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Sirocco 15 daysailer a good first "real" boat?

22K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  enb54 
#1 ·
Hi all,

I believe I joined this forum last summer when I purchased my Sunfish, but otherwise I'm pretty much new to the boards. My sailing experience includes several dozen hours on the Sunfish last season, maybe half a dozen between skippering and crewing on Hobies (I race), and just a few hours cruising on Lake MI on a much larger boat. Overall I have only been into sailing since last July, so not quite a year.

While looking for a second Sunfish hull to play with, I came across a guy offering me a free boat called a Sirocco 15. This is a 15', 450lb daysailer with an 85lb swing keel. Essentially the question is should I take it? This boat has been actively used and taken care of, though it did not get out last season because a tree fell on and bent the front of the trailer.

I spent more than two hours inspecting the boat, sails and rigging, and all appears to be complete (and sails in great shape!). You can view photos of the specific boat here. The only thing to note is two small gelcoat cracks, one on each side of the keel trunk inside the cockpit. I figure at the very least I can grab it, take a couple weeks to fully inspect the thing, and either decide to work on and sail it this season or quickly pass it on. Used these boats do go for around a grand, give or take. Thoughts?

Thanks much!
Daniel
 
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#2 ·
Those hairline cracks are likely only superficial. I'd be more worried that the swing keel raising/lowering mechanism is in good shape. It might be fine or it might need a new cable and/or fittings. In either case not expensive.

It looks to be a good boat to move up to from a Sunfish but it won't be as fast as your Hobie experiences. It is not a boat I'd choose to take across a Great Lake but should be fine for day sailing.

There really are no "free" boats but a 15 footer should not cost much to fix up IF there is anything that needs fixing.
 
#3 ·
Those hairline cracks are likely only superficial. I'd be more worried that the swing keel raising/lowering mechanism is in good shape. It might be fine or it might need a new cable and/or fittings. In either case not expensive.

It looks to be a good boat to move up to from a Sunfish but it won't be as fast as your Hobie experiences. It is not a boat I'd choose to take across a Great Lake but should be fine for day sailing.

There really are no "free" boats but a 15 footer should not cost much to fix up IF there is anything that needs fixing.
Thanks for the input! Yeah, on one hand they look to be limited to the gelcoat itself, but on the other hand there's the saying that there's "no such thing as a surface crack." We'll see. Is there any way I can get this thing jacked up so I can check the keel mechanism, or is jacking it up unnecessary?

Unfortunately I do need to purchase a trailer for this before I can move it. Any tips when it comes to used trailers, or will any trailer meant for a 14' - 16' monohull work fine?

Ultimately I see this as a boat I can clean up and trailer to a relatively large local lake (3/4 x 1.5 miles), and maybe next season I can throw on a 2.5 Merc and rent a slip at an even larger local lake (1 x 5 miles).
 
#4 ·
Sirocco specs: SIROCCO 15 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

The S-15 weighs less then 500 #s so you should be able to easily jack it up with a car jack. Getting enough height with proper stability on trailer will be the hard part. Probably the easiest way to check the center board is to launch the boat and dive on it in shallow water. Much easier then jacking it up unless you have access to some jack stands like a boat yard uses. Can you inspect the cable or line that goes to the center board from the cockpit? If it is wire rope and has meat hooks (sharp broken strands) then it is time to replace. If it is rope and is at all frayed then probably good to replace before it breaks.

The S-15 was made around 1970 so a few stress cracks are to be expected after 40+ years. I really wouldn't worry about them unless you notice them starting to get wider after use. Can you check the fiberglass material behind where the cracks are showing? Perhaps with a mirror or two and a flashlight, or a digital camera?

It does not look like you have any stays or shroud chain plates to worry about holding the mast up. The only remaining concern I might have is the mast foot or sleeve that does hold the mast upright. If it is in good shape then just go sailing and enjoy a sloop rigged (boat with 2 sails) boat.
 
#5 ·
I don't know the boat but it looks quite okay considering age, and the mast looks decent from what the photos show.

I vote, go out and have fun with her. 19 chances out of 20 those are just surface gel coat cracks/chips to be ignored. Looks like a three-stay rig, nice looking line drawing and blood simple so no hidden disaster areas.

Take note that 80 pounds does not really a "keel" make, it's basically a heavy centerboard. that said, no reason it shouldn't sail well, just use your weight placement to make up for the lack of weight in the "keel". And keep weight forward, with that faux cabin it's easy to sit too far aft and drag the stern, which will slow you and affect handling.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.
 
#7 ·
If it were me I'd go for it! Looks all there....some serious elbow grease, rubbing compound and wax and that hull will shine. Get her all back together, fix the trailer and take her out. Worst case, get her shined up and purty, put her on Craigslist for $750.

It's free...what the hey. And it's not one of these "free" boats that ends up breaking the bank to bring her back. You could invest $2k in new sails, rigging, cushions, motor, lights.....and have a friggan SWEET little day sailor.
 
#9 ·
I own one of these. Mine is a 1972. She is an awesome girl. Hard to knock down, and the heeling straps make her pretty stable. If you weight enough.....

I have had so many hours of fun on Radio Waves, I will never let her go. I have 3 other boats, up to 28 feet, but she was my first. I learned to sail on her. You will have no trouble.!

Martin Fisher
 
#10 ·
Hi all,

I have acquired a Sirocco 15 as well and have been trying to locate information online and am finding little. My main sheet needs to be rigged and I was wondering if anyone has suggestions for this boat. Also, I will need to remove my keel in the near future for maintenance and paint and was wondering if anyone has any experience with this. Once last question here, I am curious why there is a drain plug in the from of the cockpit into the space below the deck.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Fred
 
#11 ·
I was told the plug in the front just before the cabin was to fill with water for more weight. It would just fill the nose of the boat? I don't know though.
Shyfoxx can you send a pic of the heeling straps Mine do not attach to the back of the boat, just in the front before cabin.
This is my first sailboat and were cleaning her up and fixing up a pic of the rigging would be great as well. :)

I hope someone still replies to this site,

Thanks, Sharon.
 
#14 · (Edited)
Hello all... Have attached a few photos of my 1976 S-15 and will answer a few questions... The plug under the cuddy cabin as far as I know is just for emptying any water which may have got in there, not to add water for ballast. The hiking strap is attached at the cuddy cabin and at the stern, per attached photo. The main sheet rigging requires a double block to be attached at the fitting on the keel cover (between the swiveling cam cleat and the winch), then a stop knot is placed at that block with the sheet being run through that block and up to the boom block twice, then terminated at the swivel cam cleat. When I sold the boat this summer I made up a set of rigging instructions which were:

1) Unstrap mainmast and insert heel (base) of mainmast into mast step on cabin roof, ensuring that the bolt at the heel (base) of the mast is in the mast step slot and that the shrouds, spreaders and forestay are in correct position for attaching to hull chainplates and bow fitting
2) Attach shrouds to chainplates and raise mast, attaching forestay to bow fitting, ensuring halyards are not tangled
3) Make adjustments to shrouds if necessary, but they are a bit loose as I have them set up, maybe you’ll leave them the same at the beginning
4) Attach boom to mast via gooseneck fitting and wing nut
5) Disconnect trailer electrical connector
6) Launch boat into water ensuring all drain plugs are inserted and closed then secure boat to dock or beach
7) Insert mainsail foot into slot in boom and pull clew to end of boom, tension the clew now or later, insert cotter pin into tack near gooseneck and then insert luff of sail into mast slot and attach mainsail halyard to the head
8) Attach jib head to halyard and attach tack to deck bow fitting, then hank on jib to forestay
9) Attach rudder and ensure a safety line is attached to rudder frame and boat, you never ever want to lose your rudder
10) Attach mainsail control line (long ½ inch line) to boom block, swiveling cam cleat, jib sheets via fairleads to port and starboard cam cleats
11) Partially lower centerboard and raise sails to start getting underway using cabin top jam cleats for jib and main halyards, then lower centerboard completely

Hope this information is of some help...
 

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