In 1960 Alan Buchanan was persuaded to design a yacht very similar to his own, also to be built by Priors, for a friend. SINBAD was the result and she proved even faster than his own! SINBAD’s recent former owner, an experienced yachtsman had her interior sympathetically and cleverly reworked; replaced her sails; and focused on all areas to make her a very usable family cruiser as well as potent classic racer – and succeeded.
In 1960 Alan Buchanan was persuaded to design a yacht very similar to his own, also to be built by Priors, for a friend. SINBAD was the result and she proved even faster than his own! SINBAD’s recent former owner, an experienced yachtsman had her interior sympathetically and cleverly reworked; replaced her sails; and focused on all areas to make her a very usable family cruiser as well as potent classic racer – and succeeded. Under her current ownership SINBAD has wintered for the last 4 years at the Elephant boatyard, who in 2012 also fitted a new teak deck
Brokers Comments
In 1960 Alan Buchanan was persuaded to design a yacht very similar to his own, also to be built by Priors, for a friend. SINBAD was the result and she proved even faster than his own! SINBAD’s recent former owner, an experienced yachtsman had her interior sympathetically and cleverly reworked; replaced her sails; and focused on all areas to make her a very usable family cruiser as well as potent classic racer – and succeeded. Under her current ownership SINBAD has wintered for the last 4 years at the Elephant boatyard, who in 2012 also fitted a new teak deck
Historical Note
SINBAD is one of only two - then state of the art - racing yachts of this particular. She and TAITSING her near sister yacht proved to be very fast and finely balanced but in one main respect they differed; SINBAD with the advantage of a masthead rig could make greater speed over her ¾ rigged near sister.
On her maiden voyage; delivery from Priors yard in Essex to North Wales she entered the Round the Island Race and won. Subsequently From 1988 to 1992 during the ownership of Kathy Kilbey, SINBAD OF ABERSOCH was actively campaigned in RORC Ocean Racing events, including the 1989 Fastnet Race, winning her class. At that time there were only a handful of 1960s Class ll racing yachts in a competitive enough state to race, the most successful of which was the Jacksons' SUNSTONE, a Sparkman & Stevens wooden yacht which usually arrived well ahead of everyone else – including many of the then modern plastic fleet of Sigma 38s etc.
She then became more a family boat, cruising in Scottish, home and north French waters for several years before being sold in 1985 – only to be bought back again a few years later by the same owner – then more recently sold again to be sailed mainly in the Solent.
Construction
- 7/8th inch afromosia and mahogany plank (recently stripped back to bare wood below waterline, repainted and repainted topsides) laid over Canadian rock elm bentwood frames
- Main keel, stem, stern post and horn timber of iroko
- Mahogany rudder
- Hardwood main deck beams and carlins
- Teak comings
- New laid teak decks
- Cast one pour lead keel
- Teak and holly cabin sole
- New trunk cabin
Accommodation and Domestic Equipment
From the lazarette aft to long cockpit, with removable generous folding table, the bridge deck leads to the sliding hatch companionway steps down over the engine casing to the main cabin. This has teak trimmed cedar and fir wood joinery imbuing a warm ambience with white painted deck head for good light. Passing by the galley and navigation area half bulkheads reveal
- Saloon with settee berth to port converts to double if required using the twisting top table
- Stowage shelves and lockers outboard and below
- Bulkhead opening forward leads to the head with Baby Blake WC) with doorway to port
- Fore cabin with vee berths to the sides, stowage and open hanging locker to starboard
- Chain trap forward
Coming aft through the saloon
- Single settee berth to port, stowage under and outboard
- Half bulkheads and grab rails
- Galley on stbd side with Wallas Marine Safeflame Ceramic 100 paraffin grill
- Stainless steel sink with pumped hot and cold water, pump water out
- Isotherm top loading fridge with stowage around and below
- Generous Navigation area with large chart table, drawers under and locker to port
- Quarter berth aft
Rig Spars and Sails
- Aluminium alloy mast and new standing rigging in stainless steel
- Main boom silver spruce
- Lazy Jacks
- Halyard winches
- Genoa (North Sails 2008)
- Jib (Ratsey) furling
- Fully battened main sail (North Sails 2008)
- Asymmetric (North Sails 2008)
- 1 x 1.5 oz Ratsey symmetrical spinnaker
- 1 x 0.75 oz Ratsey symmetrical spinnaker
- Spare main (Ratsey)
Deck Equipment and Ground Tackle
- New Lewmar electric windlass works both chain and warp (with remote control
- Lewmar 2 x ST and 2 x Standard sheet winches
- CQR anchor with 66 ft / 20 m chain and 100 ft / 30 m warp
- Dorade vents and boxes over coach roof either side of mast
- Deck hot and cold shower stbd by cockpit
- Caribbean (cream) awning from main gooseneck to back stay with cleared detachable sides
- Cockpit and hatch cover
- Avon Redcrest dinghy
Mechanical Electrical and Tankage
- Tiller steering
- Recently rewired
- Mastervolt BTM III battery monitor
- 2 x L110 type domestic batteries (under port settee)
- 1 x engine battery (starboard)
- New fuel tank
Navigation Communication and Electronics
- Garmin map 550 GPS
- Icom VHF Marine IC –M505
- Tack tick Full set of wind speed depth; 4 displays on deck and 1 below
- Linked into GPS plotter Course and speed over ground
- Raymarine Smart Pilot auto pilot (hidden on deck)
- Dual depth transducer
- 4 displays on deck 1 below)
- Tack tick Micronet remote
- Clock and Barometer
- Sony CD player
Safety
- 2 Kg powder fire extinguishers (in hanging locker)
- Emergency tiller
- 2 x automatic bilge pumps
- Original bronze Whale manual bilge pump in cockpit
Refit details
Already in good condition on acquisition by her current owner SINBAD’s deck however did need replacing. A new teak deck has therefore been laid by the Elephant boatyard. Otherwise she has been equipped with new stainless steel pulpit and bow anchor rollers and a new brass framed window at the fore end of the trunk cabin.
Other Equipment
SINBAD
