Sterling 28 - Suitable for Solo Sailing and Offshore Passages?

[ncounties]

Hi there,

I’m currently researching various keelboat types and am wondering if anyone has experience with Sterling 28s.

I sail regularly and have skippered quite a bit on club boats, including passages from Ireland to Scotland and the Scillies, as well as Newlyn to Lorient. I’ve also done a fair amount of charters, but it’s always been on AWBs.

Now, despite all financial sense advising against it, I’m looking to acquire my own smaller keelboat for cruising around Ireland. I’m also interested in doing some solo sailing, preferably in a classic. In time, I might want to head north to the Hebrides and Faroes, or south to Spain, the Med, or the Canaries. Would you say a Sterling 28 in good condition would be suitable for this?

Cheers,

Northern Counties

 

[Poignard]

I'm sure it would but if you can't find one in sound condition, how about looking at a Twister? Same size, same designer, same sea-kindly hull form and, if you were to buy a composite model, ie with a GRP hull and deck, you will have a boat that looks, and is, a classic without the maintenance demands of a wooden hull and deck.

Buying a Twister - Twister Class Association

 

[Buck Turgidson]

As above. Not having a planked hull is a great relief! However, if you are fixed on a sterling (only 19 ever built) then : this looks like a bargain!

 

[srm]

I’m also interested in doing some solo sailing, preferably in a classic.

For single handed sailing boats of this type have a lot of advantages. Generally the hulls are well balanced with good directional stability and sea kindly. A simple wind vane system will handle them in any conditions provided there is steerage way.

Lots of people on these forums will disagree with me. However all my monohulls have been of this style and I have sailed all of them singlehanded with the aid of windvane steering: Trinrella 29, McGruer designed 8 metre cruiser/racer (42 ft on deck 30 ft waterline, 10ft max beam), Trident Marine Voyager 35 (with heavy custom fit out, cutter rig and bowsprit).

I have also sailed modern AWBs with two double bedrooms in the stern plus his 'n her wheels, but only when paid to do so. I prefer the reliable handling and tolerance of older designs with the narrower beam, cut away forefoot, keel hung rudder. There are also a number of younger designs that have similar handling characteristics with moderate beam, long fin keels and skeg supported rudders.

The Trintella 29 (similar to the Sterling), did an Atlantic circuit with its first owner, I made crossings to and from Norway with all of them, as well as a lot of time on the west and north coasts of Scotland, and the Voyager brought me to the Azores.

Hope you find a boat to suit you.

 

[Buck Turgidson]

All of the above. I can lash the tiller at 55° TWA and let her sail herself to windward literally all day. My record leaving the boat like this is 14 hours without touching anything. What more could you want