Looking for S2 9.2 Owners! :)

Sep 7, 2017
9
S2 S2 9.2 C Medford, Oregon
Hello!
I (we) just discovered this site! My wife and I have been sailing since we were kids, both with blue water experience. We're now 62 years old & ready to retire. We've researched the s2 9.2 Center Cockpit for a LONG time and pretty sure this is the boat for us. We know just about everything about it with one problem... We've never been aboard one! LOL!
We live in Southern Oregon and looking for an owner between San Fransisco and Portland area that would be willing to give us a tour of their S2 9.2 Center Cockpit.
Thanks!
Richard & Tresa
 
Sep 7, 2017
9
S2 S2 9.2 C Medford, Oregon
Hi Mark,
late at night here and I'm coming off of a month of 18hr work days (7 days a week... I design and develop prototypes... my own company), but I'll give it a try:
Probably the first thing that pops up is the interior layout in a boat that's only 30'... It's just the two of us, kids are grown. We wanted smaller, but also wanted creature comforts and the interior seems very "open" giving a sense of more space than there probably is. Neither of us is into racing, so speed is not an issue and although I understand these are not slow boats, I also hear they are certainly no racers. We're more into the travel than the sailing (Don't get me wrong! We LOVE sailing! But for us, being "out there" is more about visiting new places and exploring. We're happy to wait at anchor for a favorable weather window to make a distance work time-wise. We're not into passage making, but rather "gunk holing". The aft cabin/berth is nice to have separate from the main cabin and looks much roomier than the V-Berth we've been sleeping in! LOL!. Funny that we both also agree that the large size of the head along with a shower and yes "tub" definitely falls into the creature comfort category. LOL! Definitely going to have to add more water tankage! Although the high free-board from the center cockpit will have it's performance drawbacks, we love the comfort of a center cockpit. The S2 reputation is good: laid up glass, left in the molds during inserting interior moldings and tabbed bulkhead fabrication helps create a much stiffer boat. Ventilation from quite a few opening port-lights and twin hatches will help in heat...
There's a few things I definitely want to change like adding more freshwater tankage, Engel freezer where the navigation seat is (Planning to build a pull out seat under the supported freezer... Again, I design and build 'stuff" for a living (www.jareldesign.com), solar to compliment all our electronics... (I installed 200watts solar on our C26 for our recent San Juan trip and it was incredible never having to worry about power (2 laptops, several cameras including video, watching DVDs, stereo, home made 12 volt blender, etc...
I guess after rambling here, our number one draw to this boat has to be the interior layout and space on a small (30') boat... Our intended cruising grounds are the ICW, New England to the keys, Bahamas, gulf coast and maybe more. Were fine with a night or two out to get to somewhere we want to visit, but we're through with our blue water days and this boat just seems to fit the bill.
Hope this helps? Would sure love to hear from others who have this boat and what their experiences have been.

Best,
Richard
 
Jan 25, 2011
2,391
S2 11.0A Anacortes, WA
I had one of these in the mid 80s for a few yrs until I traded it for 11.0a..I liked this boat but had a few problems..The cabin sole was a parque linoleum. I had a potable water failure and had a major flood and the linoleum curled up. Insurance paid for a real teak/holley sole..They other problem i had was with the steering cables in the he engine room. The cables exited the pedestal and went to turning blocks on the hull and the head aft. This put tension on the blocks and I had one pull off the hull in the middle of Deception Pass. The other thing I can think of was a gate valve for the head discharge. Hooked a halyard a few slips down and replaced with correct valve. My boat was an early hull number and I think they fixed these in later boats. I knew you would comment on the bathtub!! Read the other posts here on the mast and compression post issues on the 9.2a. S2 is a well built boat as you've found out. I'm on my third one....
 
Sep 7, 2017
9
S2 S2 9.2 C Medford, Oregon
I liked this boat but had a few problems..The cabin sole was a parque linoleum. I had a potable water failure and had a major flood and the linoleum curled up. Insurance paid for a real teak/holley sole..They other problem i had was with the steering cables in the he engine room. The cables exited the pedestal and went to turning blocks on the hull and the head aft. This put tension on the blocks and I had one pull off the hull in the middle of Deception Pass. The other thing I can think of was a gate valve for the head discharge. Hooked a halyard a few slips down and replaced with correct valve. My boat was an early hull number and I think they fixed these in later boats. I knew you would comment on the bathtub!! Read the other posts here on the mast and compression post issues on the 9.2a.

Thanks for sharing!

Mind if I ask a few questions?
The linoleum floor? What year was your boat? Linolium floor? (I thought it had a teak and holly floor... Previous owner?) Potable water leakage? (I'm "guessing" this was from the original aluminum tank? Heard about failures with the original tanks. Steering cable pulleys: I've heard about this on several... Will be on my list of upgrades. Was the gate valve original or a previous owner putting in the wrong valve? Mast and compression post issues... haven't heard about these... Was it on both the model A and C 9.2 boats? Can you share what the issue(s) were?
Also, what engine was in yours? I've heard to stay away from the ones that came with Volvos. But I'm still researching and learning about diesels (new for me). What is the difference between QM and GM Yanmars? Also, the horsepower... I've heard (and made sense) to get the most HP possible, but that the 13HP that came with this boat were lacking, the 15HP: "adequate" and the 18HP better. Was yours a freshwater cooled (I like the idea of being able to heat up a hot water tank through the engine...

Nice to hear that you like the S2 boats enough to be on your third! :)
Thanks!
Richard
 
Jan 25, 2011
2,391
S2 11.0A Anacortes, WA
I dont remember the year but mid to late seventies...The floor was something similar to linoleum as it just peeled off the sole during the flood..The flood occured because there was a clear plastic hose inserted inside another plastic hose. No coupling/clamp and wrong hose..Fortunately, I was on the dock when I heard the pump activate..If you buy an old boat with alum tanks, its ready for new ones. Before you remove a tank, be sure it will fit through the companionway. I have no ideas on the valve or your engine questions. Mine was a Volvo and it ran fine but I didn't have the boat that long...Concerning the mast issues, I belive there are a few threads on that. Be sure the deck core is dry around the mast. If wiring exits the mast and goes through a connector on deck, this can be a source. Check the compression post supports under the cabin sole
 
Sep 7, 2017
9
S2 S2 9.2 C Medford, Oregon
Thanks for your insight and suggestions... All makes sense!
I'll check for info on the mast issues.
Thank you!
Best,
Richard
 

Broric

.
Mar 10, 2018
1
Hunter 27 Chicago
I dont remember the year but mid to late seventies...The floor was something similar to linoleum as it just peeled off the sole during the flood..The flood occured because there was a clear plastic hose inserted inside another plastic hose. No coupling/clamp and wrong hose..Fortunately, I was on the dock when I heard the pump activate..If you buy an old boat with alum tanks, its ready for new ones. Before you remove a tank, be sure it will fit through the companionway. I have no ideas on the valve or your engine questions. Mine was a Volvo and it ran fine but I didn't have the boat that long...Concerning the mast issues, I belive there are a few threads on that. Be sure the deck core is dry around the mast. If wiring exits the mast and goes through a connector on deck, this can be a source. Check the compression post supports under the cabin sole
Check the compression post supports under the cabin sole
I’m looking at a9.2a and it look like the floor doesn’t come up to inspect the mast compression post. Also the deep bilge under the motor was something new to me. Chainplates had some rot but I can repsir that.
 

BobM

.
Jun 10, 2004
3,269
S2 9.2A Winthrop, MA
Correct. No inspection hole. You have to cut your own!