Design and Construction
Cornish Crabbers builds every Shrimper to order, so hull colour, deck colour, and interior layout are specified to owner requirements rather than pulled from a stock list. The builder offers a choice of hull colour beautifully offset with contrasting deck colours, off white being the current trend for the deck. Beyond the cosmetics, the engineering that goes into every Shrimper is impressive, and the quality of the layup and strength of the hull and mouldings is a stated design priority. Cleats and fittings are designed to exceed the work they will do, which suits a boat meant to be handled by family crews in tidal estuaries. The rudder is transom hung with a stainless steel lifting drop plate, and that rudder incorporates a balance area to reduce loads on the helm anchor.
Rig and Handling
The masts are easily stepped using the pivoting bowsprit as a lever, a detail that keeps trailering and launching a one-person job. Excess cordage has been all but eliminated compared to an old-fashioned gaff rig of 50 years ago, and the boat is set up to be easy to sail with low loads in the lines. The shallow draught makes the Shrimper 21 ideal for exploring sheltered waters with plenty of quiet anchorages, yet she will also happily take you into open water in good weather. The hull’s long waterline length enables reaching speeds of six knots to be reliably achieved in moderate breezes anchor. For those who prefer a taller rig, the Adventure range swaps the gaff for a Bermudan sail plan.
Accommodation
Below decks the Shrimper 21 is a surprisingly roomy boat with surprisingly spacious accommodation that is beautifully designed and finished, and several options are available so an owner can shape the layout. Compared with the 19, she offers a higher degree of comfort in the accommodation and a larger cockpit configured for far more useable single-level seating. Down below there are two settee/quarter berths, a table that doubles as extra galley worktop space, and a more separate forecabin with a choice of either a chemical or sea toilet under the head of the berth. There is generous sitting headroom, and the case for the lifting centreboard does not intrude unduly on leg room. Stowage has been improved throughout the boat, including around the galley.
Power and Equipment
The standard auxiliary is an inboard Yanmar 1GM diesel with easy-to-use controls led to the cockpit, though the builder also lists 6 or 8 hp outboards mounted in a well at the back of the cockpit, or a 9 hp Yanmar 1GM diesel inboard. Electric inboard engines are an emerging option, and various electric inboard or outboard engine choices are offered; the electric setup is presented as a special solution particularly in estuary, broads, and river home ports. Teak inlays on the cockpit seats remain a buyer option.
The Verdict
The Shrimper 21 takes the long-running formula of the original 19-foot Shrimper and enlarges it just enough to make weekend cruising genuinely civilised without losing trailerability or the shallow-draught freedom to explore. She is a boat built around owner specification, sound mouldings, and a forgiving nature at sea.
Pros
- Higher degree of comfort and improved accommodation over the Shrimper 19
- Easily stepped mast using the pivoting bowsprit as a lever
- Shallow lifting-keel draught for sheltered-water exploration and easy trailering
- Balanced transom-hung rudder with drop plate to lighten helm loads
- Built to owner order in hull colour, deck colour, and layout
Cons
- Modest sail area and six-knot reaching speed cap her as a gentle cruiser rather than a lively racer
- RCD Category C limits her to sheltered and inshore waters rather than offshore passage work
