Marshall 22 Sloop Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The hull is a thoroughly traditional hand-laid fiberglass structure: mat and roving bonded with polyester resin on a schedule set by Marshall himself, with seven basic plies and extra layers in the forepeak, garboard, and centerboard trunk. The mast step is a 25-ply laminated block built in its own mold, and the hull/deck joint relies on no mechanical fasteners at all—four progressively wider fiberglass bonding strips fuse the two. Cabin and cockpit coamings are solid glass, while the cabintop and foredeck are foam-cored except where hardware lands. No interior liner was used, which keeps maintenance simple. The hulls and decks have always been molded by Pine Grove Plastics in Freetown, Mass.

A 1983 change was the most significant structural revision: a molded fiberglass cockpit replaced the original glassed-plywood sole and plywood seats. That cockpit carries three lazarettes plus a portside icebox and two bronze scuppers at the aft end of the centerboard trunk, each draining through a seacock beneath the companionway steps; earlier boats made do with simple drain holes in the trunk. In 2009 closed-cell foam took the place of plywood in the transom and rudder cores, the main cabin bulkhead, and floor frames. Up to the mid-1970s the boats used an external stuffing box; later ones moved to an internal box.

Rig and Handling

The sloop model carries its mast in the cabin rather than the bow, which does compromise the interior somewhat, and it uses a clubfoot jib with the sprit supporting a forestay. The boat is a stiff sailor that sails at a modest heel and barely budges when stepped aboard, thanks to 850 pounds of interior lead ballast, a wide beam, and modest deadrise. A 12-knot breeze yields roughly 5.5 knots, and in 15 to 18 knots she can show 6.5 plus; a single reef is called for around a steady 15, and double-reefed she stands up to 25- to 35-knot gusts. Tacking occurs through 50 to 60 degrees depending on conditions.

Accommodations

The earliest layouts were open, with a pull-out double berth to starboard and a galley counter with sink and alcohol stove to port; by the late 1960s the head moved to starboard behind a partial bulkhead and curtain. A big centerboard trunk with a hinged table divides the cabin, and the space is reasonably comfortable for two adults. What is absent is standing headroom—the deliberately low topsides cut windage but allow only seated headroom for someone about 5-foot-11. The cockpit, by contrast, is larger, more unencumbered, and more comfortable than those on many bigger boats. Some boats have dressy cedar staving in cabin or cockpit, and teak trim around the coaming and centerboard trunk appears on many.

Known Issues

Hull blisters have seldom, if ever, been a problem on these boats. The original forward hatch on most 22s is not hinged and needs a makeshift prop to stay open, though newer boats got a modern-style hatch.

Refits and Ownership

Engine access is excellent through a big hatch in the cockpit sole. The Yanmar 3GM20 became standard in 1980, the raw-water-cooled 2GM20 followed in 1985, and when the 2GM was dropped around 2005 the freshwater-cooled 3YM20 took over. A 12-gallon aluminum fuel tank sits at the forward end of the cockpit beneath the starboard seat. Owners report a professionally maintained Yanmar 3GM diesel running smoothly and an Edson wheel functioning properly on an 1985 example.

The Verdict

The Marshall 22 Sloop is a quietly robust small cruiser whose hand-laid hull and bonded deck joint have kept the fleet sailing for decades. She trades a little interior room for a versatile sloop rig and rewards careful handling with steady, reefable performance.

Pros