![]() John is 5ft 6in and can stand up in the cabin, but if you’re much taller you’ll be spending most of your time stooped over – many people would find the maximum headroom of 5ft 10in restrictive. The major drawback of the interior is headroom. ![]() The foam insulates each stowage compartment, meaning that items stored under bunks suffer less condensation and mildew. The transom-hung rudder is supported on a full-length skeg and gives the Sadler 26 good manoeuvrability. The previous owner had dispensed with the full-sized oven and put extra stowage beneath the hob. Immediately to starboard of the companionway is the galley with a small sink, coolbox and boat cooker. Slide back the companionway hatch and you reveal a bright, compact interior. Ella had a large removable panel to give better access to the back of the engine, gearbox and stern gland, which is a very practical modification.Ī 90-litre flexible water tank lives under the cockpit sole, making good use of otherwise redundant space. The starboard-side cockpit locker swallows up gear and houses a stainless-steel fuel tank. Owing to the small mainsail though, it’s relatively easy to manage. The only drawback is that the traveller position is directly in front of the companionway hatch. When beating to windward, the coachroof gives shelter from a full bombardment of green water. The recessed storage cubbies are a useful feature often missing on larger yachts. The deep coamings make a comfortable backrest. Standing with the tiller in hand, there’s a clear line of vision forwards even with the sprayhood up. The transom-hung rudder positions the tiller well aft, so that it doesn’t dominate the space. The teak rubbing strake is another attractive detail which also covers the hull-to-deck join, which is bolted and glued together.īolt-on stanchion bases replace the original moulded ones in the toerail. Two pairs of rounded portlights, one small and one large, are easy on the eye.Ī teak handrail accentuates her lines and breaks up the otherwise large expanse of gelcoat. On deck, the coachroof remains in proportion to the rest of the yacht, the curved top softening the outline. The major downside of this construction method is that it could be expensive and complicated to repair if water seeps into the foam, which may become increasingly likely as these boats age.Ī pre-purchase survey will be important to identify any problems. The strategically placed pockets of polyurethane foam don’t just provide buoyancy, they also insulate the hull, reducing condensation and noise.Īround fittings such as keel bolts there’s no foam: the two skins meet to form a solid layer of GRP. Credit: Richard LangdonĪpparently the foam wasn’t originally considered essential for strength but it does play an important role in this regard, providing extra stiffness. The 9ft 4in beam gives the Sadler 26 a wide deck, with enough room to stand by the shrouds. The underwater profile is sea-kindly and a transom-hung rudder has a full-depth skeg providing protection and directional stability. There’s still a hint of her Nordic origins in the high bow and swoosh of sheer, although the full stern looks somewhat truncated. Deep in her ancestry you’ll find the Folkboat, but you’ll have to go via the Sadler 25 and Sadler-designed Contessa 26 to find it. Like all successful species, the Sadler 26 is the product of evolution. Scarred by the terrible loss of life of the 1979 Fastnet Race when several yachts sank, Martin Sadler, David Sadler’s son, designed the 26 and 29 to withstand significant water ingress.Īlthough their unsinkability was never officially established, in one test the 26 was sailed through overfalls under full sail in a Force 5 with the seacocks open and half full of water, which sounds pretty conclusive to me. A professional jazz musician, John also sails Ella solo from the river Hamble on the UK’s south coast. John Dickson sails his Sadler 26, Ella with his wife, Nao, and children Ollie and Georgina.
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