Practical Boat Owner – May 2018

Practical Boat Owner • http://www.pbo.co.uk 25

TRAILER-SAILERS

One of the most popular day sailers, the

Shrimper/Adventure 17 (originally called

the Crabber), is a roomy, manoeuvrable

and stable open boat that sails, powers

and rows extremely well. Her hull is solid

GRP while the decks are balsa-cored for

additional strength. For watertight integrity

she has an integrally-moulded centreplate

casing and resin-encapsulated iron ballast

inside the keel moulding. Her galvanised

steel centreplate adds to the ballast and is

lifted by steel wire and winch.

On the more traditional Shrimper, the

mast and spars are laminated Sitka

Spruce, protected with Sikkens Cetol, and

her Dacron sails can be tan or cream

coloured. The Adventure model is virtually

identical, only it sports a modern

Bermudan sloop rig with alloy spars.

The self-draining cockpit features

moulded benches atop lockable stowage

lockers each side, and there’s also a large

watertight central locker/seat. Deck gear

is of decent quality and mounted onto

Kittiwake 16

Based on a 1930s racing class, the

gaff-rigged Kittiwake 16 is the latest in this

range of 14-20ft (4.3-6.0m) day sailers and

is an ideal size for towing, launching and

sailing. The optional tent provides two

bunks, with space for a portaloo and

camping cooker.

Kittiwake Boats offers a sloop or yawl

rig, with a gaff-rigged mainsail and

wooden spars, but will allow you to

personalise your boat to some degree.

The K16’s simulated clinker GRP hull

has a plumb bow, low freeboard, a subtle

sheer and lots of shiny hardwood

trimmings. To a lover of classic boats, she

looks stunning on the water. She can be

bought either as an open boat, or

three-quarter decked. Either way her

roomy cockpit sports full-length benches

with sealed lockers that provide buoyancy

when closed. A^3 ⁄ 8 in (10mm) thick,

galvanised steel centreplate pivots inside

a timber-clad GRP trunk (part of the hull

moulding) and is raised and lowered

using the bronze winch provided. Fully

lowered she draws 5ft (1.5m), and is stiff

and manoeuvrable under sail, with

minimal leeway. Her rudder hinges up,

allowing her to float in a puddle and be

Bay Raider 20
Taking its name from the art of ‘raiding’ (a
coastal expedition involving sailing and
rowing), the ketch-rigged Bay Raider is
stoutly constructed and looks inordinately
pretty. Instead of inboard metal ballast she
utilises 660lb (300kg) of water ballast
under sail, which can then be drained off
for towing or motoring in calm waters. She
also has a self-draining cockpit, large
enough for up to six adults.
Her hollow wooden mast is mounted in a
tabernacle which, with the fully-battened
mainsail being stowed within lazy jacks on
the boom, greatly reduces rigging time.
Her lightweight, carbon-fibre mizzen is
easily raised and lowered and there’s an
optional bowsprit for an asymmetric chute.
She has a high boom and a self-tacking,
boomed jib to simplify sail handling. Stiff
under sail, her ballast is apparently sufficient
to right her from a 90° knockdown, but the
brave might consider draining some, or all
of the water ballast when running
downwind. In a blow the mainsail can be
dropped completely, leaving her more
upright under mizzen and jib alone.
Her tiller reaches over the 2.3-4hp
outboard, which is housed in a well and
puts the prop ahead of the swing-up
rudder for optimum steerage under power.
Under sail the motor tilts up and the well is
sealed to reduce drag. An optional spray
hood provides shelter and can be used
with a boat tent for sleeping on board.
At 1,100lb (500kg) she can just about be
launched and recovered single-handed
without wetting the trailer’s wheel hubs.
A new Bay Raider 17 is similar to the 20
and with nearly all the same features.
Contact Swallow Yachts,
01239 615482, swallowyachts.com

launched and recovered with ease.

Under sail she is very stable, quick and

easy to handle. If it blows up her two-reef

mainsail and low-aspect rig keep heeling

to a minimum. If you choose the yawl then

you can drop the main completely and

toddle home safely under mizzen and jib

(or staysail if cutter-rigged) alone. Being

supplied with proper oars and rowlocks

means she can be powerfully rowed.

Alternatively, a 3hp outboard hung off the

transom will drive her at hull speed.

When towing, the sails can be left on the

spars, which all fit neatly into the length of

the hull.

Contact Kittiwake Boats,

01260 252157, kittiwakeboats.co.uk

Bay Raider 20

Expedition

Classic looks

for Kittiwake 16

Shrimper 17 –

a very popular

day sailer

ply-backed pads, while the bowsprit,

tabernacle and chain plates are all

stainless steel.

She is easy to handle under sail, thanks

to her simple high-peaked, gaff rig sloop

design, and all sail controls being led aft

to rope clutches or jammers. Furthermore,

both mainsheet and jib sheets have tracks

and travellers. She has a RCD Category C

stability rating and accommodates up to

five safely when sailing. With the addition

of a 4-5hp outboard, mounted centrally in

a well ahead of the rudder, she makes an

ideal all-round family day boat, which can

quickly be turned into a spacious

two-berth camper with abundant stowage

by simply raising the spray hood.

Though quite heavy, her pivoting keel

and rudder, and tabernacle-mounted mast

mean she is easily rigged, launched and

retrieved single-handed, using the

custom-built road trailer supplied.

Contact Cornish Crabbers,

01208 862666, cornishcrabbers.co.uk

Cornish Adventure/Shrimper 17



Bay Raider 20 open day boat