Design and Construction
The hull is solid polyester spray laminate with hand-laid roving mats, while the deck is a balsa sandwich with an inner shell anchor. That deck structure is the boat's known weak point: the balsa sandwich is sensitive to moisture ingress. Osmosis, by contrast, is only a rare occurrence, which the period test attributed to good gelcoat. The keel configuration was unusually flexible for a 22-footer. A ballast centreboard was part of the original design rather than a retrofit, and fixed-keel drafts of 1.10 or 1.35 metres were offered with identical ballast anchor. The test boat from 1984 carried the 1.35-metre keel.
Rig and Handling
The Friendship 22 uses a 7/8 fractional rig with a mast height of 8.30 metres and a hinge at the base of the mast for easy lowering. Sail area centres on an 11 m² mainsail with a Genoa I of 14.2 m² and a smaller Genoa II of 12.0 m², plus a 2.6 m² working jib and a 29.7 m² spinnaker. Steering is by an attached rudder with a long lever capable of spinning the boat around sharply when needed anchor. The boat shows low initial stability, a trade-off of its narrow ballasted hull form rather than a defect.
Accommodations
Below, the cabin headroom is 1.54 metres and the layout sleeps four, with berth lengths of two metres forward and 1.95 metres in the saloon. A sliding pantry is fitted, and the boat was offered with a dog bunk to starboard in place of a locker. Buyers could also specify a lockable main bulkhead creating a separate foredeck. The open version is regarded as the wiser choice for the better sense of space it gives anchor. The interior woodwork, per the Balk worker's account, was plywood with thick veneers and panelled lockers.
Known Issues
Two practical shortcomings appear in the period survey. The cable run between inner shell and deck has no conduits, which complicates any electrical tracing or upgrade. The anchor locker cover is difficult to open. Neither undermines the structure, but both are worth noting on a used example.
Refits and Ownership
The original engine option was a Volvo Penta petrol unit with Saildrive anchor. The mast hinge simplifies trailering and winter storage. Given the deck's moisture sensitivity, any refit should prioritise keeping the balsa sandwich dry and repairing gelcoat breaches promptly.
The Verdict
The Friendship 22 is a thoughtfully designed small cruiser whose award-winning debut rested on a flexible keel program and a practical, roomy interior for its size. Its balsa deck demands respect, but the hull's resistance to osmosis and the soundness of the basic laminate make it a credible used proposition.
Pros
- Ballast centreboard and variable drafts designed in from the start
- Award-winning 1978 YACHT test pedigree
- Four berths with sensible lengths and optional open layout for space
- Rare osmosis thanks to good original gelcoat
Cons
- Balsa sandwich deck vulnerable to moisture
- Low initial stability
- Cable run without conduits; awkward anchor locker cover
