friendship sloop

[searcher]

need to ask 2 questions: sailing characteristics of friendship sloops and Midcoast yacht brokers has one listed for "quick sale" at 15,000. Too good to be true?

[OEX]

Well it depends on what you want. $15000 could be ok or....? Size, condition, age, builder……. I saw one of Ralph Stanley's last year at his place for $24000 in perfect, of course, condition. Do you have a link to the broker?

Sailing. They are not fast, but have a nice motion. Being gaffers they like it off the wind and fly down wind. With loads of sail and original booms they can move due to sail area, but most have their booms cut short and sails cut down. The tend to have weather helms so that as you let the tiller or wheel go they will round up---to get a lobster trap or stop if you go over board. They heave-to very well. They are not great in rough weather, but are not built for that, they tend to hobbyhorse in a big sea vs. cut through it like a British cutter. Loads of room in the cockpit and sailing fairly flat make a great coastal cruising boat.

So more info would help. If you want comfort and tradition and a large following, then they are great. If you want seagoing ability and speed (for cruiser) go with classic English cutter design (Lyle Hess boat or....?)

Personally I love them!

Cheers, Bruce

[Bruce Hooke]

There was an article in WoodenBoat a while back that described Friendship Sloops as being "designed to stop" if I remember it rightly. The point is that they were designed to be easy to start and stop because they were designed for hauling lobster traps, which means constantly starting and stopping! So racing them is a bit absurd!

[Thad]

Except, Bruce, that they were always raced, and they still have fun racing. My Friend Jim has taken a couple of cruises in the last couple of years with Harold Burnham and says he can't imagine an easier boat to sail. That is Harold's way of course, but you need to find your comfort zone with any boat.

[searcher]

OEX-THANKS for the useful info. I am assuming not great to winward means I could still claw my way off a lee shore, but maybe not like a buzzards bay 25?

[TomF]

Originally posted by searcher:
OEX-THANKS for the useful info. I am assuming not great to winward means I could still claw my way off a lee shore, but maybe not like a buzzards bay 25?Depends what you mean by going to windward.

On another recent thread, Roger Long said that one of the Friendship sloop's virtues is the ability to make progress to windward in the teeth of a storm. Chapelle makes the same point, saying that their hull shape gives Friendships an unusual capacity to carry sail. Roger said (I think) that they'd be as wet as anything doing it, but they'd not simply slide off to leeward in survival conditions. Running before such a storm, though, they'd be less happy than a Pinky.

Of course, Roger also said that none of us would tend to sail in such conditions these days anyhow, and to buy what looks right to us ...

[ 10-25-2005, 03:27 PM: Message edited by: TomF ]

[Thad Van Gilder]

Searcher, If you wanna sail on one, there are two Friendship sloops moored in Cape May Harbor, between the yacht club and the lobster house, and a bit east.

I talked to the guy on the larger one the last time I was achored down there. I could be wrong, but I got the impression that he wouldn't mind having new crew onboard for a day.

-Thad

[gaffman]

I have a Friendship and can tell you that they are a fun boat to sail. They usually have a big main and with block and tackle, are not the easiest thing to control. As to windward, it all depends on what you want. I sailed a J40 recently that went right along at 30 degrees off the wind. My Friendship will not come close to that. On the other hand, she'll certainly point into the wind and concerns of getting off a leeshore are unfounded (unfloundered, if you prefer). Using the topsail will allow her to sail 5-10 degrees closer to the wind, and a knot faster at that. It is true that she'll go with the wind at her behind. No one beats me downwind except the old Cup Boats racing around Newport and Jametown.

The Friendship Sloop Society (fss.org??) sponsors races and partying in Rockland Me., Marblehead, MA., and New London, CT. Everyone reportedly has a good time.

Friendships were often built lightly, but that I mean framing, etc., scantlings were not huge.

You'll not find a prettier boat. If you want to sail comfortably, consider the boat. If you want to kick butt pointing into the wind...keep looking.

[TimothyB]

I am assuming you are talking about 'Eagle', owned by Capt. Don Huston, formerly of Nahant, MA?

If you really would like to know more about Friendships, go here:

http://fss.org/

They have a for sale section and Don's info is in there.

[ 10-26-2005, 10:32 AM: Message edited by: TimothyB ]

[johngsandusky]

I own a friendship too. Not fast overall, but keeps going in remarkably light airs. Will stand up to a breeze and rolls over big seas. Good at self steering so you don't have to mind the helm every second. She does pitch and roll in a chop, but more ballast reduces that problem. Buit the best thing is the attention and compliments she gets everywhere we go. she is easily the most photographed boat in the harbor. fair winds, John

[OEX]

Remember I did mention they would get up and go with a full compliment of sail---ala the old days. This summer at the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta, the friendships with full sail did VERY VERY well---almost no wind, but a good tide in the wrong direction. Better than the boat I was in by a long shot. I sail the area in around Deer Isle Maine and I would love a friendship (although I am partial to the plumb or non-clipper bow type that seem to have disappeared. Friendships are not just from Friendship and many of these sloop-boats were not clipper bowed.) I would not worry too much about a Lee shore---you will not be out in stuff that made the stories (true) of clawing off a lea shore---and just have an engine---no worries. Same race this summer we towed in a friendship that had no engine after the wind stopped being a wind :D

Cheers, Bruce

[Hwyl]

This one is designed (re created) by our own Roger Long

http://home.maine.rr.com/rlma/Rita.jpg

[OEX]

there's some sail and a real boom---no winches lots of work, but real sailing. At least for me....

[ 10-26-2005, 09:32 PM: Message edited by: OEX ]