by Nick Martin » Mon Dec 17, 2018 8:51 pm
Hi Stephen,
Sorry, just spotted you 'Sprayhood post'..
I would agree with 'Greybeard'.
My total sprayhood cost was around £600 a few years ago .. I bet they're more now .. I fitted it myself - a bit tricky, but doable .. having originally sailed without a sprayhood for years, I would definitely advocate getting one - they revolutionise the boat when sailing in big waves/foul weather and at anchor/on a mooring in the rain .. without doubt, my favourite upgrade to my boat.
As far as I can tell, the main perceived benefit of the newer boats is the spinlocks (if you like them - I've never had a problem with the jammers fixed to the original boats) - anyway, something that you could easily upgrade yourself.
The SA boats had lighter masts which helped just a little bit with mast raising and slightly improved stability.
Personally, I would not advocate raising the gooseneck - especially on a boat with a heavier mast .. small changes in rig weight and height have disproportionate effects on stability and In my experience this is unnecessary .. It is true that a number of folk have done this without any trouble and the original gooseneck position means that the sprayhood seems a bit low (but you quickly get used to it) .. However, the gooseneck on any boat is subject to quite high loads and fixing it to the tabernacle (as designed), rather than the mast, seems eminently sensible .. (If you MUST raise the boom, then a strop at the tack held against the mast with a hoop or parrel beads would be a better option, with the boom rising up to the clew)
The most significant downside of the SA boats is the original trailer that proved difficult with spares and does not have automatic reversing brakes (I traded mine in for a new HM one) .. Otherwise, I really don't think the boat build quality is significantly different .. I think the biggest consideration with a second hand trailer-sailer is how well the boat has been looked after and how much time it has spent in the water.
Nick