The boat was derived from the 1980 S2 6.7 and used the same Wennersten-designed hull. It represented the light, high-performance end of the S2 range: the Grand Slam racing models, built with balsa-cored hulls and decks to save weight and increase stiffness. S2 completed 174 examples between 1983 and 1986, when the design went out of production. It also spawned the wing-keel S2 22 in 1985.
Design and Construction
The S2 6.9 measures 22 feet overall, with an 18-foot-7 waterline and an 8-foot beam. It displaces 2,200 pounds and carries 770 pounds of ballast in a lifting keel.
S2 built its racing and Grand Slam models, including the 6.9, with balsa-cored hulls and balsa-cored decks, rather than the solid-fiberglass cruising hulls used elsewhere in the range. The aim was maximum stiffness for the weight. The hull is predominantly fiberglass with wood trim and has a raked stem, a plumb transom, and a transom-hung rudder controlled by a tiller.
A cockpit winch raises and lowers the lifting keel. Draft ranges from 4 feet 6 inches with the keel down to about 10 inches with it raised. With the keel up, the boat has a smooth-bottomed, trailer-friendly profile that period testers considered one of its best features for launching and retrieval.
Rig and Performance
The 6.9 is a fractional-rigged Bermuda sloop with 228 square feet of sail area. Its standard rig dimensions are 26 feet for the foretriangle hoist and 7.83 feet for the base.
Its fractional rig and light displacement make it a lively performer. The manufacturer’s specification describes the boat as handling light airs like a champ and reaching speeds of up to eight knots in a breeze. The same source calls it a forgiving yet competitive pocket rocket, well suited to club racing.
S2 brought in Graham & Schlageter to revise the cockpit, cabin, sailplan, and keel of the 6.7 parent design. Even so, the resulting boat was no faster than the earlier model. Its PHRF rating is 205, consistent with a small, quick, planing-type racer-cruiser rather than a heavy cruiser.
Accommodations
The 6.9 sleeps four. A double V-berth fills the bow cabin, while two straight settees run along the main cabin. Just aft of the bow cabin, the galley sits to port and includes an ice box. The head is opposite, to starboard, beside the keel trunk.
It’s a minimal but functional arrangement for a 22-footer, sacrificing cabin volume to meet the design’s racing weight goals.
Lifting-Keel Concerns
The lifting keel is the one system that demands particular respect. Although the boat carries 770 pounds of ballast, the keel assembly itself weighs 430 pounds and lifts straight up on a winch. Its pivot and trunk are in the cabin sole beside the head.
On a boat of this size, repeatedly moving that much weight through a trunk that penetrates the hull creates an obvious potential path for fatigue and leakage. Any owner should treat the keel pennant, winch, and trunk seals as primary wear items.
The Verdict
The S2 6.9 is a focused little racer-cruiser. It combines a proven Wennersten hull with the lighter, balsa-cored structure of S2’s Grand Slam series and a practical lifting keel for trailering. It’s quick, forgiving, and easy to launch, though no faster than the S2 6.7 from which it was developed. Its heavy lifting keel is also a maintenance-sensitive element on a small boat.
Pros
- Light, stiff, balsa-cored hull and deck from the Grand Slam racing series
- Lifting keel provides a 10-inch trailering draft and makes launching and retrieval easier
- Lively fractional sloop that handles light air and can reach eight knots
- Sleeps four in a practical V-berth-and-settee layout
Cons
- No faster than the earlier S2 6.7 despite the redesign work
- The 430-pound lifting keel is a heavy, wear-prone, cockpit-winched system
