Design & Construction
The hull reflects a conservative philosophy, with short overhangs, a relatively flat sheer, a long fin keel, and a spade rudder. The laminate is a hand-laid schedule, and the deck is balsa-cored. S2 used a conventional inward-turning flange to attach the deck, capped with an aluminum toerail that protects the joint. The lead ballast is internal, and the builder did a good job of embedding and sealing the lead in the keel cavity, so leaking should be minimal even in a hard grounding. Hulls were laid up in an enclosed, climate-controlled room and remained in molds until most of the interior was installed, a practice that helped maintain structural alignment. Shallow-draft keels were a popular option, reducing draft from 4 ft. 11 in. to 3 ft. 11 in.
Rig & Handling
The 9.2 A carries a masthead sloop rig on a deck-stepped spar. Early boats left the factory with a Kenyon section and North sails as standard, while later builds received Hall or Offshore spars. The running rigging and deck hardware is well set up, and the boat is easy to sail, with a good balance between main and jib sail area. That balance contributes to a reputation for sailing reasonably well, though she is not a fast boat by contemporary standards. In most areas the design carries a PHRF rating of 180 seconds per mile, with the shoal-keel version rated six seconds slower. The 4,000-lb. ballast represents 41 percent of total displacement—adequate for stability but contributing to the boat’s reputation for tenderness. Owners in surveys agree that the shoal-draft model heels fairly easily, and a number thought that even the deeper draft model was tender. Moving forward on deck requires care because the walkways are a bit narrow, and on the center-cockpit variant there is a considerable step up into the cockpit, though this is less relevant on the aft-cockpit A model.
Accommodations
The interior was undoubtedly the strong selling point of the boat. S2 was one of the first sailboat builders to use fabric as a hull liner, and it became almost a trademark of S2 interiors. The material is a neutral-colored polypropylene treated to be mildew resistant; it holds up amazingly well, absorbing virtually no water and resisting mildew and stains. The rest of the interior combines teak veneer plywood, Formica, and solid teak trim, with good workmanship evident throughout. In the aft-cockpit model, the V-berth is a bit short. The center-cockpit version offers an aft cabin with an athwartship double berth and good locker space, though that layout suffers from virtually no outside storage.
Under Power & Known Issues
A few of the 1977 and 1978 boats were sold with an Atomic 4 gasoline engine. After 1979, diesels were installed: through 1984 the choices were 12-hp or 15-hp Yanmars, or 12-hp Volvos, and in 1985 a Yanmar 23 became optional. A number of owners report that the boat is underpowered with the Yanmar 12, Yanmar 15, and Volvo 12 engines; one owner noted that the Yanmar 15 installation cannot buck any kind of head sea. Engine accessibility varies dramatically between the aft- and center-cockpit models. In the center-cockpit version, many owners complained about the inaccessibility of one side of the engine and the difficulty of getting at the dipstick—a frustration that the aft-cockpit A model largely sidesteps.
Ownership & Refits
S2 9.2 owners generally think they have a good product, and the consistent build quality gives a solid foundation for long-term ownership.
The Verdict
The S2 9.2 A is a moderate-displacement cruiser that pairs a conservative, well-built hull with an interior that still impresses decades later. She will not win races by contemporary standards, and her tenderness demands attentive sail trim, but the easy balance between main and jib and the thoughtfully laid-out deck hardware make her an approachable boat for coastal cruising.
Pros
- Exceptionally well-finished interior with durable, mildew-resistant fabric hull liner
- Conservative hand-laid hull with well-sealed internal ballast
- Easy-to-sail balance and well-set-up deck hardware
- Consistent build quality across the production run
Cons
- Tenderness, particularly in the shoal-draft version, requires early reefing
- Smaller diesel options widely considered underpowered
- Narrow side decks complicate moving forward
- Center-cockpit variant (related model) suffers from poor engine access and minimal outside storage
