EXPERT OPINION

WHAT THE EXPERTS SAY...

NICK VASS B.SC B.ED HND FRINA MCMS Dipmarsur YS, Marine Surveyor www.omega-yachtservices.co.uk One of the many things that I love about the 290 is the fantastic engine access and unusually, the saildrive is accessed from the galley rather than under the aft cabin berth. I have surveyed six Sadler 290s, which is a lot considering that only around 55 were built. I have a lot of affection for Sadlers and had the pleasure of meeting the designer Stephen Jones. Sadly, they were just too expensive to make and so margins would be pushed to the limit if quality was to remain as high. Many 290s were painted with Coppercoat antifouling which would now be around 15 years old and so due for replacement. I have found that the Coppercoat did not adhere very well to the lead ballast blocks. The bilge keels have GRP foils with lead ballast blocks at the bottom. They sail/work so well that no 290 was made with the optional fin keel. The keels are well attached but I have found that the stainless steel stud nut backing plates rust, although they are easy to replace. Another problem I’ve come across is that the keel studs were too short and the nuts were short-threaded. Replacing the keel studs is not an easy thing to do, so it would be worth unscrewing the saloon sole boards to check the keel studs if you are thinking of buying one. The transom gate catch can also tend to get stiff and stick, so it is definitely worth lubricating it as you need to open the gate to access the safety boarding ladder. BEN SUTCLIFFE-DAVIES, Marine Surveyor and full member of the Yacht Brokers Designers & Surveyors Association (YDSA) www.bensutcliffemarine.co.uk About 50 290s were built completely by Rampart Yachts before going into receivership, a few were finished by other firms so it’s important to know the build history as there can be a few issues. On one Rampart-built 290, I found the sail drive pan moulding had started to detach, before an overloading incident occurred, totally detaching the whole moulding. The GRP engine bed moulding that was supplied had only been pasted in and not physically laminated into the hull as required. With a mixture of moisture absorption and age, the paste had started to fail. The framework around the engine pan moulding was also not well picked up by the surrounding frame arrangements. The hull had bonded in bulkheads and some had deep pinching to the topside laminate where it was bonded in. When placing fenders, make sure they are on the bulkhead. The hull was also stiffened with foam frames, which can absorb damp. On two 290s I’ve found the physical bolting-in of the chain plates was quite untidy, with a mixture of short and long bolts fitted. I’ve also found keel bolts that have needed the keel dropping and refastening with bigger backing washer plates where some movement had started to develop. The rudder stock is very well supported with bonded-in support webs. In every 290 surveyed, I’ve found water trapped behind this support arrangement from leaking push-pit fittings, so regularly check in these areas.