Shrimper 19 or Drascombe Coaster

[Yachtingsouthwest]

Looking for people opinions on the qualities and downfalls of the Shrimper 19 and Drascombe Coaster.

Also if anyone has any other good looking trailer sailer suggestions.

 

[LittleSister]

There was a group test of similar 'trailer sailers', including those two, in YM about, I guess, early 1990s. Perhaps someone has a copy they could send you.

'Good looking' is rather subjective. Both the boats you mention are gaffers. Can Bermudan rigs be good-looking, do you think? That could expand the field significantly.

Shrimper sails better than the Drascombes. I (6ft 1") couldn't sit upright inside the Shrimper.

Some friends really liked their Coaster, but I never sailed it myself.

The Cape Cutter 19 is similar in concept and appearance to the Shrimper, but far fewer about. A friend (who had also owned Shrimpers and Crabbers) had one and liked it, but I don't think I ever sailed on it. Originally South African built, IIRC (p.s. but more recently advertised by Honnor Marine).

The Winkle Brig is another gaff trailer-sailer, but shorter. (There's an open version as well as the lidded variety.) YM said it didn't sail quite as well as the Shrimper, but had positive things to say about it including, IIRC, build quality.

The Tamarisk 19 was a David Cannell designed, North Sea Craft built, gaff rigged trailer sailer. I'm guessing late 70s, early 80s. Would be quite cheap now, I think. (The original versions had a more popular larger sister, the Tamarisk 24.) Then a new (redesigned?) version of the Tamarisk 19 was built by a resurrected North Sea Craft more recently, but the price was very high for what it was, and I got the impression very few were sold.
p.s. I've just discovered they are now built by Honnor Marine, who also built Drascombes. Tamarisk 19 – Honnor Marine

 

[DownWest]

Bit confusing on the T 19. It lists length as 25ft?

 

[GrandadPig]

Just bought a Skanner 19. In sailable but slightly tatty condition £5995. On a new braked road trailer. Very well built and surprisingly roomy below decks. Pretty boat but yet to sail her. TBH Shrimpers seem a bit overpriced for what they are, but hold value well so doesn’t really matter I dupppse.

 

[Farmer Piles]

20ft Tosher?

 

[Neil]

Before my Sadler, I had a Character Boats Whammel - a 17' plastic gaffer that looked really beautiful but sailing performance was limited by its design. Came with a great trailer though I had problems with the mix of salt water and brake hubs. The long keel made running it up the beach or bank a breeze, though the long shallow keel perhaps didn't help its sailability. Tacking into waves required backing the jib to get it round.

Now I've passed the Sadler on, I'm shortly expecting my Swallow Yachts Bayraider Expedition which ticks all my boxes; good sailing performance, a cuddy cabin, water ballast, launched from the trailer without getting the hubs wet yet still having a 'traditional;' look to it.
The downside is the cost; they are quite expensive and the 'sailaway' price is a fantasy - you can't drive it away at that price because the trailer is extra. They rarely seem to come on the market second hand (I'm guessing a lot of happy owners) so needs must I go for a new build. It'll be a full year between paying the deposit and taking delivery. A year in which to reconsider options and tick more cells in the spreadsheet, ramping up the cost ?

 

[DownWest]

Before my Sadler, I had a Character Boats Whammel - a 17' plastic gaffer that looked really beautiful but sailing performance was limited by its design. Came with a great trailer though I had problems with the mix of salt water and brake hubs. The long keel made running it up the beach or bank a breeze, though the long shallow keel perhaps didn't help its sailability. Tacking into waves required backing the jib to get it round.

Now I've passed the Sadler on, I'm shortly expecting my Swallow Yachts Bayraider Expedition which ticks all my boxes; good sailing performance, a cuddy cabin, water ballast, launched from the trailer without getting the hubs wet yet still having a 'traditional;' look to it.
The downside is the cost; they are quite expensive and the 'sailaway' price is a fantasy - you can't drive it away at that price because the trailer is extra. They rarely seem to come on the market second hand (I'm guessing a lot of happy owners) so needs must I go for a new build. It'll be a full year between paying the deposit and taking delivery. A year in which to reconsider options and tick more cells in the spreadsheet, ramping up the cost ?

I sailed in the group with a Bayraider at MorbiHan in 2009, very impressive boat and quick! But, as you say, price a 'bit' above a Coaster or similar. Water ballast a plus on the 'dry weight' side.

Back to Coasters and Shrimpers. Not in the same league, the loose footed Drascombe rig is not very close winded and the accommodation spartan. The Cape Cutter is a better performer than the Shrimper from the Round the Island races results. As said, not so many about, but you could build one in wood as plans available.......

To add: Honnor Marine bought the CC19 design from Dudley Dix and built it in the UK, but they sold the firm on and it seems the new owners prefer the T19?

 

[northwind]

Looking for people opinions on the qualities and downfalls of the Shrimper 19 and Drascombe Coaster.

Also if anyone has any other good looking trailer sailer suggestions.

Do you want a trailer sailor (keep at home and launch and recover each time or a trailable boat? (Launch at the beginning of the season and recover at the end).

The Shrimper is not really a trailer sailor, fine if you want to mainly keep it afloat, They are deeper draft and heavier than the Drascombe and would require more time to setup.

 

[northwind]

Bit confusing on the T 19. It lists length as 25ft?

bowsprit

 

[DownWest]

bowsprit

Looked again and yes. But it would help if LOD was mentioned.

 

[Greg2]

We looked at and considered many of the models mentioned and ended up buying a Norfolk Gypsy nearly a year ago. Good looking boats IMHO (we get a lot of compliments) and plenty of cockpit space and a cabin that is snug but adequate for our day sailing needs. Met a couple who spend a week at a time on theirs but that wouldn’t be for me at 6’5” tall! The inboard GM10 is a handy thing to have when the wind lets you down and the boat is easy to de-rig to put on the trailer - mast just drops and stays in the tabernacle. Build quality is excellent - better than most. Sails okay but perhaps not the fastest but that matters not for our river and estuary pottering.

 

[srm]

I have sailed two Drascombs, the Lugger and the Longboat, quite a lot as part of my job working with young people. Much preferred the Longboat for handling and performance. As can be expected with the loose footed main they were not close winded but in sheltered waters we were never in a situation that we could not make up to weather. They were also slow down wind though an oar could be used to hold the main out. In strong winds I would reef the main and roll up some of the jib and mizzen and let the crew enjoy some exciting sailing. Our safety boat could not keep up with us. The only problem I had with the Longboat was one afternoon when I took it out in to the bay single handed and the wind got up. I did not have enough weight to keep the boat at a reasonable angle of heel and had to severely reduce sail to get back upwind into more sheltered waters.

Sorry that I can not make the direct comparison you need.

 

[eddystone]

Should also include Memory 19. Far fewer around than Shrimper, some had cabin top, others open - rumoured to be faster than Shrimper.

 

[Neil]

Should also include Memory 19. Far fewer around than Shrimper, some had cabin top, others open - rumoured to be faster than Shrimper.

I enquired about one before I got the Whammel. The man at Salterns was in no doubts that this was a boat to trailer twice per year and was unsuitable to launch and retrieve each time

 

[eddystone]

I enquired about one before I got the Whammel. The man at Salterns was in no doubts that this was a boat to trailer twice per year and was unsuitable to launch and retrieve each time

TBH I think that applies to most of them. I used to launch my Crabber 17 onto a mooring in Spring and retrieve in the Autumn. The time to rig would preclude trailer day sailing, for me anyway

 

[srm]

TBH I think that applies to most of them. I used to launch my Crabber 17 onto a mooring in Spring and retrieve in the Autumn. The time to rig would preclude trailer day sailing, for me anyway

Likewise with the Drascombes, we launched and recovered with a small crane on our pier, but still two of us probably spent two to three hours setting up or stowing each boat at beginning and end of the season. However, if frequently trailing for a weekend afloat you could probably develop a system making it quicker to launch and rig or recover.

 

[northwind]

Likewise with the Drascombes, we launched and recovered with a small crane on our pier, but still two of us probably spent two to three hours setting up or stowing each boat at beginning and end of the season. However, if frequently trailing for a weekend afloat you could probably develop a system making it quicker to launch and rig or recover.

With the right trailer drascombe are easy to trail sail, struggle to see how it takes 2-3hrs to setup and launch a drascombe, stuck masts up, shove in water and off you go, used to take me less than 30mins to launch and around 20 to prepare to take back on the road.

 

[srm]

With the right trailer drascombe are easy to trail sail, struggle to see how it takes 2-3hrs to setup and launch a drascombe, stuck masts up, shove in water and off you go, used to take me less than 30mins to launch and around 20 to prepare to take back on the road.

Presumably you keep your sails and yard on the masts while trailing. Our sails were taken off, washed and stored ashore for the winter as were the spars so had to be set in the spring.

 

[Neil]

With the right trailer drascombe are easy to trail sail, struggle to see how it takes 2-3hrs to setup and launch a drascombe, stuck masts up, shove in water and off you go, used to take me less than 30mins to launch and around 20 to prepare to take back on the road.

I could rig and launch the whammed in 20 min if I hurried. I'm expecting the Bayraider to be of the same order, particularly with it having light carbon fibre mast and spars. Though the video of it being rigged is only 2 min long!

 

[northwind]

Making trailer sailing easy is all in how you set things up to be as efficient as possible, for example when I replaced all my running rigging I made sure the lines were long enough to stay in the deck organisers, so I don't have to rethread anything when I take the mast down. bit like when I sailed a dinghy I didn't turn the mast round when I took it down, so the foot of the mast goes towards the front on the boat on the trailer mast holder, removes the hassle of rotating the mast 180deg and the 5mins needed to do so. Its all about applying Kaizen