Sundeer 56/60

[vanc...@msn.com]

We are thinking about looking at used Sundeers for long distance
offshore cruising. We would appreciate feedback from anyone who has
experience with these boats. How do they work in heavy/light air,
upwind and downwind? Any mechanical problems? Any other comments? Thank
you.

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

[Steve]

The SunDeer was designed and built by Steve Dashew who just happens to be
the author of several fine off shore books and a nice video. The Offshore
Cruising Encyclopedia and video feature many details about the SunDeer.
Needless to say, they may be a bit biased but you will get a lot of good
information about the boats.Then you be the judge. I personally am not
connected to the Dashews, nor have I ever even stepped foot on one of his
boats but I do repect his work and opinions on most things having to do with
good boat design and general offshore seamanship.

I have all of his books (except the very last one) and when ever I have had
a question about a topic or point, I have been able to get a quick reply for
Steve, that has been as helpful as his books. His E-mail is www.setsail.com
.

Steve
S/V Good Intentions
Union, WA..

[Glenn Ashmore]

Check on the particular hull's hustory. I think the Sundeers were among
the first to use SCRIMP vaccum assisted resin infusion and they had some
problems with dry spots the first several hulls. Other than that, it s a
fine cruising machine. They are fast and pretty comfortable but not as
much interior space as most production boats of the same length. I helped
bring one back from Guatemala. They are supposed to be set up for a
couple to sail but there were occasions when the three of us had all we
could handle.

I suspect it would have been easier had we been more familliar with the
boat and had some standard routines worked out.

vanc...@msn.com wrote:

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.mindspring.com/~gashmore

[Pablo Marquez]

Although Mr. Dashew is well known, his opinions leave something to be
desired. I have found that he has a tendency to "shoot from the hip" and not
really think out his comments, suggestions, writings, our theories.
Steve <est...@hctc.com> wrote in message
news:s4lohc...@corp.supernews.com...

[Terry Schell]

Pablo Marquez wrote:
>
> Although Mr. Dashew is well known, his opinions leave something to be
> desired. I have found that he has a tendency to "shoot from the hip" and not
> really think out his comments, suggestions, writings, our theories.

<snip>

Can you be specific? What in his books or designs demonstrates this
failure to think?

[wb]

all i can say about his boats are that they quite ugly. The Able Apogee 50
is a much nicer looking boat. The Sundeer yachts have the appearance of
yacht that is very boxy, something in the lines annoys my eye
Terry Schell <tsc...@uwf.edu> wrote in message
news:3858FEB9...@uwf.edu...

[jant...@my-deja.com]

I have owned a 1994 Sundeer 64 cutter for over a year and love it
dearly. We spent 4 months taking her to Glacier Bay (from Puget Sound)
and back, mostly as a powerboat with a decorative stick coming out of
the deck. Had a couple of days of motorsailing into moderate wind and
seas, though, plus a few days of light wind sailing with spinnaker,
etc. My wife and I can handle her just fine, although we have yet to
take her offshore (that's next year: Mexico and the Pacific), or in
winds heavier than 25 knots (expect for a night at anchor in 40 knots).
The boats are not to everyone's aesthetic taste, but I've grown to like
the lines, and they perform well because of their loooong waterlines,
relatively light weight (they're not actually very light, but the
waterline is so long the D/L ratio is in the very light range),
powerful high-roach rigs, oversized gear, big engines, and many
creature comforts. TPI did a good-to-great, but not perfect, job
building the boats; remember that these are not Swans (a boat I'd never
want to own!), but I have found very few construction details to
quibble with. They do pound to weather in big seas, but then so do most
modern designs.

I am a Dashew devotee, and think his opinions, while sometimes unusual,
are ALWAYS well thought out. I have read everything he has written (the
lastest two books, on weather and storms are wonderfully well-
researched), and have never seen him 'shoot from the hip.' He always
gives specfic reasons and experience for his conclusions. Unless I had
200,000+ miles of offshore experience as Steve does, I'd feel unable to
criticize his ideas. He has also been very helpful to me in finding a
used Sundeer 64 to buy (not an easy task), and then on various fitting-
out issues. For example, he recently volunteered to speak with my
sailmaker about some details for a new set of sails.

Your main problem will be finding a used Sundeer (64 or 56/60) to buy.
They are mostly off cruising, and are rarely found in marinas. Pete
Bollman of Bollman Yachts in Ft. Lauderdale knows all of the boats and
their owners, and is the best source for locating seller. Good guy.

We have been aboard a couple of 60's, and found them of good size for a
couple, while a bit small if anyone else is aboard. The rig is
substanially smaller than ours (1,200 sq.ft. vs. 1,600) and probably
easier to handle. And they're fast! One of them was a very good
performer in the last Jimmy Cornell round-the-world rally.

Was that of any help?
Cheers . . . Jan T.

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