Design and Construction
The hull and deck are a sandwich of glass-reinforced plastic with polyester resin over a Divinycell foam core, and the space beneath the forward cockpit section running to the small cabin — along with the bow section under the berth cushions — is filled with epoxy foam. That volume, combined with two buoyancy chambers, makes the 18-2 unsinkable: she stays on the surface even if she fills during a botched gennaker set, and lies horizontally in the water so she can be bailed out and lifted. The rudder is a single blade mounted in a cassette that catches it and can be pulled up in one motion, which the builder notes means only one blade is required. A 3D centreboard attached to the superstructure varies sheet angle for narrow windward tracks, and the open stern carries two stainless plates each side for inserting the swim ladder and motor bracket. A very large stern locker — about two metres wide, over a metre long, and 35 cm high — is reached through two watertight cockpit hatches.
Rig and Handling
The fractional sloop rig uses strongly aft-sweeping spreaders on the upper shrouds, which eliminates the need for a backstay, while a lower shroud each side and the forestay complete the standing rigging. The mainsail is flared at the head so a backstay would only foul it, and the furling jib system lives below deck in the anchor locker. Three trimming devices — downhaul, cunningham, and outhaul — sit around the companionway with the fore sheets, and the wide cockpit carries outhaul straps so crew weight shifts easily to windward. There is no retractable gennaker pole; the 25-square-metre gennaker stows in an optional recovery trumpet. Upwind sail area is 20 square metres (14 in the main, 6 in the furling jib). In testing, the log climbed to just over 5 knots upwind — already notable for a 5.30 m hull — and under gennaker the boat readily hit 7 knots and more, with GPS showing just under 9 knots over ground when the crew had not even driven her hard on a reach. With half the wind she still logged over 6 knots, and she could glide briefly on main and jib alone when dropping in a gust.
Performance Under Load
The light-air and gust behavior tells the real story of the design. In 12 to 15 knots with gusts over 20, testers needed three people on the rail to keep her controllable under gennaker, yet the 130 kilos of ballast gave enough security to fly the kite without hesitation in those gusts. That combination — a boat just 5.30 m long and 2.30 m beam, drawing 0.20 to 1.30 m — is quick enough that the builder's "fast leisure craft" label holds, even if she is no racer.
Accommodations
Below, the berth measures 200 by 161 centimetres at shoulder height and is comfortable for two, with 79 centimetres of headroom above it and 126 centimetres under the hatch in the footwell forward. The superstructure windows open for airflow, and a piping rail along both deck-hull joints takes stowage bags positioned as the crew wishes. The small cabin is honest weekending space, not a cruising apartment, but the openable glazing and configurable storage suit the boat's day-and-overnight leisure brief.
The Verdict
The Sailart 18-2 is a focused small cruiser: foam-filled and unsinkable, quick on a reach, and simple to de-power or ground-hand with her lifting rudder and watertight cockpit lockers. She trades regatta pretension for a recoverable platform that a couple can sail hard without fear of sinking.
Pros
- Unsinkable construction with epoxy-foam voids and two buoyancy chambers; lies horizontal when flooded
- Quick in breeze: 7+ knots under gennaker, near 9 over ground in testing, glides on main and jib alone
- Single cassette rudder lifts in one motion; furling jib below deck; no backstay needed
- Berth fits two with openable superstructure windows and configurable bag rail
Cons
- Needs three on the rail to manage the gennaker in 20-knot gusts
- No retractable gennaker pole; gennaker recovery trumpet is optional
- Small cabin headroom (79 cm above berth) limits livability to short stays
