# Sandpiper 32



## anxiousman

Hello all, Long time sailor who just sold my 35 ft, 1961 wooden mast head sloop, which we sailed for thirty years. We've bought a 1978 Sandpiper 32 cat schooner, fiberglass and on a trailer. Big change but I've been enamoured with Com. Munroe's presto boats for years and now I can find out what they're all about. If anyone out there is familiar with these boats, I'd love to chat with you. Thanks.


----------



## manatee

Sorry, no experience, but I share your interests in the Commodore and Presto. How do you like her so far? Any 'sea stories' you'd like to tell?


----------



## anxiousman

Just taking delivery this week. She needs some work and I'd like to go thru her, so no sailing till next summer. Most of my sailing friends think I'm crazy, what, no keel!? I think I'm going to like my "good little ship".


----------



## manatee

anxiousman said:


> Just taking delivery this week. She needs some work and I'd like to go thru her, so no sailing till next summer. Most of my sailing friends think I'm crazy, what, no keel!? I think I'm going to like my "good little ship".


If you have Reuel Parker's "The Sharpie Book", let them read his collection of 'Presto' stories, or loan them "The Commodore's Story". Are there many places up there in the frozen north where your shoal draft gets you into gunkholes they daren't try? And of course you can laugh all the way to the bank when you start waltzing past them in unofficial scratch races. Tuning her up should be fun.

Any plans to come down here to South Florida, cruise the Commodore's old stomping -er, sailing grounds? His home, The Barnacle, is a State Park, and they've repaired the hurricane damage it suffered.

Sailnetters like repair threads, especially with lots of pictures. If you need help or opinions, just ask,- there are very knowledgeable and opinionated folk here who are happy to help.


----------



## mf70

How are you doing with your boat?

We sail ours in the Chesapeake.
Boat Photos by mf70 | Photobucket


----------



## aa3jy

We saw your vessel in Queenstown Creek this past summer..very pretty lines. My brother-in Law had a Meadow Lark ketch in south Fla. as it was perfect for those shallow waters with its pivoting lee boards and a draft about 18 inches.

Clay 
S/V 'Tango'


----------



## mf70

<Grin>

Thanks for the note.

_Sanderling_ is also good in thin water, though not 18 inches, since she has a canoe hull with a skeg.

Now, I hope "anxiousman" hasn't lost hope. It is a nice boat to sail.


----------



## anxiousman

Been sailing "Neena" for a month and slowly learning her ways. We hope for a cruise this August. Still a few kinks to work out but "no worries mate" as the Aussies say.


----------



## anxiousman

Here's a picture of us sailing in fluky west winds in Mt. Hope Bay near Bristol R.I.


----------



## mf70

Looking good!

How is the sail balance in "schooner" configuration? It looks like you're rigged for a headsail; how much use do you get out of it?

As seen in our pix, we carry a headsail, but only when wind is below 8 - 10 Kt and 5 deg. of heel.


----------



## seabeau

I'm a sailor on the Georgia coast and I've been looking for an extreme shoal draft sailboat for quite some time. If you ever have cause to sell your Sandpiper 32, please contact me. Thanks.


----------



## anxiousman

I'll keep you in mind, Thanks.


----------



## NJsharpie

Hi, folks. I bought a sandpiper 32 sharpie with a cat schooner rig. Not a great sailboat in light winds. I may add a headsail in the coming years. The draft is wonderful. In anything more than moderate winds you must stay on your toes as she can be tender. Unfortunately, mine will be out of commission this summer as I must repower, Fox a nasty leak caused by an unnecessarily long lag screw at the motor mount and remove a custom deck house. The latter prevents me from sitting on the bench seats in the cockpit. Instead, I must sit on the pedestal to have decent vision. Ugh! I want to add a bow pulpit to accommodate a headsail and anchor roller. Can anyone recommend a fabrication shop in NJ that does this type of work? Thanks.


----------



## Jeff_H

My recollection is that the Sandpiper has rotating masts that are designed so that the sails can be reefed or furled around the freestanding spars. Conceptually this was a clever idea although it meant that the boat sailed better on one tack than the other when reefed. 

Like most sharpies, the masts were purposely designed to flex and depower the boat a little in a gust. 

The net result is that it is unlikely that the mast can take the forces of a jibstay without being restructured (adding shrouds and running backstays, and maybe give up on the rotating mast feature) and without losing the ability to reef by rolling the sail around the mast.

Additionally, adding a jib would move the center of effort very far forward. This could (probably would) result in a lee helm. In other words, in a gust the boat would turn to leeward rather than windward. That would be very dangerous on a low stability boat like a sharpie.

I would think that a better idea would be to have large roach sails made with either furlable battons or vertical battons. That would help with reaching in light air with minimal penalty as the breeze comes up. 

The hull form, centerboard, rudder and rig will always limit upwind performance so adding a jib won't help you with that.

Jeff


----------



## NJsharpie

Thanks Jeff. Very helpful. Yes, you are right. As for the rotating masts, you are dead on accurate. It’s a novel idea that works well if all parts are moving well.


----------



## NJsharpie

anxiousman said:


> Hello all, Long time sailor who just sold my 35 ft, 1961 wooden mast head sloop, which we sailed for thirty years. We've bought a 1978 Sandpiper 32 cat schooner, fiberglass and on a trailer. Big change but I've been enamoured with Com. Munroe's presto boats for years and now I can find out what they're all about. If anyone out there is familiar with these boats, I'd love to chat with you. Thanks.


Hi. I bought one last year. One descriptive word regarding this type of rig and boat would be quirky. I'm currently repowering mine with a compliment of wind, solar and the addition of an electric motor. Let me know what your take is on this unique boat. Send pics if possible.


----------



## JP Mohr

NJsharpie said:


> Hi, folks. I bought a sandpiper 32 sharpie with a cat schooner rig. Not a great sailboat in light winds. I may add a headsail in the coming years. The draft is wonderful. In anything more than moderate winds you must stay on your toes as she can be tender. Unfortunately, mine will be out of commission this summer as I must repower, Fox a nasty leak caused by an unnecessarily long lag screw at the motor mount and remove a custom deck house. The latter prevents me from sitting on the bench seats in the cockpit. Instead, I must sit on the pedestal to have decent vision. Ugh! I want to add a bow pulpit to accommodate a headsail and anchor roller. Can anyone recommend a fabrication shop in NJ that does this type of work? Thanks.


 NJsharie
The transom looks like it says Egret in scroll and if so it may be my original owner Sandpiper 32 #6 built in Clearwater in 1978, sailed in Mobile Bay until 1985 then in Shelter Island Sound until being sold in 2016 when I passed age 80.
If so, please reply and I'll gladly supply what I have in hopes you keep her running.
JP Mohr


----------

