Sovereign 24' Sailboat

[goldiphlox]

Hi All,
I purchased a 1984 Sovereign 24 in April. While it is easy to find info on Mac's ...Cat's...etc....i have not found this to be the case for the Sovereign. I found info on sailboatdata.com...quickly discovering some of the data was incorrect. They say the sovereign is a fin keel boat with a draft of 2'.33. And the info says they made the boat with a deeper draft of 3'.67. My boat is a shoal draft. The 2'.33 is correct. Also says beam is 8'.... Its not...more like 7'....or 82-84".Trying to find others that have a Sovereign so that they can share their experience about the vessel with me.

[goldiphlox]

Well this is about what i figured would happen.....doesnt anyone else have a sovereign???? Lol

[ohdrinkboy]

First...love your boat. However, not that many Sovereigns were made compared to Catalina or Mac.

I have a Seaward 22 and it is a similar situation. I think of it as a niche builder.

[goldiphlox]

Thank you... i love my boat too--- its a very well made solid little boat....other than cosmetics and replacing things that were original....which everything was i think! Lol...she is perfect for me

[Barney Post]

Originally Posted by goldiphlox

Hi All,
I purchased a 1984 Sovereign 24 in April. While it is easy to find info on Mac's ...Cat's...etc....i have not found this to be the case for the Sovereign. I found info on sailboatdata.com...quickly discovering some of the data was incorrect. They say the sovereign is a fin keel boat with a draft of 2'.33. And the info says they made the boat with a deeper draft of 3'.67. My boat is a shoal draft. The 2'.33 is correct. Also says beam is 8'.... Its not...more like 7'....or 82-84".Trying to find others that have a Sovereign so that they can share their experience about the vessel with me.

Just so happens I was just making some corrections regarding the various Sovereign models. They have a confusing history and built by a number of different companies. According to a former owner of the first builder, the Sovereign 7M (the first model) and then the 23/24 came from the molds used to built the S2 7.0. (beam 8'). The brochure for the 7M as well as the SOVEREIGN 23, (which seems nearly the same as the 24) lists the beam as 8'. But of course yours may be different, but that's where my information came from. There is a Sovereign owners group on Yahoo, though it doesn't seem to be very active.
I hope you are enjoying your boat.
Regards,
Randy Browning
sailboatdata.com

[goldiphlox]

Originally Posted by Barney Post

Just so happens I was just making some corrections regarding the various Sovereign models. They have a confusing history and built by a number of different companies. According to a former owner of the first builder, the Sovereign 7M (the first model) and then the 23/24 came from the molds used to built the S2 7.0. (beam 8'). The brochure for the 7M as well as the SOVEREIGN 23, (which seems nearly the same as the 24) lists the beam as 8'. But of course yours may be different, but that's where my information came from. There is a Sovereign owners group on Yahoo, though it doesn't seem to be very active.
I hope you are enjoying your boat.
Regards,
Randy Browning
sailboatdata.com

Hi Randy
i am enjoying my sailboat. thanks....and it was great finding your website. it helped me a great deal...other than the things i mentioned ...everything else seemed accurate ....and i know its not easy finding info as i have tried. i did find the sovereign owners group a few weeks ago, but as you said it does seem to be very inactive ...thanks for your reply and your research ....Laura

[Stormypetrel]

Hi Laura. I purchased a 1986 Sovereign Antares 24 two years ago. Very little out there regarding the boat. I did find some information and a review of the boat in a book dedicated to small cruising sailboats. I have a scanned copy if you have any interest. It's my first keelboat and has been very forgiving. I think what drew me to this boat (other than the very reasonable price) was the generous size of the cockpit and the shallow draft. Obviously I will not win any races but it has been a fun mini-cruiser.

[xaris]

I've had a Sovreign 7 Meter for over 20 years (dont even remember the manufacture date).

Bought it used and kept it ever since. Kept it moored on the Manatee River in Bradenton for about 6 years. I sailed it all over Tampa Bay, up and down the Florida West Coast offshore and even raced it a few times with a PHRF handicap. It is a marvelous, forgiving, safe little boat.

As you now realize, it's not a race boat but it IS the most stable boat I've ever been on and I've sailed and raced on a bunch of different boats. I wouldn't trade the Sovereign for anything else. Mine is a thick (1"), heavy, old fashioned fiberglass hull. I had a jet ski crash into it broadside. Nearly killed the jet ski rider, and destroyed the jet ski, but the Sovereign sustained NO significant damage (OK, it had a couple scratches).

I love the shallow draft. I can sail almost anywhere there's waist deep water and push it off if it gets stuck (done it many times). I can nose into most any shoreline, dragging an anchor rode off the stern (just to be sure). I start the outboard and usually reverse off the shoreline. If I'm stuck, I wrap the anchor rode around the winch, give it a few cranks and I'm free and under reverse power. Takes a little practice not to back over the anchor rode, but I've done it a hundred times leaving Red Lobster.

I solo mostly and it's and easy boat to handle even under full sail. After sailing with just the jib and mainsail, I purchased an asymetrical spinaker to help with downwind speed and it handled it just fine. I used the existing winches for both spinaker and jib with no problems.

I purchased a Honda 8hp outboard with a generator and hung it on the outboard bracket. The Honda 8 is a little heavy and hard to mount/dismount dockside, but the generator charges my battery bank pretty quickly (generator is worth the weight). In the cabin, I replaced the alcohol stove with a non-pressure alcohol stove. It fit the same counter cutout and I've been very satisfied. It cooks slow, but that's OK (that's why I sail instead of having a power boat).

I've been in some really heavy weather and seas offshore but this little boat handled it just fine with a reefed main and a storm jib. Never, repeat never been in real trouble with this boat. She is heavy hulled and well rigged....all original (but well maintained).

After about 7 years in the saltwater, I designed and built a custom trailer for it, hauled it home to Lakeland and put it in a freshwater lake, at a dock for another 10 years. I'd pull it out occasionally for a dip in the Gulf, but mostly kept it close to home on fresh water. The shallow draft allowed lake sailing just fine. Bottom line, the Sovereign 7 Meter is a very solid, well built boat (so is the 23' and 24'). It doesn't really perform like a small boat because it's not a lightweight hull, like most other small boats.

With proper equipment, I'd set off for the Bahamas with no reservations.....assuming you know now to sail and navigate offshore. In my opinion, the boat will handle it, if you can.
Good luck with your Sovereign. Keep her maintained and she'll take care of you for a long, long time.....at least that's my experience and my opinion. If you have any questions, you may email me - olecowpoke@gmail.com.

[Perdiddle]

Hi, new member here. I'd love to know the actual draft of a 24 foot Sovereign I'm looking at (it's in the water) with a wooden bowsprit. The brochure says 2.33 feet (2 feet 4 inches), almost everyone else says 2 feet 7 inches. What is the correct draft, does anyone know?? It makes a difference in my case. Thanks very much. I'm possibly buying this boat.

[Perdiddle]

Originally Posted by goldiphlox

Hi All,
I purchased a 1984 Sovereign 24 in April. While it is easy to find info on Mac's ...Cat's...etc....i have not found this to be the case for the Sovereign. I found info on sailboatdata.com...quickly discovering some of the data was incorrect. They say the sovereign is a fin keel boat with a draft of 2'.33. And the info says they made the boat with a deeper draft of 3'.67. My boat is a shoal draft. The 2'.33 is correct. Also says beam is 8'.... Its not...more like 7'....or 82-84".Trying to find others that have a Sovereign so that they can share their experience about the vessel with me.

Do you know the actual draft for sure on the Sov. 24?? I'm close to bying a 1990 Sovereign 24, but need no more than a 2 foot 4 inch draft max. Others say the draft is 2 foot 7 inches! Any info you can give is greatly appreciated.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Perdiddle

Do you know the actual draft for sure on the Sov. 24?? I'm close to bying a 1990 Sovereign 24, but need no more than a 2 foot 4 inch draft max. Others say the draft is 2 foot 7 inches! Any info you can give is greatly appreciated.

Designed and advertised draft will likely be different from the built and actual draft.

Calculated bouyancy may be less than actual. Boat may have been built heavier than designed, more glass or more lead. If people are saying 2'7", then that is probably a good number.

[Barney Post]

According the original brochure, this model was available with 2 different keels.
RB

[ohdrinkboy]

Perdiddle, if 4 inches of draft is a deal breaker you should pass. how you load the boat and where you put the passengers will change the draft on a small boat.

[xaris]

My Sovereign is an older heavy hull 7 meter with the bubble cabin, but the hull is virtually identical to the 24' hull. My draft measures 2'-5" to the factory waterline, level on trailer....it rides 2" above the waterline in fresh and 3" above in saltwater, lightly loaded. Fully loaded for cruising with water, fuel, outboard, Avon dingy, oversize anchors, heavy rodes & chains, battery bank,: etc.....it rides right at the waterline when the load is distributed (comes with experience, trial and error...trial and terror) but doesnt change the handling much. My heavy hull isnt as load critical as most modern small boats ive sailed. I visited the factory/shop in Largo? Fl and was given a brochure showing a long keel and a fin keel. Mine is the long keel...dont know about the fin keel. Hope this helps....its just my experience.

[Perdiddle]

Thanks to all for your prompt and very helpful responses. You have assisted my decision. My apologies if this doesn't get to everyone as I'm new to this medium.