Stadel 24

[maureen]

Is anyone familiar with the Stadel 24 cutter? I'm looking at one built in 1941, but I'm not at all familiar with the boat, its designer, George Stadel, or his work. I'd be grateful for any comments.

[nedL]

Is this by any chance the famous Maureen of about 2-3 years ago?

PS: I use the wood 'famous' only with the best of intentions. If it is you, there's been periodic discussion about whether or not you ever found a boat to keep. So how are you & welcome back!! [img]smile.gif[/img]

If you are a different Maureen, welcome!

Either way, sorry I can't help out with a Stadel 24.

[ 05-16-2003, 12:40 PM: Message edited by: nedL ]

[Art Read]

Hi, Maureen... There's a twenty-six foot Stadel Pilot Sloop/Schooner in "WoodenBoat's" 50 Wooden Boat Plans book. Nice. Might be worth looking at if only just for comparison. It appears there were quite a few of 'em built, ranging in size from 20' to 41'. Perhaps that's what you're looking at? As quoted from the design description, "Unquestionably, the pilot boat shape as interpreted by Stadel is beautiful from any angle, afloat or ashore. She'll sail about as well as she looks, stay at sea in comfort when other boats are hard pressed, and she'll turn heads in admiration where ever she goes..." What's not to like about that!

I'm really not all that familiar with his work, but it seems I've always heard nice things about him. And I'm sure I've read something about him and his boats fairly recently. Either here or in the magazine perhaps? Anybody else remember?

(Oh yeah, Got any pictures? )

[ 05-16-2003, 01:29 PM: Message edited by: Art Read ]

[Don Olney]

Maureen, look here:

http://media5.hypernet.com/ubb/ultim...c;f=2;t=001665

http://media5.hypernet.com/ubb/ultim...c;f=2;t=000901

http://media5.hypernet.com/ubb/ultim...c;f=2;t=001426

George Stadel Jr. Tel203) 961-0351

[nedL]

I just checked your profile. You must be Maureen that was considering 'adopting' that sailboat in Eastern CT that had been out of the water for quite some time.

[maureen]

Yes, this is me -- the same Maureen -- and as always it's wonderful to get such a quick and helpful response from the Forum. Thanks very much for the warm welcome back, it's a really nice feeling. I haven't bought a boat yet, but I'm looking now, and will post a picture much earlier than last time! I learned a lot while I was yearning for that Herreshoff, most of it thanks to the Forum. I did a lot of research and asked a lot of questions, and so I feel much better prepared now to consider this Stadel or another boat if this isn't the "one". I will follow up on all the leads you've given me and will let you know how it goes. Thanks so very much --

[maureen]

I've learned that the Stadel has been out of the water since 1990, stored inside the big airy garage where I looked at it. There are no discernable gaps between the planks; the hull looks amazingly tight. It's a very functional looking and feeling boat, not like the gracefulness of the Herreshoff at all, but nice in its own way. It has the original 12 hp Universal Blue Jacket Twin inboard engine, gear driven -- also hasn't run since 1990, I'm told it always ran well, head gasket was replaced in the 80s. Is this length of time out of the water, the time the motor has been sitting, a serious problem?

[nedL]

Maureen, sorry you haven't found one yet, but glad to hear you are still looking! [img]smile.gif[/img] That Stadel 24 is a real pretty looking boat, comfortable & roomier than the Herreshoff you were looking at before (as I remember). It sounds like it been stored in a good environment (a dirt floor is about the only thing that could be better). The engine may be a different issue. A salt water cooled engine left for that long may have some real problems with the water jackets being rusted up solid. I'm not saying that is the case, It may be in fine shape, but it is something to consider & would take some poking, probing & disassembly to figure out. The first thing to do would be to see if the engine turns over. Then if you can hook a garden hose up to the cooling water intake hose & get water to go through the engine & come out the exhaust you might be in pretty good shape. (You would have to bypass the water pump as the garden hose would not be able to get water past that.) I hope this helps a bit. -Looking forward to the pictures.

[maureen]

Thanks for the thoughts on the engine, NedL; when I talked with the owner he said it not would be good to start up the engine while the boat is out of the water; this makes some sense to me, intuitively, but I don't know if it's the actually case at all. As to the garage, I'm sure the floor was dirt -- the structure was actually more of a barn than a garage. I just got off the phone with George Stadel; he is going to check his records to see what he has on this boat -- couldn't have been nicer; we got into quite a long conversation. He thinks the boat I'm looking at is the "Sound Clipper" design rather than the Pilot Sloop. This makes sense as the posted drawing of the Pilot Sloop show a plumb stem while the one I'm looking at doesn't. Is the Sound Clipper familiar to anyone?

[nedL]

Maureen: Good news on the dirt floor (it really doees make a difference to help keep the hull from drying out. I wouldn't worry about starting the engine now, that's really kind of a small detail. When I say see if it turns over, I mean see if things still move. You may even be able to turn the flywheel with your hands or some other manual way if there isn't a battery there. I say this because if the water jacket (water passages inside the engine) are REALLY rusted it is possible for the rust to expand so much that it actualy collapses the cylinders a bit so that the pistons can not move. This is an extreme situation, but it can and does happen, and a salt water cooled engine sitting with air in the water jacket for years & years isn't a good thing. Again this is just a precaution, chances are also that the engine is just fine. Also, there is really nothing wrong with running an engine when the boat is out of the water. (Just make sure every thing stays well clear of the propeller!) All you need to do is to disconnect the cooling water intake hose at the thruhull fitting and stick it in a bucket of water (or something similar), and make sure that the exhaust fumes & water are not going to be spraying all over anything important. You should also throw some water (the lubricant) on any strut bearings & stuffing box if you want to put it in gear for a moment. If you do move toward a purchase I would recommend you either see the engine run or negotiate the price as if it needed an engine. I'm not familiar specifically with the Universal Blue Jacket Twin, but I think it has been out of production for at least 30 years so parts may be a bit difficult to find. it is a very simple little engine with not much to go wrong, if it has been properly taken care of it may have another 30 years left in it so I wouldn't worry about that part though.

[maureen]

Here's the boat. The hull is light gray, it was once green. If only it were floating now ! Stadel 24

[nedL]

Very pretty!

[Bayboat]

Just a further note on the engine. Before trying to turn it over (preferably with hand crank), take out the sparkplugs and pour in a little oil

[Gresham CA]

Welcome back Maureen. I'm just echoing what Ned and Bayboat said.

[nedL]

Good point. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Norske3]

HELLO Maureen!...you still got the water bug!..welcome back. [img]smile.gif[/img]

[maureen]

Hi, Norske ! So glad to see your posting. Yes, I've still got the bug -- never lost it, but life has its own way of setting priorities, and so I'm just getting back to looking for my dream boat . . .

[imported_Steven Bauer]

Hey Maureen, nice to see you back. There is a nice 20' Staedel cutter (or sloop) for sale here in Portland. I've heard he's asking $8000 but it has been on the market for 2 years at that price. I could try to get down there and snap a pic...
Good luck,
Steven

[maureen]

Hi, Steven; thanks for the $ info on the 20 Stadel, it helps put others into some sort of perspective. I've talked with the top wooden boat guy at a local boatyard, the only one really that continues to work on wooden boats and welcome them to its docks. He's willing to take a look at the Stadel 24 but knows of a Herreshoff he thinks I should take a look at -- says he knows the owner and the boat's history very well and could personally recommend it. He's also the person I'll have look at the Stadel if I decide to pursue it. So, we'll see --

[ 05-23-2003, 11:28 AM: Message edited by: maureen ]

[Thad]

It would be nice to hear more about the Herreshoff if you get a chance at her. Stadel boats are fine too. I always liked the Tom Cod 20'er for a small cruiser.

[imported_Steven Bauer]

Thad, this is a Staedel 20'-er. Is it a Tom Cod?
Maureen, this is the boat that's been for sale here for two years. I'm not sure if she's been sold or if the sign just fell off.





She needs some paint but this is a really nice little boat.

Steven

[ 05-25-2003, 04:49 PM: Message edited by: Steven.Bauer ]

[John Gearing]

Hi Maureen! Welcome back! Good to see you've still got the boat bug!