How Good are Sprays?

[Jerry Cox]

Hi Santana
Good to read your slant on Sprays. These are the kind of comments and observations that really matter. From someone who not only has an opinion but has means to back it.
Having just purchased a 36 poop deck gaff cutter I am most interested in any tips with regard to trimming and setting up the boat. I have always liked sailing gaffers and I wont start a 'yours is better than mine'..but I do believe that the overall flexibility of the rig combined with a time proven design is a winning combination.
I am thinking seriously about adding a pilot house next year as I too believe them to be an exellent addition.
If you are ever around Methoni, SW Peleponnese..Greece...call up and drop in..Cheers..Jerry

[Amgine]

That's something I can comment on; have owned a couple and love the rig though I wish I had the money to do more experimentation. I would expect the generic spray type to suit the rig well enough, and depending on the sparred length and the dept of the forefoot it may be a very good match.

If you don't mind my asking, which specific design is your 36' Spray? What are the details of your gaff rig?

[Amgine]

Ah! Bruce Roberts 36C, I would guess?

[sobraon]

G'day drlang,

Your original question was are Spray's good cruisers. The answer to this is simple, YES.

Wendy and I cruise aboard 'Spirit of Sobraon' our fibreglass Spray.


We are continually amazed by her capabilities and her comfort. We arrived in Mooloolabah yesterday morning after an extremely rough passage down the Australian Coast. When we passed Double Island Point on our way to Moolooabah we had 25kt SW breeze almost on our nose and a 3mtr swell coming at us at 0200 in the morning on a moonless night. Other boats may have made you feel nervous but Spirit of Sobraon did what she always has done, she just found her groove and plowed on. It was a rough ride but we never felt that she was out of her or our comfort zone.

When we arrived in Mooloolaba harbour yesterday all she needed was a wash to remove the salt and every thing was back to normal.

It's also pleasing to arrive somewhere new and receive the comments from locals on how beautiful she looks. I'm sure this doesn't necessarily occur with the modern designs that tend to all look the same.

I have met a lot of yachting people who have their opinions about Spray's and their supposed lack of sail-ability and yet I have never met a person who owns a well built Spray that has nothing but the opposite to say about their boat. I do agree that there are some badly built boats that were constructed by novices that cause the design to be given the bad reputation and that the racers out there will never agree that something that doesn't sail on it's rails could possibly sail well.

We easily achieve an average 24hr speed in excess of 6knts whilst on passage and rarely heel more than 10 degrees.

Inside she is voluminous and the envy of most other boat owners of comparable length. We only have china aboard and we do have Crystal in the bar. No need for plastic glasses and crockery.

So to go back to your question are Spray's good cruisers we certainly think so.

Fair Winds

Garry and Wendy

SV Spirit of Sobraon

Talkspot

[surfingminniwinni]

SV Spirit of Sobraon

She is a beautiful spray, checked your web site & its a fantastic refit especially the electrics.

[claudius2000]

Sobraon,

What a beautiful Spray!

I have always liked that design. Is this a Roberts Spray?

Congratulations!!