Drascombe Drifter 22ft Yawl Rig Yacht

Saorsa is the Third Drascombe I have owned, moving up from Dabber to Longboat Cruiser and finally a Drifter. I have owned her for 2 years, towing her down from Scotland. [Saorsa means 'Freedom' in Gaelic]. Unfortunately, for various reasons, I have been unable to make as much use of her as she deserves and have decided to use my Summers on land. She is currently on a mooring in Dale, Pembrokeshire, as delightful a location as you could find anywhere.

The mooring should be able to transfer with the boat with no problems as there is no waiting list [ I own the tackle but the location is under the control of Dale Yacht Club - The mooring Secretary sees no problem].The tackle was replaced this year at a cost of over £500 and has been professionally maintained by Dale Sailing. Critically, the Trailer is in excellent condition, this is the most important cost saving part of a trailer sailer. New in 2011, although it submerges to launch, the hubs have a hose connection rinse system which ensures a clean wash out. Saorsa is a lovely looking boat, a gentle stable sail with a lot of character and extremely versatile. The Outboard starts first time on the button everytime.I store her in a Locked yard 20 miles away for £250 a year.The interior is dry, roomy and comfortable.

Moving around the boat at sea is safe and there are secure hand holds and foot placements [my complaint with the Previous boat! ].Rigging is straightforward, raising the main has no dramas, and lowering is fast and safe. I use the boom and have added a boom cover for the mooring.SOME PHOTOS ARE FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER BUT I WILL UPDATE THEM SHORTLY. ‘SAORSA’ - Description / Inventory from original vendor GENERAL; Saorsa is a Drascombe Drifter, built about 1980. White hull in good condition for her age, still in original white gel coat with light blue topsides.

Her rig is standard except for the addition of a boom on the mainsail to improve windward and off wind performance. Length overall: 21’6” Beam: 7’ 3” Draft: 2’ 0” Saorsa has been trailed at least twice a year since she was purchased by us, as well as being sailed in our local area. She is both pretty and a very sea kindly mini cruiser. While in our ownership she has been wintered ashore and undercover. TRAILER: The trailer is an Honnor Marine unit, designed/modified specifically for the Drifter.

A hub wash system is fitted, along with stainless steel brake cables which have proved very successful. Docking arms have also been fitted to simplify haul-out. A Bracket on the trailer carries a spare wheel. DECK GEAR: The main anchor is carried on the foredeck, along with rope (40 m) and chain (10 m). The rope and chain are carried in a purpose made ‘trough’ on the foredeck.

Kedge anchor and rode is carried, along with fenders and various ropes in storage under cockpit floor. Spray hood is in good condition. SAILS Sails are in good condition. The mainsail is provided with sail cover while the jib has a sacrificial strip. A boom has been fitted to make windward and off-wind sailing more efficient.

ENGINE: The engine is an 8hp electric start Yamaha which is very quiet, smooth and easy to start, even manually. A charging facility is provided, which, along with the Solar panel maintains the battery in a good state of charge. The remote fuel tank is carried in the stern locker. INTERIOR: The interior lining is in good condition- new cushions and covers were provided by the previous owner. Chart storage is provided forward, while a built in unit in the cabin (rear starboard) houses the ‘Portapoti 335’.

There is space provided for a cool box in the cabin. A new cooker was fitted in 2011(2 burner and grill) with gas supplied from a bottle located in the cockpit binnacle. An 11gallon (50 litre.) pillow type water tank is located under the berths amidships. This water is supplied by a Whale pump to the sink via a water filter. A fitting on the inside of the cabin door carries the chart plotter, fish finder and an external VHF speaker- these are useable when the cabin door is locked open.

Crockery, cutlery, fire blanket and fire extinguisher are included. A simple storage unit on the bulkhead to the starboard side of the door provides space for ‘day use items’. DETAILS: A complete re-wire was carried out in 2012 involving new two new control Panels and the replacement of the engine start cables. A solar panel and regulator were also fitted. A cockpit table doubles as an insert in the cabin to create a good sized double birth.

The engine is a 4 stroke 8hp Yamaha electric start (with a charging facility), coupled to a remote tank. The engine also has a fresh water wash facility which is used after each trip to flush out salt . The water tank is an 11gallon ‘pillow tank’ fitted in the space below the berths, amid-ship with a fill point on the starboard deck side. A replaceable water filter is located just below the sink pump on the port side. A new 2 burner gas cooker has been fitted, with gas being piped in from a cylinder located in the compass binnacle.

Electronic equipment consists of a VHF radio (not DSC), fish finder (Garmin) and a Standard Horizon 180i chart plotter. An illuminated compass is fitted in the binnacle. A solar panel and regulator is also fitted to maintain the battery charge. A tiller pilot is included. A boom has been fitted to improve windward and off-wind sailing performance.

This can easily be removed if necessary. The Honnor Marine trailer purchased in 2011, was designed for the Drifter and features a hub wash facility and includes stainless steel brake cables. Removable docking arms have been added to make haul-out easier. In addition to the manual bilge pump, a new auto electric pump was fitted in 2014. This pump has a manual control mounted on the binnacle.

An over-all cockpit cover is included along with a separate cover for the engine.