Is she a good sailer?

QI saw the letter in the August issue of YM, in which a retiring sailor offered his boat to a good home. I’m not sure if I would qualify as that, but his boat certainly piqued my interest. I’ve been looking for a secondhand boat under 30ft that would be within reach of a very modest budget. I’d like something primarily that sails well, and I wondered if a Trapper 501 would fit into that bracket? What do you know about them, and are they good to sail? Thomas Stanmore

AFormer editor James Jermain replies: My Dad got very exited by the Trapper 500 when it first came out but in the end decided to give up sailing instead! We published a boat test report in October 1981 and second-hand boat tests in July 1993 and January 2001. The 501 was launched in 1980, replacing the then 10year-old design by C&C, which started as the C&C27 before becoming the Trapper 500 on its launch in the UK by Trapper Yachts (formerly Anstey Yachts) in 1973.

The interiors of the early 500s were plasticky and awkward but easy handling and lively performance made the design a popular all-rounder. The rudder on the 500 had the odd feature of turning through 360¡ to aid steering in reverse. It also stuck out beyond the transom where it was vulnerable when berthing.

The 501 had much more teak below decks and the chart table and galley were also improved. The overall impression remained, though, overwhelmingly plastic. A refined keel boosted performance and twin keels were also introduced. The rudder was given conventional stops. The rig remained substantially unchanged throughout but the engine increased from 8 to 18hp by the end of the run.

Early 500s were a bit flimsy although adequate for coastal cruising. Later boats were tougher but distortion in way of the chainplates, failure of stanchion bases and movement of the bulkheads in the interior mouldings, which were of variable quality, remained a problem.

Her performance just about put her in the cruiser-racer bracket but she was really a fast family cruiser which did okay on handicap in club racing. She offered delightfully light and well balanced steering and good sail handling systems. As you might gather, the Trapper 500/501 was never a favourite of mine although she sold in relatively large numbers. The exterior design was visually uninspiring and the interior, though roomy, was awkwardly arranged. Her strong points were space, easy handling and a familyfriendly rig.