Sadler 290
The 290 was the last yacht to bear the Sadler name. Duncan Kent sailed her to see how she performs
Sadler Yachts is synonymous with the father-and-son team who designed and built hardy British cruisers 40 years ago, so it was perhaps apt that the Sadler 290 should bear their name. However this tough little cruiser is not to be confused with David and Martin Sadler’s range of cruising yachts produced between 1974-88, the Sadler 290 was designed by a different well-known British naval architect, Stephen Jones, and built by Rampart Yachts in Southampton from 2004-8. Some 44 yachts were completed before Rampart ceased trading, leaving the remaining seven to be finished elsewhere. We joined Paul Stone, who mostly sails his 290, Slipstream, singlehanded. He says she’s always looked after him well in all wind and sea conditions he’s experienced during the 10,000 miles he has sailed her, so we had high hopes for our test.
Performance
On the day of our first test sail a highpressure system overhead meant the wind was very light. Fortunately, we had the opportunity to sail her again in a decent breeze. Thanks to her powerful rig and more than a ton of lead ballast mounted low, she manages an astonishingly good AVS (angle of vanishing stability) of over 140° and a STIX rating of 39.0. This, combined with her impressive 46% ballast ratio, makes her a quick but stiff boat that is easily capable of seeing off larger yachts and comfortably slots her into an Category A (Ocean) RCD rating – something few other sub-30-footers achieve.
With just five knots of true wind Slipstream managed a respectable two knots through the water with her cruising chute hoisted, which is impressive considering she’s not a particularly light boat. During our second day we managed a more respectable range of speeds of between 6.0-8.2 knots in 8-13 knots true, enabling us to properly put her through her paces with full white sails hoisted.
She points well and is dead easy to sail. Her helm feels a little heavy until she gets into her groove, when she suddenly becomes perfectly balanced, requiring fingertips only to keep her resolutely on course. She’s a slippery but stiff boat and very competent in a seaway, mainly thanks to her weighty ballast and ample beam. A generous sail area gives her more than enough power to overcome her displacement, without making her a handful to sail in gusty conditions.
At the helm
Her cockpit is the ideal size for two or three crew to work unhindered, but she is easy to sail singlehanded thanks to her long tiller enabling the helmsman to reach the sail controls on the coachroof. The latter comprises two self-tailing winches and two banks of clutches for the halyards, reefing lines and kicker, plus a separate winch for the mainsheet alone, making sail handling much easier.
On Slipstream the mainsheet is a simple three-point wire strop affair on the companionway hatch garage, although a track and traveller were an option. The genoa tracks are adjustable from the cockpit and positioned well inboard to give a tight sheeting angle to the headsail.
Design & construction
As this was his first bilge-keel design, Stephen Jones was keen for her to provide a similar performance to that of a fin-keel yacht, so considerable time and thought went into the form of the keels. Despite only minimal use of CAD technology, Jones’ natural eye for underwater streamlining appears to have fulfilled the remit admirably.
Far removed from the original Sadler 29, the 290 is a much roomier cruiser/ racer sporting a modern deck layout and a fractional rig with swept-back spreaders. She has a plumb stem and a generous beam taken all the way aft from amidships to her near vertical transom.
Despite being a little heavy, the S290 is quicker than many larger yachts, thanks mainly to her tall, powerful rig and generous amount of sail area. Underwater, her fine entry eliminates any slamming and quickly flattens out to reduce drag as much as possible.
The 290’s hull and deck was hand laminated with multiple foam stringers and floor beams, bonded bulkheads and a very thick lay-up in high stress areas. She was supposedly available with twin or fin keels, although none of the latter were actually built. The lead/antimony keels are bolted through substantial GRP stubs, ensuring the ballast is kept low. The decks and topsides are of foam sandwich construction for lightness and insulation.
Sailplan
Her 7/8 fractional rig has a tall, deckstepped single spreader Seldén mast allowing a powerful sail plan with a large overlapping genoa and high-aspect mainsail. At one time a ‘sport’ version was planned, with a deep fin keel and taller (possibly even carbon fibre) mast, but none were actually built because the performance of the twin-keeler turned out to be so good.
Deck layout
She has a roomy cockpit with a deep locker to port for bulky cruising gear and wide, flat-topped coamings, enabling the crew to sit comfortably when heeled.
The deck layout is conventional with wide side decks continuing all the way aft. Good moulded non-slip makes moving around safe and the foredeck is clear for accessing her well-proportioned ground tackle. She has twin bow rollers and a deep chain locker with a shelf for a windlass.
Living aboard
With plumb ends and ample beam this boat has the internal volume of many 32-footers, while avoiding the marina charges for transom scoops and overhangs. Headroom is a generous 1.88m (6ft 2in) in the saloon, the heads and the dressing area in the aft cabin. The saloon is set well aft, allowing room for the heads between saloon and forecabin, and the full width of the hull is used for seating, which can cope comfortably with six around her drop-leaf table. The straight seats are 2.00m x 0.58m wide – good sea berths with lee cloths.
The ambience is warm and cosy, thanks to generous quantities of teak, and the finish to the joinery is both pleasing to the eye and touch. A padded headlining with smart teak strips sets it off and improves the natural light below, which is already good thanks to the large portlights. The limited saloon locker space could prove frustrating when cruising, though.
The heads is forward of the saloon; not ideal as you have to walk through the boat to reach it – sometimes whilst wearing dripping oilies. The compartment is a little cramped, but has a GRP moulding that provides all the basic amenities, whilst being simple to keep clean. There is an inboard-facing loo, a small round sink and a shallow locker for wash gear. The seacocks are accessible under the sink and there are two small hatches above. Opposite the heads is a hanging locker with a useful fiddled shelf on top.
With the offset infill in place the forecabin V-berth measures 1.83m x 1.67m (0.46m at the foot), which is just about adequate. There is plenty of stowage in lined bins beneath the bunk, a small hanging locker with a fiddled shelf on top and deep fiddled shelves above the berth. A large forehatch provides ample natural light and air.
The aft cabin berth measures 1.98m x 1.64m, but clearance under the cockpit sole is limited and the rudder stock surround that penetrates the foot of the berth could prove inconvenient for tall crew. A small seat contains the batteries and there is a hanging locker in the dressing area and a deep shelf above the berth. Two opening portlights lend light and air to the cabin.
Chart table
The navigation area is small, but you can always spread out your paper charts on the saloon table when passage planning. The small chart table faces aft and utilises the end of the starboard settee for a seat. In port, an infill covers the footwell, extending the settee length for sleeping. There is chart stowage inside the table and space for mounting some instruments around the electrics panel.
Galley
The galley area is excellent for a 29ft boat and sensibly borrows some cockpit locker space to extend back behind the companionway steps. This allows it to contain a full range of equipment, including a proper gimballed cooker, a coolbox/fridge, and plenty of stowage for food, cooking and eating utensils.
Maintenance
The original 20hp Beta was superseded by a 30hp Yanmar in later models. Access to Slipstream’s Yanmar is achieved by removing the ladder and engine box, which gives you good all-round service accessibility. Paul has improved it further by installing another access panel in the aft cabin so he can reach the fuel lift pump more easily.