S2's = WOW !!
Les, This should start a riot but that's part of the fun of the board - yes? We looked for over 6 months when we decided to get a larger boat. I looked at and sailed a lot of Hunters, Catalinias, Islanders, Beneteau's in the 30 foot range. I crawled over everything from old 30's to new 320's and then as a "lark" we checked out an old and odd-looking S2 Center Cockpit. We bought it that day. Practical Sailor described the boats as close to the top of the "production boat" pile in their day and after inspecting and sailing one I believe them. The mechanical differences can be subtle. Everything fits perfectly. Everything still works even after 15-20 years of use. No star cracks. No bilge leaks (internal ballast). Everything is easily accessible for maintenance. Rigging is simple and "robust". Hull and deck are bullet proof. It has a bathtub and a shower (ha ha). Sailing differences are not so subtle. These were truly great cruising boats in their day and remain so today. They are incredibly stable in all situations and easy to sail well. If I were so inclined, I would not hesitate to take our S2 way off shore. I don’t know if I'd call them true "blue water" boats but they are damn close. These boats were not built to a price and it shows everywhere you look. If the survey's good and the price is right, get the boat. You will not regret it. Greg Gstebbins@aol.com 972-772-4666
