which had reasonable performance and was remarkably spacious below.
1000 Westerly GK 29 f

 

[Daydream believer]

Looking at the list that you link to it would seem that pperhaps a Hanse 29 ( if OP can find one) would fit the bill
being a dinghy sailor perhaps he would like the " tweakability" but enjoy the self tacker for cruising
I have a friend with a GK 29 & he loves it but is not headroom is a bit low ?

 

[vyv_cox]

I have a friend with a GK 29 & he loves it but is not headroom is a bit low ?

Might well be if you were a six-footer but was fine for our more modest height. It's the 24 that is really low, need to crouch even sitting down.

 

[johnalison]

Maybe reference to handicaps would shed a little light on the argument. Taken from http://www.byronsoftware.org.uk/bycn/byboat.htm

Keel type: f=fin, ff = flared fin(?) p=drop plate

1052 Sadler 25 f
1120 Sadler 25 2k
1054 Sadler 26 f
1038 Sadler 29 2k
1032 Sadler 32 2kf
976 Sadler 32 DD f
1012 Sadler 32 SD f
952 Sadler 34 ff
988 Sadler 34 p
962 Sadler 34 SD ff

964 Hunter Impala 28 f has been mentioned and seems to be similar in performance to a Sadler 34. However, I remember looking at, and rejecting, one as a cruising boat. Far too sparse in our opinion. Instead we bought a Westerly GK29, which had reasonable performance and was remarkably spacious below.
1000 Westerly GK 29 f

That's interesting, and broadly in line with what some of us have been saying. The Sadlers were built as cruising boats and need to be compared with other cruisers of their time. The 25 came out in about 1975 and blew away all the older boats in our racing fleet at the time.

 

[Daydream believer]

Might well be if you were a six-footer but was fine for our more modest height. It's the 24 that is really low, need to crouch even sitting down.

Actually a lower headroom when it is marginal is sometimes better. I found on one boat i was always stooping & trying to stand & got backache. But on my Stella there was no way i could stand up so i slid along the seats etc on my rear end & never had the problem

 

[johnalison]

I agree. We had a Mystere, where I could just about stand at the companionway, but after that you just slid into a seat. The Sadler 29 has a good heads though, and better than the 32's. I did hear (or maybe read in YM) about one chap who was standing at the loo and got thrown backwards into the wet locker, from which he was unable to extricate himself.

 

[GPS2]

I have a 29 and it will be perfect for you. They are not slow at all, and come from a good pedigree of stable well balanced sea boats. Warm, quiet and dry inside with no condensation to worry about, and with the benefit that they will not sink like a stone which is comforting. I admit that mine is one of the last to be built but have certainly not noticed any problems with the foam core. Go for it you will not regret your choice.

Thank you for the thumbs up Mavis, I would love to see one of the "last to be built " coming up for sale before the start of the season. I believe that when launched, the S29 was seen in by some as a bit plastic , but having looked at a couple of Moody 27 and 29's I think that the S29 has aged well.

 

[Hydrozoan]

... The Sadler 29 has a good heads though, and better than the 32's. I did hear (or maybe read in YM) about one chap who was standing at the loo and got thrown backwards into the wet locker, from which he was unable to extricate himself.

Has the 29 no wet locker opposite? It's a while since I was on one but I had thought the heads itself was similar - does the double skin reduce the available space opposite? (I can just about imagine the scenario you describe on a 32, and though the wet locker is a good size it does seem a chance in a million.)

 

[Cantata]

My 29 had a wet locker, as described.

 

[Hydrozoan]

My 29 had a wet locker, as described.

Thanks. I thought johnalison meant that the possibility of the freaky wet locker accident he described was why the 32's heads was not as good as the 29's. Perhaps he was referring to some other difference.

 

[johnalison]

I think Cantata understood. Opposite the heads is a wet locker with a part bulkhead reaching about eighteen inches. It is therefore just big enough for someone to get their behind into, leaving the lower legs flapping about outside. I've not tried it.

The 32's heads have less headroom, which is part of the reason why it is a better windward boat in a blow.

 

[Hydrozoan]

... Opposite the heads is a wet locker with a part bulkhead reaching about eighteen inches. It is therefore just big enough for someone to get their behind into, leaving the lower legs flapping about outside. I've not tried it....

That sounds like the wet locker we have on our 32 (but it may be non-standard for a 32 as it's not a Sadler-built boat). I won't be trying it either.

... The 32's heads have less headroom, which is part of the reason why it is a better windward boat in a blow.

Thanks - that I did not know.

 

[VicMallows]

It is therefore just big enough for someone to get their behind into, leaving the lower legs flapping about outside..

Not in mine ..... it's far too full ( I did though once end up on my back in the cockpit locker after forgetting to close the lid. On my own, that was not funny).

 

[GPS2]

Not in mine ..... it's far too full ( I did though once end up on my back in the cockpit locker after forgetting to close the lid. On my own, that was not funny).

Oh my, it's now going to be difficult to look at prospect yacht wet lockers and cockpit lockers without seeing legs a dangling

 

[derekgillard]

I have had a Sadler 29 for 13 years. My first boat and never looked back, it has never let me down in some strong winds it's always the crew that give up before a Sadler.
Wiring can be an issue but one can re route with a little imagination, the foam keeps the boat warm and dry so winter sailing is also a bonus.
If you can live with a fin keel mine is up for sale. My partner is keen to do some long distance stuff in our retirement but wants the luxuries of life like hot water etc so it's time to pass the Sadler on.
It will be a sad day when she goes.
Delbuoy