Seawolf 26

[Sixpence]

That Seawolf was a particularly lucky dood , and my seawolf (if I get her) , will be a long time before she goes out in the dark . At least on a mobo I can see everything around me , with the sail in the way , is it possible to see anything at night ?

 

[Dipper]

I have owned one of the early versions for the last 12 years. The earlier boats had a lower coach roof so do not have full standing headroom and they had a shorter mast and boom. Later versions with the higher coach roof (approx 5’ 10” headroom) had a taller mast and much larger main although the genoa is similar in size.

They are strongly built which is one of the reasons I bought mine and they sail well. I find my boat perfectly balanced (with a fin keel). It points well and doesn’t cause me any worries in strong winds. I have not sailed any other Seawolf 26s but I understand the ones with the taller rig suffer a bit of weather helm so you would probably need to reef a bit earlier as the wind picks up. The plus side is they have more sail for lighter winds.

Interior finish may be variable as some were home completed.

I agree with most of savageseadog’s comments but I wouldn’t describe them as ‘very lively’. They are not difficult to sail and are quite good sea boats – much less lively than some of the lightweight modern French designs but not as good as traditional designs such as the Contessa 26. There are several reviews available and some you can get from the ybw copy shop. All are for the later versions and praise the design and in particular the pointing ability of the bilge keel versions. Review comments include the following:

‘Stiff, quick and predictable, though heavy on the helm in some conditions, the Seawolf is a good seaboat.’ Yachting Monthly July 1995

‘I took her out in a gusty Force 6 and was highly impressed with her stiffness, her easy going gait and her ability to point. And remember this was the twin keeled version! She’s well balanced – not quite so light on the helm as some perhaps – but responsive, directionally stable, and surprisingly nippy.’ Rodger Witt – not sure which magazine.

‘In all, a very pleasant boat to sail’ PBO October 1989

Obviously, there are some minor adverse comments in the details of these reports but this is true for all boats.

Other than the fact you may not have much sailing experience, the Seawolf 26 shouldn’t cause you any specific problems as regards handling. Despite the racy looks, they have sufficient ballast (43%) to keep you safe and comfortable whilst you (literally) learn the ropes.

Go for it!

 

[Sixpence]

Thanks for that , it was starting to sound like too much for me to handle