Quote:
Originally Posted by shortytravels
I've looked almost everyday on CL...how did I miss that Sea Sprite? I am not sure about the centerboard feature... I've sailed a Rhodes 19 and definitely scraped her centerboard a couple of times which scared me since they are not super strong...but it was really nice to creep into those shallow areas.
I remember having to scrape out the barnacles that had formed in the centerboard housing...that wasn't too fun and was difficult to get them out. That said, I'd hope I wouldn't let my own personal boat get to that point.
So you think the Dolphin would make a nice little coastal cruiser or perhaps a bit more?
I wish someone could compare it to the Bristol 24. The boats I'm looking at are in a similar price range and both have been professionally redone so they're both like new...
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Well, I look on CL religiously every few hours and I search in the typical areas local to me which are Southcoast, Boston,
Rhode Island, &
Cape Cod. When I seen the Sea Sprite, it had just been listed 3 hours ago. I was tempted just because it was such a great deal but I love my 34 and could not give her up! I got my 34 the same way though...it came on CL on the Southcoast list at an incredible deal in the next town over and I just jumped on it despite the fact I was not planning on upgrading from my 27. It was too good a deal and we could afford it.
The Dolphin has a great reputation. If a Dolphin was good enough for cruising the Buzzards Bay chop and the typical stiff afternoon Southwesterlies we get here, it is good for cruising pretty much anywhere...
I cannot say for the Dolphin but since they're identical below the waterline, I'll give you my synopsis of my old T27. My 27 was a great boat. It was fast and I often kept up with larger boats. When I would sail with my buddy to the Vineyard in his
racing hull formed Albin Cumulus, I had to constantly slow down to let him catch up. If I didn't, I would get ahead so much that he would be difficult to see when I look back!
It had some flaws like heavy weatherhelm when overcanvassed and it was easily overcanvassed as it had a big
mainsail and big
genoa. Then again, many boats have this when overcanvassed but I guess on the 27, it was easier to overcanvas. But once I figured out that for the typical 15-25
knot winds of Buzzards Bay I needed to be reefed on the main all the way and
genoa, it was a fast boat and I could handle the tiller with just my finger. It beat against the
wind well enough, loved to beam reach, and was pretty good downwind. The centerboard allowed me balance the boat. I learned how to adjust the board for optimal performance. and the
shallow draft allowed me to
anchor in many places other boats could not...this was a huge plus when I got to overly crowded places like Cuttyhunk, Oak Bluffs, Hadleys Harbor, Lake Tashmoo as I had the pickings of
anchoring spots the other boats could not dare to go where other boaters with deeper
draft had to turn around and
anchor outside the ideal spots. Another con was when tacking in stiff winds, the
full keel was a drag and I had to backwind the
jib in order to complete the tack.
Look at as many boats as possible and once you think you have the boat that found you, jump on it...