westhinder
Well-Known Member
Does anyone have first hand experience of the Starlight 39? Any info welcomed
Starlight 39
- Thread starter westhinder
- Start date
marchhare
Well-Known Member
Try the Sadler and Starlight Owners Association (SSOA) website forum, sure to get some responses. www.sadlerandstarlight.co.uk
marchhare
Well-Known Member
Then click on Mike Lucas Yachting Forum
Bosun Higgs
N/A
I have no experience of the 39 but I do have a 35 and all the reports say they are very similar indeed bar 3 extra feet in the middle.
The 35 is a cracking sailing boat - both it and the 39 got rave reviews when first brought out and sell even now for a premium above similar sized moodies / westerlies. Handling in bad weather is excellent with a well balanced hull of a more traditional shape ie not designed for flotillas like most modern boats are,. My 35 has never even got close to rounding up and I race right through the winter.
Two keels are available. Mine is the deep fin which has a proper bilge sump with a lead fin on the bottom. There is a wing keel which performs a little less well but has a more shallow draft and a better motion at sea.
I am less keen on the style of construction with a full inner lining. It means that the boat is less roomy inside than it would otherwise be, and if you have to run other wires through the gap between headlining and deck, it isnt always that easy. That said, the lining makes the boat condensation free and that is a surprisingly big advantage.
There were two builders for the boats - Sadler yachts who started out building them and then Bowman yachts who took over when Sadler went bust.
I'd sum up by putting the Starlights along side the Swedish boats and makes like Vancouver in that they are maximised for performance at sea and with acceptable internal room rather that maximised for internal room with acceptable performance at sea like ( say) Beneteau.
The 35 is a cracking sailing boat - both it and the 39 got rave reviews when first brought out and sell even now for a premium above similar sized moodies / westerlies. Handling in bad weather is excellent with a well balanced hull of a more traditional shape ie not designed for flotillas like most modern boats are,. My 35 has never even got close to rounding up and I race right through the winter.
Two keels are available. Mine is the deep fin which has a proper bilge sump with a lead fin on the bottom. There is a wing keel which performs a little less well but has a more shallow draft and a better motion at sea.
I am less keen on the style of construction with a full inner lining. It means that the boat is less roomy inside than it would otherwise be, and if you have to run other wires through the gap between headlining and deck, it isnt always that easy. That said, the lining makes the boat condensation free and that is a surprisingly big advantage.
There were two builders for the boats - Sadler yachts who started out building them and then Bowman yachts who took over when Sadler went bust.
I'd sum up by putting the Starlights along side the Swedish boats and makes like Vancouver in that they are maximised for performance at sea and with acceptable internal room rather that maximised for internal room with acceptable performance at sea like ( say) Beneteau.
westhinder
Well-Known Member
Thanks a lot for the input.
Bosun, any particular points to look out for when viewing a Starlight?
Bosun, any particular points to look out for when viewing a Starlight?
Massey
New Member
I have just put my Starlight 39 on the YBW site for sale. If you would like further details please contact me on jdom6@me.com
Boo2
Well-Known Member
dt4134
Well-Known Member
I've raced on a Starlight 39 a couple of times. It wasn't serious racing, in fact I knew I had to ease back a notch or two when I discovered 70-odd cans of beer on board.
Despite the excessive weight she gave a good account of herself. Definitely seems a boat that was designed to take heavy weather better than most. Well balanced under sail. Comfortable motion at sea.
I wouldn't call her a racer, but definitely a good fast cruiser. What sort of sailing are you looking to do with the Starlight 39?
Despite the excessive weight she gave a good account of herself. Definitely seems a boat that was designed to take heavy weather better than most. Well balanced under sail. Comfortable motion at sea.
I wouldn't call her a racer, but definitely a good fast cruiser. What sort of sailing are you looking to do with the Starlight 39?
Stork_III
Well-Known Member
Moodynick has one.
blenkinsop
Well-Known Member
We have been living on our Starlight 39 for 5 years as we have circumnavigated. She has served us well.
We are currently in Spain, returning to UK in June to complete the trip, after which we will put her on the market.
PM me if you have any specific questions.
We are currently in Spain, returning to UK in June to complete the trip, after which we will put her on the market.
PM me if you have any specific questions.
BlueSkyNick
Well-Known Member
Westhinder's enquiry was from early last year and I know he now has a boat.
What bugs me is that they were as rare as rocking horse poo for 18 months when I was aiming to buy one (but had to sell our previous boat). We now have one (Number 30) and there seems to be several on the market!!
blenkinsop
Well-Known Member
Isn't always the way!
gregcope
Well-Known Member
Really - bar the one in this thread which others are your referring too?
Having made only a few, they are likely to appear like busses. None for a while, then a few...
BlueSkyNick
Well-Known Member
Sorry, a little over-exaggeration on the counting, as in
One...Two...Several !
In this thread, there is Massey's, soon blenkinsop's, and there was also one in YM, (November issue IIRC).
I did a lot of research, including contacting 16 other owners all of whom were most helpful. One of these days I will consolidate their feedback into a 'report'.
Most notable positive comment was the sailing performance and sea-kindliness.
westhinder
Well-Known Member
After my first half-season with the Starlight 39, my first impressions confirm this: very good performance both in light weather and in the heavier stuff and a sea-kindly motion. Add to this a good interior lay-out and very high build quality, in short, very pleased with the boat ;-)
