Sunstar 18

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gull1066

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8 Jul 2011
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Hythe Sailing Club. Sunstar 18
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Hi All,

I have today brought my first cruiser and she's a sunstar 18. Looks great and cant wait to get out in her. Needs very little work so hoping to put her straight in the water and play. Only 3 months left before she will be out for the winter so will do the work then.

Not sure if there is any other sunstar owners on this site but im sure to be picking your brains from time to time.

John
 
Hello John. I found this Sunstar 21 buried under stinging nettles and brambles and bought her about 2 years ago. A good scrub and I've renewed the standing and running rigging. She's great for exploring shallow areas.
001-5.jpg
 
Downsman said:
Hello John. I found this Sunstar 21 buried under stinging nettles and brambles and bought her about 2 years ago. A good scrub and I've renewed the standing and running rigging. She's great for exploring shallow areas.
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Sunstar 21 ??? A Sunray perhaps.

The range of "Sun" yachts designed by AC Howard are: Sunspot, 15ft; Sunstar, 18ft; Sunray, 21ft; and Sunflair, 27ft.

I have never seen a Sunspot but I know people who own or have owned the others .
 
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You may already know this, but according to Hoskyns Yacht Directory the Sunstar 18 was designed by Arthur C. Howard, who also designed the Leisure 17 (you can see the family likeness) and early boats were built by Sun Yachts. Hoskyns says
"LOA 18'3"
Beam 7' 2.5"
Draft 2' 4.5" (bilge keel) or 3' (fin)
Popular and probably the most successful of the Sun range from the early 1970s. A little bulbous and 'jelly-mould' for modern tastes. Sunstar performed well with a simple roomy interior and was strongly built. . . . . they often represent excellent value for a first boat."

The Sun 21 footer mentioned by Downsman was presumably the one listed by Hoskyns as the Sunray 21. Also in the range was the Sunspot (15'3" LOA)
 
Beaten to it by Vic!

I've seen a number of Sunspots around. They look like a slightly foreshortened Leisure 17, with a shorter cabin roof and a very pronounced reverse sheer. Quite perky looking in their own way. There used to be one or two Sunspots moored in Keyhaven (a good place for a trip from Hythe), and possibly even one on the moorings at Hythe Sailing Club.

I've not come across the Sunflair 27 (and my Hoskyns Directory only goes up to 25ft). That sounds interesting.
 
LittleSister said:
Beaten to it by Vic!

I've seen a number of Sunspots around. They look like a slightly foreshortened Leisure 17, with a shorter cabin roof and a very pronounced reverse sheer. Quite perky looking in their own way. There used to be one or two Sunspots moored in Keyhaven (a good place for a trip from Hythe), and possibly even one on the moorings at Hythe Sailing Club.

I've not come across the Sunflair 27 (and my Hoskyns Directory only goes up to 25ft). That sounds interesting.
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A friend of mine owns one .. at least I assume he still does I have not seen him for some time. ( Still does according to the ITU MARS database)
Interesting boat with wheel steering!. I dont know if that was standard.

Moored in Itchenor reach. Boat called Snip III.
 
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Well done Vics, thanks for that. Apart from a bill of sale for a '21 foot bilge keel yacht' I've no details on this little boat. she was all but abandoned and I cleared the mooring/ storage arrears in a deal with the previous owner who told me she was a Sun Star and he mentioned the name Hopkins.. So the information was close but slightly adrift as to builder and boat class. I was bound for the Med in 2009 soon after buying her and have only just got round to cleaning and re-rigging her. She's good fun though as I'm used to a heavy, deep, long keeler.:)
 
Sun Yachts

I sold my Sunray 21 last year, I found it a great boat that sailed well. I feel Arthur Howard knows ( or knew ? ) how to design a good small bilge keeler, that could surprise a few people with their speed, with the Leisure 17 being the most common and popular. I had a Leisure 17 prior to the Sunray.

VicS, I think your friends Sunflair is still in Itchenor, as there is a yacht there that looks like a big Sunray, which I guess is a Sunflair, but I am not sure as I have never seen one to confirm. I will look out for the name Snip III next time I go pass it.
 
Downsman said:
Well done Vics, thanks for that. Apart from a bill of sale for a '21 foot bilge keel yacht' I've no details on this little boat. she was all but abandoned and I cleared the mooring/ storage arrears in a deal with the previous owner who told me she was a Sun Star and he mentioned the name Hopkins.. So the information was close but slightly adrift as to builder and boat class. I was bound for the Med in 2009 soon after buying her and have only just got round to cleaning and re-rigging her. She's good fun though as I'm used to a heavy, deep, long keeler.:)
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The knuckle in the hull moulding is pretty characteristic. Similar to some of the Westerlies.
Also I lightened the shadows in your picture to get a look at the underwater shape. Very " chicken breasted" with the deepest part of the hull well forward. A good design feature I am told.
 
Yes indeed 'chicken breasted' describes her shape very well. The run aft from abaft the keels is a lot flatter. She sits very well on the keels and same depth skeg, so she's stable when aground and is surprisingly sea kindly for a small boat. I'm quite attached to her already. :)
 
I thought the term was 'pigeon breasted' ? I say this because I saw it in a wartime gunnery spotters' guide to the Spitfire Mk9, " it still has the pigeon breast "...

There's a snippet of info' you could well have done without...:)
 
Did the OP buy the Sunstar 18 that's been on ebay several times recently by any chance?

There's also been a sunspot 15 on ebay several times.

The OP may well find that like me, you are sailing a boat that few others sail. But at least in this case people have heard of them, not many have even heard of a Frolic 18, let alone seen or sailed in one.
 
Hi John,

I bought a Sunstar 18 last month and am in the process of getting her ready for the water. But I don't know how to rig up to boom; I'm not sure if it is just a rope tied to the end or a block and tackle. I would appreciate it if you could send me a photo of yours or let me know how it's rigged. My email is: bountifulinc@att.net. Thanks, Jim
 
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