Menger Oysterman 23

[sailingfix]

I'm looking to see if anyone has experience sailing on/owning a Menger Oysterman 23. It's a skipjack design built by Menger in the late 70s and early 80s.

Specifically, I'm interested in:
-what sea state/winds the boat (and crew) can comfortably handle.
-quality of construction
-known maintenance problem areas
-what owners think of them??

I have found some old brochures/literature online, but cannot find any current owners. The boat has some very interesting qualities that could be what i'm looking for. I just don't know anybody that has sailed one. I'd love to get some info on this intriguing boat.

Thanks for your help.

[olsalt]

I had one about 15 years ago. Very cool looking vessel, well built, doesn't go to weather very well, but turns heads.

[sailingfix]

Thanks olsalt!,

Any other advice about this boat? Good for a daysailer/weekender? 4 adults in cockpit? Would you have been comfortable in 15 to 20 kts with a few feet of seas? Did you have the ketch or the sloop?

Sorry for the numerous questions, I'm just excited to finally find someone else who knows about this boat.

[oysterman23]

Hi there...

I am situated on the south shore of Long Island and have been sailing a Menger Oysterman 23 for two seasons now. Have been spending quite abit of time experimenting and learning about the rig. Mine is a sloop with normal bilge ballast and the optional 500lbs on the centerboard.
I also know someone locally who has the ketch rig but have not sailed it yet.

My sloop likes to reef about the time the " 20" kt gusts hit the weather service. If she is being tender, her character changes unbeleivably with just the one reef in the main. My sails are pretty sad and need to be recut so cannot say whether that is how it would sail with a good set of properly cut rags on.
Courtesy to the other lister regarding weatherliness but mine is now tuned nicely and i have no difficulty coming about, and she can beat quite close to the wind at about 4.5 knots reefed and basically self steering...I like to go up forward and watch the hull and sails work.... I have also learned a trick for sailing her with the iffy kind of soft then hard nort west we get some mornings in these cases i have found that if she is being cranky in the blusters I just reef the jib and again, the helm becomes very civilized. I am in contact with Jerry Thompson of Thompson Boatworks who purchased Bill Menger's moulds for the Cat boats and we are trying to rebuild knowledge of the boat and how she sails best. The fellah who has the Ketch loves it but sounds like he needs to tune the rigging which was the primary solution to most of my problems with weather helm, etc. Hope this helps
Chris Cod
Once the sails are up she is a stiff and seaworthy boat. She is probably carrying a lower aspect sail than tradition or comfort require (Im going to be changing mine Surprisingly dry also

[oysterman23]

Also:

Boat is quite heavy hand laid up glass 7 layers on bottom transom is a full 1/4 thick! (I just cut a hole...) Deck to hull is glassed and bolted .
Tuning the Bobstay is important for decent weatherliness. Tuning could best be described as trying to back off the permanent tabernacle rake! (half as much would have been just fine and looked plenty traditional) enough for now sorry i went on so
Cod

[olsalt]

Maybe ours wasn't tuned as well, and it did go upwind OK. As a pleasure boat we didn't care much. For us it worked out fine, for a couple of years.

Incidentally, it's for sale again, listed with RCR in Rochester.

[oysterman23]

Originally Posted by olsalt

Maybe ours wasn't tuned as well, and it did go upwind OK. As a pleasure boat we didn't care much. For us it worked out fine, for a couple of years.

Incidentally, it's for sale again, listed with RCR in Rochester.

Hi olsalt,
Ah! I have seen your boat listed on the web, looks tobe in good shape. How did she handle on a big lake? The bay here is rather famous for some relentless chop....but once themain is up she is nice and solid and I found out it is a blastsailing it in the flats

[sailingfix]

oysterman 23, olsalt,

Great stuff! Thanks for all the details, exactly what I was looking for. Sounds like a great boat. I've also checked out olsalt's old boat. I'm considering making the drive up to check it out (although it is about 6 or so hrs from the CT shore). If I do, anything in particular you think I should look for?

I really appreciate all the information. The more I learn about this boat, the more I like it.... although I'm probably a little too enamored for never having seen one with my own eyes. Ha!