I own a Yamaha 33, circa 1978. "Silver Cloud". I sail this boat out of Adelaide, South Australia. This yacht completed a Sydney-Hobart race in 1978 and was successfully raced for some years until IOR design yachts became uncompetitive in club races. There are a few Yamaha 33s and 26's in Australia but they are little known about down here and only a few were imported due mainly to their high price in the late 1970s. I still use the yacht for short handed racing (two crew). It is mainly a family cruiser though and fitted with additional water tanks and refrigerator (12/250 volt) It still sails very nicely upwind and is quite competitive with some modern designed craft on this point of sail but suffers like all IOR designs when sailing downwind in over 20 knots of wind. Death rolls are qute common under her big spinnakers but she gets out of them after sulking a little bit (make sure the vang is easy to get off. Rig has been replaced with a stronger section, double spreader mast. Hydraulic backstay, baby stay, furling headsail (150%), a bit more roach on the fully batterned main. We sail regularly in +25 knot winds with a short, steep chop so a strong rig is essential. Replaced the original Yanmar power plant with a Volvo-Penta 18hp with single 1" prop shaft with 16" feathering propeller. Supported by 2 stainless steel bearings and the skeg bearing and the cutlass bearing. Cruises at about 6.5 knots at 2800 RPM. Motor still mounted under forward quarter berth. This is a talking point among Yammy owners but in my opinion it doesn't detract from the boat's balance one bit, in fact these old 3/4 ton IOR boats seem to go better with a head down attitude. I have rebuilt and reinforced the stub keel after slight delamination in this area due to the rough conditions this boat has encountered over the past 25 years or so. The boat is very nice to sail in 12-15 knots of wind but you need to reduce sail above this or else the weather helm can become a bit uncomfortable. It likes to stand up straight. If the gunwhales are under water she is going sideways so about 15 degrees is the maximum heel you want - achieved by cramming crew on the windward rail or shortening sail or splitting shifts. Running dead square under spinnaker, the boat behaves a lot better than most of this period and is quite competitive with other 3/4 tonners. The cockpit layout is excellent even by modern day standards. The primary and spinnaker winches are very strong and within reach of the helmsman (tiller steering) so it is an ideal yacht for short handed sailing. The cockpit is very roomy when compared with other boats of the time. This is still a very pretty and capable boat and with retro designs being in fashion does not look as old as she really is. A pity about the brown gel coat on the coach house but painting that is a small job.
Aussie Yamaha 33
- Thread starter Steve5518
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Capt Ron;-)
Question from Auz?
Steve, Sounds like your quite the sailor, but was there a question in there somewhere? I lived in Glenelg (spelling) on the beach there at the end of the street car rails, still there? I rode a 'push-bike' from Adelaide to Melborne, Narracorte caves, Ballorat, and took the ferry across the strait, pedaled on down to Hobart whence I attended the University and worked on an ab boat up out of Strahn on the west coast. Sail to Kangaroo Island yet?
Steve, Sounds like your quite the sailor, but was there a question in there somewhere? I lived in Glenelg (spelling) on the beach there at the end of the street car rails, still there? I rode a 'push-bike' from Adelaide to Melborne, Narracorte caves, Ballorat, and took the ferry across the strait, pedaled on down to Hobart whence I attended the University and worked on an ab boat up out of Strahn on the west coast. Sail to Kangaroo Island yet?
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Bruce
Mast Sleeve
Ron, or anyone else who may know, I am looking at a 1981 Yamaha 33 for sale in Fremantle, Australia. (The only one here it seems.) It has a mast splice/sleeve just below the spreaders. Is this a repair, as I suspect, or might it be the as-built configuration? Thanks for any replies. Bruce
Ron, or anyone else who may know, I am looking at a 1981 Yamaha 33 for sale in Fremantle, Australia. (The only one here it seems.) It has a mast splice/sleeve just below the spreaders. Is this a repair, as I suspect, or might it be the as-built configuration? Thanks for any replies. Bruce
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Bruce
Mast Sleeve
Ron, or anyone else who may know, I am looking at a 1981 Yamaha 33 for sale in Fremantle, Australia. (The only one here it seems.) It has a mast splice/sleeve just below the spreaders. Is this a repair, as I suspect, or might it be the as-built configuration? Thanks for any replies. Bruce
Ron, or anyone else who may know, I am looking at a 1981 Yamaha 33 for sale in Fremantle, Australia. (The only one here it seems.) It has a mast splice/sleeve just below the spreaders. Is this a repair, as I suspect, or might it be the as-built configuration? Thanks for any replies. Bruce
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steve
Y33 Mast Sleeve.
Bruce, Y33s came with 2 size rigs. some had a single spreader rig while others had a 'big rig' with twin spreaders and a P of ~800mm larger. The single spreader mast was a bit soft. Mine was replaced with a twin spreader rig after the original mast was lost when a chainplate failed. Check these on the one you are looking at. They only used to be 4mm thick except where they pass through the deck. It sounds as if you mast has been reinforced or joined. A join is not so bad provided it has been sleeved and screwed properly. I would advise you to get a rigger to check the mast before you buy. Get him to check the chainplates at the same time. Good luck.
Bruce, Y33s came with 2 size rigs. some had a single spreader rig while others had a 'big rig' with twin spreaders and a P of ~800mm larger. The single spreader mast was a bit soft. Mine was replaced with a twin spreader rig after the original mast was lost when a chainplate failed. Check these on the one you are looking at. They only used to be 4mm thick except where they pass through the deck. It sounds as if you mast has been reinforced or joined. A join is not so bad provided it has been sleeved and screwed properly. I would advise you to get a rigger to check the mast before you buy. Get him to check the chainplates at the same time. Good luck.
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Bruce
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Bob
Got pictures?
If you have a picture of your boat with some great scenery in the background, I'd like to post in on the website listed below.
If you have a picture of your boat with some great scenery in the background, I'd like to post in on the website listed below.
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Foster
mast splice
Bruce from Fremantle is asking,if a mast splice/sleeve just below the spreaders is a repair,or as-built. The Yamaha Y33 with tall rigs have a mast 50 foot long and to pack the mast on their cradle for shipment the mast was shipped in two halfs. The manual for the boat gives detailed instructions on how to assemble.
Bruce from Fremantle is asking,if a mast splice/sleeve just below the spreaders is a repair,or as-built. The Yamaha Y33 with tall rigs have a mast 50 foot long and to pack the mast on their cradle for shipment the mast was shipped in two halfs. The manual for the boat gives detailed instructions on how to assemble.
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Bruce
Mast Splice
Thank you Foster. The boat is a single spreader configuration , so I presumed it was the shorter rig. I'll see if I can measure the mast now.
Thank you Foster. The boat is a single spreader configuration , so I presumed it was the shorter rig. I'll see if I can measure the mast now.
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Koen Salden - Netherlands
Yamaha 33 quality
Can anyone tell me something about the build quality of the Yamaha 33? I am considering buying one here in NL. I am now sailing an X-79, a very nice but small racer-cruiser from X-yachts. See website below.
Can anyone tell me something about the build quality of the Yamaha 33? I am considering buying one here in NL. I am now sailing an X-79, a very nice but small racer-cruiser from X-yachts. See website below.
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Luke Schouten
lover of Yamahas
Dear Koen, My wife and I own a Yamaha 33 for 6 years now. We have been sailing in all kinds of weather on the beautiful coast of British Columbia with our "Yammie" Every trip has added to our confidence for the Yamaha safety, quality of workmanship, design engineering and sailing has been lots of fun also. The fibreglass is impressive to say the least My boat is 26 years old and does not have 1 blister. If you can find a Yamaha buy it quickly because my honest believe is that the prices are 25 cents to the dollar in value. Veel geluk met je zeilboot mijnheer.
Dear Koen, My wife and I own a Yamaha 33 for 6 years now. We have been sailing in all kinds of weather on the beautiful coast of British Columbia with our "Yammie" Every trip has added to our confidence for the Yamaha safety, quality of workmanship, design engineering and sailing has been lots of fun also. The fibreglass is impressive to say the least My boat is 26 years old and does not have 1 blister. If you can find a Yamaha buy it quickly because my honest believe is that the prices are 25 cents to the dollar in value. Veel geluk met je zeilboot mijnheer.
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