Sadler 32 question

[affinite]

Hi all
My brother in law is thinking about buying a Salder 32 as his first cruising boat. He has a couple (to start with ) of questions that Im hoping one of you Sadler owners may be able to help with.

1. Do you think that it would be feasible to attach a door between the forecabin and the heads/wet locker area in place of the standard curtain? When I looked at it I thought that there was enough room to hinge the door so that it would open into the same space as the existing saloon-heads door without them jamming each other (although you would just have to be careful when you opened each one to make sure that it didn’t foul the other one). ANother problem seemed to be that the opening does not have vertical and parallel sides – they bend in towards the bottom. I would therefore have to hand build the frame to fit the opening and the door but that doesn’t seem insurmountable. I think that there would also be an issue of ventilation but that could be assisted by having the bottom section either louvred or with large holes drilled.
2. The boat that I have been looking at (and quite a few other Sadler 32s) have a mainsail with boom roller reefing. My initial thought was that this would be a good feature, especially for shorthanded sailing but I have since read that there is a major problem in that you can’t use a standard kicking strap arrangement to hold the boom down and have to use some sort of claw attachment that hooks over the rolled up sail. I’ve also read that it needs 2 people to reef it – one to wind the reefing handle at the mast and the other to pull the other end of the sail to ensure that it rolls properly. Finally there seems to be an issue with performance because the foot of the sails tends to billow. Has your contact any knowledge/experience with the boom reefing system and if so what are his thoughts?

Thanks in advance

Steve (Affinite)

 

[jsl]

reefing

We had roller reefing (on a Nic35). It was turned by a worm-gear, and needed a huge number of rotations of the handle to produce (say) nine rolls of the boom. I have never regretted retro-fitting Barton slab reefing: much quicker and easier to use, and the sail sets really well rather than really badly. It is also much easier to UN-reef.

 

[prv]

I've sailed on a couple of charter Sadler 32s. I *think* one of them had a door instead of a curtain where you describe, although it's possible I'm mixing it up with another similar boat. The door was split into two leaves with a piano hinge down the middle, to help maneouvre it in the tight space.

Roller boom reefing on bermudan sails is a bit crappy really - much better to have slab reefing, which can be retrofitted if the boat currently has roller. Just make sure you have the halyard and the reefing pendants run to the same place - cockpit or mast is up to you, although if you have ram's horns rather than a tack pendant it will have to be the mast.

Pete

 

[marko99]

Suggest you also post your question on the Sadler & Starlight Owners' Association forum - the very helpful folk over there will probably be able to answer your questions !

http://mly.gamalanhost.net/

 

[snooks]

We have a solid door going to the forepeak on Pixie our Sadler 32, so it is possible. The only time we actually use it is when we have a shower, which unless we are extended cruising is quite rare. The door folds in half and clips to the wet locker opposite the toilet.

Can't help with the reefing as ours is slab reefing.

We took our from Gosport to Orkney last year, blog below.

Ps it takes a few days to register on the SOA forum

 

[Searush]

Boom roller reefing is not that bad. I accept that slab is better, but boom roller is OK. Roll a sailbag into the sail to help maintain shape & a webbing strap with a shackle sewn in the end that you can clip the kicking strap to.

You don't need 2 people, but may, sometimes need to walk to the far end to pull a crease out.

 

[BAtoo]

My S32 had a hinged & louvered door where you describe, as did all other S32s that I have seen IIRR.

Would ditch the roller boom in favour of slab reefing.

 

[muzzaman]

Would anyone have photos they could post of the hinged door into the forepeak? I would like to copy it for my Sadler 32 which still has the curtain arrangement.

 

[Champagne Murphy]

We have a 1981 Sadler 32, full solid door to the forepeak and slab reefing. The door matches the rest of the woodwork so seems to be a regular fitting-they are out there. We have slab reefing so no experience of roller.
Most of these boats are getting on although many have been well cared for and upgraded carefully. Not the roomiest boat but a great, strong sailer which will look after you in all weathers. As with all older boats a careful survey is a good idea. Sadler website has many enthusiasts and Mike Lucas is a veritable mine of info.
Good luck!

 

[benw]

We have a door and slab reefing too. Have attached some photos of the door arrangement.
PM me if you want any further info as we are looking at marketing ours for sale.
Ben