Just bought mine this year and restoring. twin bilge keels - have just finished replacing all 20 with stainless - the originals - probably there since built in 73, were in very bad state with some heads almost none-exisitent. Something you may want to check when out of the water. Looking forward to having some fun in her next year.
I do love my Kestrel 22 but I do find the rudder dose not like to stay on the boat. First time the Skeg (wooden Fin keel before the rudder) snapped off in the moorings and the second time the pin at the base of the rudder snapped off. I suggest to those with Kestrels that second transom gudgeon (rudder fixing bracket) is fitted so that if the pin is lost you rudder will remain in place. As when the rudder lost the VIRE Inboard engine is useless as it requires the rudder for steering. You can carry a outboard on a transom mount in case you loose the rudder completely and you can use either both engines together or the outboard on its own to get home. Nice to carry a spare tiller and rudder if you can that does not bold to the skeg (you would find it hard to fit at sea if it had to be slotted into the skeg bracket).
Prethoughts, saves money
More Cost and more Space on Boat is used
Reviewing a 1969 model.
Kestrel 22
Owned for 1 year.
Kestrel 22s are excellent first time boat. They can make excellent cruisers. They offer probably the best value for money. My Kestrel 22 can take and mainsail, two headsail and a Spinnaker. I have both Inboard and outboard options, they have stoves and a sea toilet and are large enough to take most electronics you should want. Can be a bit heavy but can be made to perform. I have a Bilge Keel version witch makes her safer for running aground as her draft is shallow but as a consequence the keel weight is heavier.
Excellent Cruiser, safe shallow draft
Can be slow in the wrong hands
Reviewing a 1969 model.
Kesrel 22 Bilde Keel with VIRE 12 inboard
Owned for 1 year.
The answer to the last add, is that it is a Roller Fuller Unit rather then a Roller Reefing Unit. It is not Wicker Martin but something else. You place the swivel on the masthead therefore providing the Jib pulley for the Jib halyard. The Barrel Roller is attached to the deck with the forestay attached between the swivel and the middle bolt on the Roller Barrel. The Jib sail is attached to one of the outer bolts on the Roller Barrel and the sails is hank'ed on to the forestay. The Jib Halyard then attaches to the Jib Sail and is pulled through the pulley on the swivel. The halyard is then secured on the third bolt on the Roller Barrel. When the sail is furled the Jib halyard wraps the sail around the forestay without the need for foils. This unit is a Roller Fuller as it is difficult to use as a Roller Reefer as the roller unit may unwind in strong winds, therefore you get the whole sail or none rather then proportion of the sail that you would get with a foiled reefing unit like Plastimos 406 unit. With this unit is quite old and it is expected that you change you sails rather then reef them making it harder for lone sailing. However it does provide you a mechanism for furling the sail when approaching harbour when you are alone.
No Foild Required, so it good as a half way house when converting
Does not allow sails to be partly reefed. I am going to work on a way it can be done
Reviewing a 1969 model.
A Furler unit found on some Kestrel 22
Owned for 6 months.
I have just bought my first Kestrel 22 and am renovating her now, She is 40 years old Bilge Keel GRP. I hope to get here in the water this year, but its look unlikely now. However They are sturdily build and I actually thought she was about 15 years old until I saw the documents. She has a VIRE 12 engine which Nick the Engineer from eBay fame has managed to get running sweetly. I have cleaning up the cabins and am rewiring and replacing the sea cocks. Should be water tight in a few weeks. Then I will have to get the rigging fitted. She seam to have some stage roller fuller unit that does not seam to require foils and it has bamboozled the sail makers at my club. I wonder if anyone has come across this before. The sales seam to have hank on but there is no halyard pulley on the mast head. Instead in seam that there is a swivel and a drum unit that attach as the fore stay. The drum unit has three cable attachment presumable the fore say is in the centre and either the two extra cables are used to furl the luff or rib is attached to one. Any idears
strong build
older equipiment on older boat no one knowns
Reviewing a 1969 model.
Kestrel 22 Bildge keel sloop rig
Owned for 3 months.
Originally clinker built, East Coast estuary cruiser, with through keel centre plate. Reasonable accommodation, as there is a good beam, sails well as many had fractional rigs. Will take the mud -they rae superb creek crawlers. Very cheap to buy, but the wooden hulls need a lot of TLC.
Had my kestrel 22 for 10 yrs now, an easy to sail, forgiving boat, quite dry except in v strong winds. Not many of them around in Plymouth so difficult to compare performance but I enjoy it.
Owned for more than 5 years.
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed September 2003.
Performance
Safety
Accomodation
Overall Value for Money
My first boat bought 5 years ago, GRP fin keel version. A great boat to sail, especially singlehanded, very safe and comfortable. I mainly sail her around the Medway, UK. Longest trip was over to holland (Veerse Meer).
Owned for 5 years.
Preloved Visitor
Reviewed August 2003.
Performance
Safety
Accomodation
Overall Value for Money
I own my Kestrell 22 now since 1969 in the twin keel version. It's a very good example for a solid build, seaworthy yacht !! Sailed this year from Hamburg (Germany) Göteborg (Sweden) via Anholt on the way to and via Laeso on the way back !!
Owned for more than 5 years.
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