S2 9.8C advise from current owners please

Feb 1, 2019
3
S2 9.8C Lake Mead
Good Day,

I am looking to purchase a used boat for live aboard/cruising around the Sea of Cortez and area. Possibly along the west coast. I am considering the S2 9.2C as an option since one is available in my area at a reasonable price. And the boat is in very good condition.
I am hoping to reach out to current owners regarding suitability. I have been doing some research and have come across comments stating this model is a good lake boat, or coastal cruiser. Some say it is a poor choice if any heavy weather or rough conditions exist. Some say it sails like a bar of soap. Others say it is a good sailing vessel but a poor upwind performer.
I guess my question is simply: Is this boat suitable for coastal sailing if the weather gets rough ? Is it safe ? And for example, could this boat sail comfortably from say LA to Hawaii if somebody ( not me ) wanted to do that ? Thank you for any advise.
 
Last edited:
Oct 22, 2014
20,996
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Welcome to the forum Cowtownflyer...
Suitable? That is pretty much in the eye of the user. All boats are suitable to the right person. It sounds like it is, based on the criteria you stated...
  1. One is available locally
  2. Priced reasonable
  3. In good condition
  4. Has space for a person to live aboard.
Folk have used all sorts of boats to cruise on lakes and coastal waters. No boat is 100% safe in a force 10 gale unless the crew are prepared to sail their boat and find safety. Most coastal cruisers only sail when the conditions are favorable. That being the case many boats would be good choice and the S2 is no exception.

Folks have sailed 15 foot daysailors to Hawaii. It is about being mentally prepared, having skills to sail on oceans, have good weather and the proper provisions. Even the best of boats might not make it if the crew are not prepared for the journey.

Best of luck with your search for the perfect boat for you.
 
Jan 25, 2011
2,391
S2 11.0A Anacortes, WA
John gives good advice. The S2 would be a good boat for your purposes. Is it the best boat sailing upwind? No..Is it the strongest boat? No...you know where I’m going here. With the right knowledge and equipment, it will serve you well as well as numerous other boats. My first boat was a 9.2cc. I had an early model and there were, basically, two issues. 1) gate valves in the head and 2) steering cables below cockpit sole. If this boat has cables that exit the pedestal tubes and go down to turning blocks on the hull, they need to be redesigned. The turning blocks will be under tension and can pull up off the hull. Steering goes totally slack. This happened to me in the middle of Deception Pass. The later years rectified this issue.
 
Feb 1, 2019
3
S2 9.8C Lake Mead
Thank you for your comments Mark. This particular boat is a 1982 model. Not sure if the steering cable issue you describe had been rectified by this production year or not ? I will check that issue on next inspection. What is the difference between the original setup and the modified setup ?

I note now that this hull is not the shoal draft and does have the 4'11" draft which is good. Additionally, this particular boat has been on a stand and in covered storage for at least 10 years. So easy to inspect. Very clean.
 
Jan 25, 2011
2,391
S2 11.0A Anacortes, WA
Not sure how they changed it. Either way, the cables need to get to quadrant level. With mine, there were short sections of 2x4 glassed to the hull and the turning block lagged in. One of my blocks pulled off the hull.
 

BobM

.
Jun 10, 2004
3,269
S2 9.2A Winthrop, MA
Sea of Cortez to Hawaii is over 2500 miles. A boat that has been on the hard for ten years has likely been neglected for ten years and need quite a bit of work. Could it go to Hawaii? Sure. Have others bought $1000 boats and sailed to Hawaii? Sure. But it wasn't made for that purpose. The 9.2A is a solid coastal cruiser.

So...2500 miles...let's be generous and say that you average 4 knots and have auto steering gear and can to sail around the clock . You trip to Hawaii will take roughly 26 days. Still sound like fun?
 

BobM

.
Jun 10, 2004
3,269
S2 9.2A Winthrop, MA
If it does...go for it! The Hawaiians likely got to Hawaii in a much lesser boat. I have seen this question asked dozens of times and the answer is always "it depends on you". Some people would hop on a sunfish with a gallon of water and a bag of Doritos and go for it and maybe make it. Others would plan to go and spend so much time making sure everything was perfect that they would never leave.

My advice? Buy the boat for what you will do with it today...sail around the Sea of Cortez and have a blast. When you are ready for Hawaii you will know if it's the right boat or move on.